Paraphrase Upon the Books of the Psalms, Half title – Preface
A PARAPHRASE AND ANNOTATIONS Upon the BOOKS of the PSALMS.
A PARAPHRASE AND ANNOTATIONS Upon the BOOKS of the PSALMS, Briefly explaining the Difficulties thereof, By H. Hammond D. D.
LONDON, Printed by R. Norton, for Richard Davis Book-seller in Oxford, Anno Dom. MDCLIX.
A PREFACE.
Concerning the Duty, Practice, and constant Ʋsage of Psalmody in the Church. The Benefits thereof. The Designe of this worke. The Literal and Prophetical senses. The helps toward the Indagation of each. The Interpreters, especially the Greek. The Spirit and Affections of Psalmodists.
1. THe Duty and Benefits of Psalmody, and the many excellencies of these Divine inspired Books, cannot fitly be set out by any lower hand than that which first wrote them.
2. For the former of these, we are sufficiently provided from this treasury, Psal. xxxiii. 1. praise (this of Psalmody v. 2.) is comely for the upright; Psal. xcii. 1, 2, 3. It is a good thing to give thanks, to sing praises, to shew forth thy loving kindness and thy faithfulness, upon the Psaltery—with a solemn sound; cxxxv. 3. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant; Lxxxi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Sing aloud, Take a Psalm, Blow up the trumpet: For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. This he ordeined in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Aegypt; and very frequently elsewhere. And the summe of the testimonies is, that as it is the principal thing we know of the joyes of heaven, that we shall most ardently love and praise God there, and devoutly contend with the holy Angels, his supreme Ministers, in founding forth the adorable excellencies of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; so we are obliged by our holy calling and our own many great‖foreign. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 610. 2. foreign. Ib. l. 32, 34. foreign. Ib. p. 611. 15. 1. interests, to take some antepast of those celestial joyes in this lower kingdome of Heaven, and to spend no unconsiderable part of our present lives in this most blessed and holy imployment, wherein also those Angels which shall then be our Praecentors are here pleased to follow, and attend our motions, and invisibly to†foreign, Chrysost. see Note a. on Psal. cxxxviii. foreign. Basil. Tom. 1. p. 127. A. assist in those quires where they can finde meet company, the hearts,*Psal. xxvi. 6. foreign. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 611. 28. pure and‖Psal. cxxxviii. 1. whole hearts,†Eph. v. 18, 19 the spirits and inflamed affections, and*foreign. Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 610. 30. foreign. Athanas. ad Marcellin. 10. 1. p. 961. B. voices of Psalmodists.
3. As for the latter, it is no otherwise to be fetcht from hence than as the Light commends Beauty to every Eye, and as the Matter it selfe speaketh; this Type of Christ, the Psalmist, having transcrib'd this part of his Character, that he hath not thought fit to testify of himself, any otherwise than the works which he did bare witness of him. For this therefore we must appeal to forreign testimonies, and therein not so much to the diffused Panegyricks which have been largely bestowed on this holy Book by many of the*see Basil. to. 1. p. 125. 126, 127. and Athanas. Ep. ad Marcellin. throughout. antient Fathers of the Church, as to the Offices of all Churches, Jewish (nay Mahometane) as well as Christian, and the more private practises of Holy men in all Ages.
4. For the practice of the Jewish Church, we have 1 Chron. xv. 16. where the Levites are appointed to be singers with instruments of Musick, Psalteries and Harps and Cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy; and to record, and to thank and to praise the Lord God of Israel, ch. xvi. 4. And being thus prepared for the office, David delivered this Psalm to thanke the Lord, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, v. 7. Give thanks unto the Lord— in the words of Psal. cv. 1. And this not only upon an extraordinary occasion, to solemnize the carrying up of the Ark, but to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and also every evening, ch. xxiii. 30. foreign, &c. and to, or at every offering up (so the Lxxii rightly render it, foreign, at all that is offered) of burnt-sacrifices to the Lord in the Sabbaths, in the new-moons and on the feast dayes, v. 31. And thereto the recital of their practice accords Ecclus. L. 15, 16, 18. He poured out the sweet-smelling savour— Then shouted the sonns of Aaron, and sounded the silver trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance. The singers also sang praises with their voices, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody. So again 2 Chron. v. 12. the Levites arraied in white linen, having Cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the East end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests, sounding with trumpets. And as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lift up their voice with the trumpets and Cymbals and instruments of Musick, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever, in the words of this Psalmist so often repeated; then (in token of God's acceptation and approbation) the house was filled with a cloud, v. 13. the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God, v. 14.
5. This old copie of the Jews is at once transcribed, and confirmed, and recommended to all the world, by the signal practice of Christ himself in his great Reformation.
6. Beside his many incidental reflexions on this Book of Psalms, to prove his doctrine, and give account of himself; Luk. xx. 42. and xxiv. 44. Mat. xvi. 27. xxi. 16. xxv. 41. and xxvi. 23. Joh. x. 34. xv. 25. and xvii. 12. two signal instances are recorded for us: the one at the institution of the Eucharist, Mat. xxvi. 30. foreign, they sung a Psalm (closed the whole action with a hymn) and so went out.
7. That this their singing was the recitation of the Paschal hymne, or great Hallelujah, Ps. cxiv. and the foure subsequent, is not exprest by the Evangelist, yet is much more probable than the contrary opinion of those that conceive it was a new hymne of Christ's effusion, possibly the same which is recorded Joh. xvii. wherein it cannot be believed that the Disciples had their parts, as the word foreign must conclude they had in the singing this hymne or hymns. 'Tis evident our Saviour chose to retein much more of the Jewish customes than that of the Paschal Psalm amounts to.
8. The other instance was that upon the Cross (being now at the pouring out of his Peace-offering) Mat. xxvii. 46. About the ninth houre (the houre of Prayer) foreign, he (lift up his voice, like a Levites trumpet) resounded with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, Lamma Sabachthani, the express words (in the Syriack reading) of the beginning of the xxii. Psal. How much more of that or of the insuing Psalms he recited, the text advertiseth us no farther, than that he concluded with the words of the xxxi. v. 5. So S. Luke tells us, Ch. xxiii. 46. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, (which belongs to the former passage) he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the Ghost.
9. Here we see our Blessed Saviour, that had not the spirit by measure, that spake as never man spake, chose yet to conclude his life, to entertein himself in his greatest Agony, and at last to breath out his soule in this Psalmist's forme of words rather than in his own. No tongue of men or Angels can invent a greater foreign, to set out the honour of any writing, or give us more reason to lay up in our minds the words of the Martyr†Bib. Patr. Graec. Tom. 11. p. 357. B. Hippolitus, that in the dayes of Antichrist, foreign, Liturgie shall be extinguisht, Psalmody shall cease, reading of the Scriptures shall not be heard. In which three as the publick service of God was by the‖Scripturae leguntur, Psalmi canuntur, Adlocutiones proferuntur, Petitiones delegantur. Tertul. de An. c. ix. foreign— Theodoret. in 1 Cor. xiv. foreign. Nic. Cabasila foreign. in Bibl. Gr. Patr. Tom. 11. p. 201. Antients thought to consist; so the destroying of all and each of them must needs be a branch, if not the whole body of Antichristianisme, a direct contradiction to*Lu. xi. 2. Mat. xxvi. 30. Luke iv. 17. Christ, who, by his own prescription, or practice of each of these, imprest a sacred character on each.
10. The use which the Apostles of Christ are recorded to have made of this Book bears proportion with these precedents.
11. In S. Peters speech about Judas and his successor, the directions are taken from hence Act. i. 16, 20. In his first Sermon to his countreymen, his proofs are from hence, Act. 11.25, 31, 34. So again ch. iv. 11. And upon the delivery of him and John out of the Rulers hands, the whole company celebrate the news of it, ch. iv. 24. first in the words of Ps. cxlvi. 6. then of Ps. ii. 1, 2. so S. Paul in his Preaching Act. xiii. 22, 33, 35. in his Writings, Rom. iii. 4, 10. &c.— viii. 36. x. 18. xi. 9. xv. 3, 9, 11. and oft elsewhere: and so in his Sufferings also, Act. xvi. 25. At midnight (one of the solemn hours of prayer and Psalmody in the antient Church) Paul and Silas foreign, in their office of prayer used an hymne or Psalm (one or more) also, and recited so loud that the prisoners heard; and this again signally accepted and rewarded by God with the earth-quake, and opening of the doors, and loosing of their bands, v. 26.
12. The use of these in the publick Assemblies, as early as the Apostles times, is intimated 1 Cor. xiv. 26. but distinctly set down 1 Cor. ii. 4. under the style of prophesying, every man praying or prophesying (according to the importance of that phrase 1 Chron. xxv. Heman and Jeduthun should prophesy with harps, with psalteries and with cymbals, v. 1. and the sons of Asaph prophesied according to the order of the King, v. 2. and the sons of Jeduthun prophesied with the harp, to give thanks and praise the Lord, v. 3.) and in them, as in praying, all joyned, the whole assembly, in heart and voice, had all their common interest, women as well as men, every woman that prayeth or prophesieth, v. 5. though in other parts of the office they were not allowed to speak, c. xiv. 34. yet let us exalt his name together, Psal. xxxiv. 3. young men and maidens, Psal. cxLviii. 12. and so still foreign, saith‖l. 1. Ep. 90. p. 29. A. Isidore Pelusiote, the Apostles of Christ wisely permitted that women should sing Psalms in the Churches (and he there mentions it as a most severe punishment to be inflicted on them for their misdemeanours, foreign, to be interdicted singing in the Church, with which he joynes foreign, the turning them out of the city.)
13. Then for the more private use of them; S. Paul's prescriptions are authentick testimony: Eph. v. 18, 19. where in opposition to the heathen Orgia, of Bacchus's Enthusiasts, he directs to speaking to themselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts unto God; and Col. iii. 16. teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord. And so S. James also, ch. v. 13. Is any merry? let him sing Psalms.
14. How this exercise was frequented in all after-Ages in the Church, and made up a very great part of the Christians devotions, both in the publick assembly and more privately in the Family, and yet in the greater retirement, in the Closet and the waking Bed, we need not seek in the histories of the Ascetae and Recluse, (many of which spent their whole time in this imployment, reciting the whole Psalter daily, others weekly, none past an houre of Prayer without a considerable portion of it.) The Fathers of the Church assure us, that for those that lived‖foreign Basil. t. 1. p. 126. B. in seculo, Psalmody was the constant attendant sometimes of their†foreign. Chrys. t. 1. p. 610. l. 36. Meals, generally of their Business, in the shop and in the field, that they learnt the whole book by heart,*Chrys. Tom. 1. p. 854. 11. See Ib. p. 1054. 16. foreign, and through their whole age continued singing, or saying Psalms; that whereas‖foreign. Ib. p. 610. 15. the custome of the world had taught all to deceive the wearisomeness or length of business by any kinde of singing, foreign, God had provided them Psalms for their pleasure and profit together, that†foreign. Basil. tom. 1. p. 126. B. whilst they did in appearance but sing, they should really be instructed, and improved in their souls.
15. The consideration of these things, but especially of the common interest of all sorts and states, Ages and Sexes, in this one great*foreign. Basil. t. 1. 125. B. C. treasury and magazine, deposited with the Church for the inriching and securing of Souls, together with one sadder reflection, which I had rather the Reader should be told from‖foreign. Tom. 1. p. 854. 13. and foreign. Ib. 20. S. Chrysostome than from me, have oft suggested, and at length perswaded me†foreign. Athanas. ad Marcell. to. 1. p. 960. A. to make this attempt, to cast in my mite into this Treasury, my Symbolum toward so charitable a work, as is the indeavour that every man may be in some measure able to say with*1 Cor. xiv. 15. S. Paul, foreign, I will sing, or recite a Psalm, with the spirit, I will do it with the understanding also.
16. In order to which what is here attempted to be performed, together with the uses which every pious Christian may think fit to make of it, I am in this place to advertise the Reader.
15. For the first, The maine, if not onelyonly, scope of the Paraphrase and Annotations hath been to extricate and clear the literal importance of each Psalm, whether that were more general, wherein all men indifferently were concerned, or more part cular; and that again either such as concerned the Psalmist onelyonly in relation to some matter of fact in the story of those times, or such as had a farther and more divine aspect on Christ, the Messias of the world, who without question is oft predicted in this Book of Psalms, and either by Christ himself, or by his inspired Apostles, acknowledged and attested to have been signally meant, and so to have given the world the most eminent completion of those predictions.
18. Now because the expounding of Prophecies is no easy taske, and especially of those poetick and prophetick writings which have had one immediate sense, and completion in some other, and because there is but one infallible clue to this labyrinth, the applications of such places made by divine writers in the New Testament; I have therefore made use of that as oft as it was to be met with, and then advanced with confidence beyond what the letter, in its first or immediate sense, suggested: But for all other passages, which by some kind of accommodation, or Anagogy, or Figure, or moral or spiritual sense, were capable of being thus applied either to Christ or his Church, I have not frequently chosen to be thus adventurous, both because I knew this was for the most part the product of phansy, wherein all men are willing to reserve their liberty, and neither needed to be directed, nor liked to be anticipated; and because I was unwilling to affix any sense to Scripture, which I had not some degree of assurance that the Holy Ghost in the inspired Writer had respect unto, who though he may have designed whatever the words are capable of, and so may have intended more senses than one, yet cannot be proved to have done whatsoever he might have done. And therefore though I blame not the inlargements of their spirits, who extend themselves to Allegorical and Tropological descants, so they be founded in the Literal sense first secured; yet this latter was it which I had in my aime: and I both found and foresaw a competent weight and number of difficulties in that, which as I was intent, by Gods help to overcome; so I was not willing to weaken, by diverting any part of my forces to what was more easy, but less necessary; considering especially that this Book of Psalms brought home thus plainly (and without any descant) to every mans understanding, would be able to yeeld him an intire Body of necessary Theology, in directions of life, fundamentals of Faith, and incentives and helps of Devotion, and copious and various matter of divine Meditation, which are sufficient to recommend it to the Readers most diligent revolving, to which then those Anagogies are likely to be consequent of their own accord, as the result of a more passionate delight hovering over the more solid intellectual joy of conversing with God, and inriching his own Soule.
19. For the fetching out of this primary or literal sense, oft veiled in Poetick colours, sometimes more intricated whether by Ellipses, or Trajections, but most frequently made doubtfull by the variety of notions of which the same Hebrew words are capable, my first resort hath been to the antient learned literal Interpreters in many Languages, as they are lately published, with most advantage, by the great diligence and unwearied industry of my very worthy and learned friend Dr. Walton.
20. of these I must acknowledge the most advantageous directions to have been afforded me by the Chaldee, Greek, and Syriack; for as to the Latine, Arabick, and Aethiopick, they do so closely follow, and in a manner render the Greek, that the chief use of them hath been, to secure us of the antient reading of the Greek, which being sometimes corrupted in the Autograph, is to be recovered by help of these Transcripts.
21. Of these three, the Chaldee, which is not so literal as the others pretend to be, but owns the liberty of a Paraphrast, is yet as commodious as any to direct to the literal sense, the very designe of a Paraphrast being truly this, to render that fully in more words which an equal number could not sufficiently express. Yet hath not this made so full a provision for us, but that all other aids have sometimes been little enough to stear us through the difficulty.
22. For the Greek, whether it be truly what the title assumes, the translation of the Lxxii. i. e. those so many Jews in Ptolemaeus Philadelphus his time, who were sent him by the High Priest competently instructed to performe that work, I shall not take upon me to determine. For as I am no way convinced with the arguments of those who affirme that those Lxxii. translated no more than the Law of Moses, as that strictly signifies but the Pentateuch (when yet the title is inlarg'd (in Christs style John xii. 34. & xv. 25. and S. Pauls Rom. iii. 19.) to this Book of Psalms peculiarly, and to the Prophets also 1 Cor. xiv. 21. and when the antientest Fathers of the Church, Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, †l. iii. c. 25.Irenaeus, *Strom. l. 1.Clemens Alexandrinus, and so forward till S. Hierome, all uniformely produced their testimonies out of the Prophets and Psalms as well as out of the Pentateuch, upon the authority of these Lxxii. Jews which had thus rendred them) or that what they translated, was by the burning of Ptolemies Library, in Julius Cesar's time, irrecoverably lost (when certeinly many copies of it had been transcribed before that time, which met not with that conflagration:) so neither am I obliged by the relation of the Cells, and other circumstances (which Justin was told in Aegypt, over and above what we finde in Aristeas or Josephus) to conclude their interpretation a work of Gods peculiar conduct, and so to ascribe, as some great Lights of the Church have done, their variations from the Hebrew to the same Spirit by which the Originals were first indited.
23. I shall only remember on this occasion, what is observed by Jesus the son of Sirach, in his Prologue to Ecclesiasticus; where taking notice of the interpretation not only of the Law, but of the Prophets and other Books also, and in the next words setting down the time of his coming into Aegypt, in the eight and thirtieth year under King Euergetes, the immediate successor of Ptolemaeus Philadelphus, (and so may probably be understood to speak of the Lxxii. not long after the compiling their interpretation) he tells us withall that there was great difference betwixt the Original and the Translation. And allowing it to have place in this of the Psalms, as well as other books, (though I think as little in this as in most other) 'tis yet certein, that great use is to be made of it toward the present designe of interpreting the Original. And in gratitude for the many benefits thus received (but especially because this Translation was the means of conveying the word of God unto the heathen, was in many Synagogues used by the Jews in and before Christ's time, as‖Apol. 11. and in Paren. Justine, &†Apol. c. xviii. Tertullian & the*see Gemara Hierosol. tr. Sota c. 7. Jews themselves assure us, was constantly cited and resorted to by Philo Judaeus in his writings, and frequently honoured by the writers of the New Testament, who retein their rendrings, even where they differ from the Hebrew, and lastly, hath reteined that honour in the whole antient Church, which universally used and followed this translation which we now have, and that without any question but the Lxxii. were the Authors of it) I have payed them a more peculiar respect and consideration, very often examined their rendrings more nicely, and proposed either my own or others opinions concerning the causes or grounds of their Variations: which I acknowledge to be more than was necessary to the work in hand, yet deemed it a foreign by which the learned Reader would be gratified, and the more unlearned not considerably disturbed in his pursuit.
24. As for the Syriack, that also hath been often conducible to my undertaking, as departing frequently from the Lxxii. where there was reason for so doing, and more simply rendring the Original than the Chaldee, as a Paraphrast, pretended to do.
25. Besides these, I have had the directions sometimes of the Jewish Scholiasts, especially Aben Ezra and Kimchi, and sometimes of the Jewish Arab Interpreter, and of Abu Walid and R. Tanchum; which three I wholly owe to the favour of my most learned friend Mr. Pocock, who hath those Manuscript rarities peculiar to his Library, and hath been forward to communicate them, and, which is more, his own great judgment in several difficulties, when I stood in need thereof. And by these and other helps which were more accessible, I at length atteined to that measure of understanding of this very obscure divine Poeme, which is here communicated to the Reader by three steps or degrees; first, by some light change of the Translation; secondly, by larger Paraphrase; and thirdly to those, that have the curiosity to desire the reasons of these, by way of Annotations.
26. And if what is here communicated prove in any proportion successefull toward the designed end, the giving the Reader the plain understanding of this Book, it will then leave behinde it a manifold obligation to make use of it to his own greatest advantage, not onelyonly by‖foreign. Athanas. T. 1. p. 971. A. foreign. Ibid. p. 962. A. foreign. Ibid. B. gathering out of the whole, as from a Panacea, those peculiar medicaments which may fit him in whatsoever occasions; but by allotting himself every day of his life a dimensum of heavenly meditation and devotion, conversing with God in those†foreign. Athanas. Ibid. B. c. very words (they need not be refined, or put into Rhythme, to fit them for his turne; the Antients contented themselves with the plain Prose, and found it fittest for use) with which for this common end, the use and benefit of Mankinde, he so long since inspired the Psalmist.
27. Till by some better guidance men have acquired some competent understanding of the book, this Paraphrase may possibly be usefull in their retirements to be read verse by verse, together with the Psalm; as Interlinears have been provided for novices in all languages: But when the Psalm is understood, and the recesses competently opened, then this designed help will but incumber the instructed Christian, and so is in duty to be laid aside, and changed for the indeavour of drawing to himself the most proper juice out of every line, and then inlarging his thoughts, and inflaming his zeal on each occasion that the periods of the Psalm shall severally suggest, and the good Spirit of God excite in him, whether in relation to himselfe or others.
28. To which purpose it is much to be wished, that they that allot any constant part of their time to private Psalmody, and to that end have, as the Antients prescribed and practised, gotten the Psaltery perfectly by heart (quilibet vinitor— every tradesman at his manual work having by this means the whole time of his labour a vacancy for his Devotion) would be carefull not onelyonly to keep their hearts in strict attendance on their tongues,‖see Saint Hierome ad Marcellam Ep. xviii. & ad Latam Ep. iv. vii. that it may not degenerate into lip-labour, but also to give them a much greater scope of inlargement, to improve these impresses, to beat out this gold into plate and wire by Reflections, Applications, Soliloquies, and so to fasten these on the minde with references to the texts which suggested them, that they may be so many Topicks and helps of Memory, to bring back the same with all the advantages that united Devotions shall beget in them, when they recite the same in the publick Offices of the Church.
29. I have heard of some pious men, which have constantly completed the whole work of their private prayers by inlarging their meditations on the several petitions of the Lords Prayer; the profit whereof is probably much greater than of the same, or greater, space laid out by others in the multiplied recitation of the same divine Prayer. And proportionably, the reciting a few Psalms daily with these interpunctions of mental Devotion, suggested and animated and maintained by the native life and vigour which is in the Psalms, may deserve much to be preferred before the daily recitation of the whole Psalter, whereof the devotions of some Asceticks is said to have consisted. The danger being very obvious, and easily foreseen, that what is beaten out into immoderate length, will lose of the massiness; and nothing more fit to be averted in religious Offices, than their degenerating into heartless disspirited recitations.
30. That our Devotions, unto which the Psalter is set to minister, may not be such, we are 1. to take care that our‖foreign. Athanas. ad Marcellin. T. 1. p. 964. c. lives bear some conformity with these patterns; and 2. very sollicitously to attend and provide, that the Psalmist's effusions have the Psalmist's spirit and affection to accompany them, that we borrow his hand & breath, as well as his instrument and ditties. The Antient Fathers of the Church are very pressing on this Subject. Forme thy spirit by the affection of the Psalm, †in Psal. xxx. Conc. 3. Tuum spiritum affectu Psalmi forma: si affectus sit amoris, ama-saith S. Augustine. If it be the affection of Love, inkindle that within thy breast (that thou mayest not speak against thy sense and knowledge and conscience, when thou sayst, I will love thee, O Lord my strength.) If it be an affection of fear, impresse that on thy soule, (and be not thy selfe an insensible anvile to such strokes of divine poesy which thou chantest out to others, O consider this ye that forget God, lest he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you.) If it be an affection of desire which the Psalmist in an holy transportation expresseth, let the same breath in thee, accounting, as S. Chrysostome minds thee on Psal. xLii, that when thou recitest those words, Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soule after thee, O God, thou hast*foreign— to. 1. p. 615. 11. foreign. Ib. l. 8. foreign, &c. Ibid. l. 13. sealed a covenant, betrothed and ingaged thy soule to God, and must never have a coldnesse or indifferency to him hereafter. If it be the affection of gratitude, let thy soule be lifted up in praises, come with affections this way inflamed, sensible of the weight of mercies of all kinds, spiritual and temporal, with all the inhansements that the seasonable application thereof to the extremities of thy wants can adde to thy preservations, and pardons, and joyes: or else the reciting the Hallelujahs will be a most ridiculous piece of pageantry. And so likewise for the petitory part of the Psalms, let us be allwaies in a posture ready for them, with our spirits minutely prepared to dart them up to heaven. And ‖Aug. Ib.whatever the affection be, Cor faciat quod verba significant, Let the heart doe what the words signify. †Col. x. c. x. et xi. Ad fruendum hoc thesauro necesse est eodem spiritu Psalmos dicere quo fuerunt compositi—Cassian hath said over the same thing more largely and earnestly, That we injoy this treasure, it is necessary that we say the Psalms with the same spirit with which they were composed, and accommodate them unto our selves in the same manner as if every one of us had composed them, or as if the Psalmist had directed them purposely for our uses; not satisfying our selves that they had their whole completion in or by the Prophet, but discerning every of us our own parts still to be performed and acted over in the Psalmists words, by exciting in our selves the same affections which we discern to have been in David or in others at that time, loving when he loves, fearing when he fears, hoping when he hopes, praising God when he praises, weeping for our own or others sins when he weeps, begging what we want with the like spirit wherein his petitions are framed, loving our enemies when he shews love to his, praying for ours when he prayes for his, having zeal for the glory of God when the Psalmist professes it, humbling our selves when he is humbled, lifting up our spirit to heaven when he lifts up his, giving thanks for Gods mercies when he doth, delighting and rejoycing in the beauty of the Messias, and of the Church his Spouse, when he is delighted and rejoyceth; when he relates the wonderfull works of God in the creation of the world, bringing his people out of Aegypt &c. admiring and glorifying God as he stands amazed and glorifies him; and when he mentions the punishments inflicted on rebellious sinners, and rewards and favours bestowed on the obedient, we likewise are to tremble when he trembles, and exult when he exults, and walk in the court of heaven, the sanctuary, as he walks, and wish to dwell in it as he wishes: Finally, where he as a master teacheth, exhorts, reprehends, and directs the just man, each of us must suppose him speaking to him, and answer him in such due manner as the instruction of such a Master exacts. And that we may in some measure performe this vital substantial part of our task, Let us, saith he, at the beginning of the Psalm, begge of God that light and affection and gust and savour, with which David was affected when he made it, and that with the affection and desire of obteining what he felt.
31. And if it be here objected, First, that there be many things in these Psalms which are not agreeable to every mans condition, and so cannot at all times be attended with the spirit of the reciter, as the Eucharistical Psalms are not proper for him that is in distresse, &c. Secondly, that there are many which have no propriety to the spirit of any Christian, as those which are spent in calling down vengeance on Gods and the Psalmists enemies, Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soule, Psal. xxxv. 4. Let them be as chaffe before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord chase them, v. 5. Let destruction come upon them at unawares— v. 8. and especially Psal. cix. allmost throughout: the answer will not be difficult. To the first, 1. that the very objection is a grant that the Psalms contein devotions proper to the most distant conditions of all men, and then that which is no way agreeable to my present circumstances, being yet most agreeable and accommodate to several other men, this is but a summons to my charity to swell above its own banks, and diffuse it selfe to the refreshing and supplying of others wants: and so this is not any defect, but an advantage in the Psalms, which will never be complained of by those which begin their forms as our Saviour directed, addressing them to the common Father and Redeemer of all men, and desire not to inclose benedictions, but take all others into a principal part of their care, and so can pray most zealously for any thing that any other Christian stands in need of. And yet 2. it will be hard to mention any thing which was ever fit for the Psalmist to say, which will not have some propriety to‖foreign. Athanas. ad Marcellin. T. 1. p. 966. B. foreign— Ib. p. 567. A. every of us, in whatsoever condition. 'Tis certain (as to the particular instance) that he that is in the greatest distresse, hath yet various matter for, and obligations to thanksgivings, when his very distress, which seems to set him at the greatest distance from it, is the most peculiar ingagement to it. Gods taking all away, bringing to the boiles and dunghill from the ease and splendor of the palace, is Job's summons to blessing the name of the Lord, as well as the memory of his greatest donatives: and the Psalmist oft assures us of the goodnesse and most valuable benefits of afflictions, and consequently teaches us the duty of blessing and magnifying our benefactor for the mercy of those wholsome, be they never so bitter, ingredients. And the same will be found appliable to all other affections of the Psalmist, which will seldome miss to meet seasonable matter to worke on in any mans breast, which wants not devotion to discern and bring it home to him.
32. To the second Objection I shall not need accommodate any other answer, than the Reader will finde allready given in the Margin and Paraphrase and Annotation on Psal. xxxv. 4. and other the like, that the Hebrew is as capable of the Future as the Imperative mood and sense, and so the translation in all reason to be changed, foreign— not, let them be confounded and put to shame, but, they shall blush and be ashamed, they shall be turned back, foreign they shall be as chaffe before the wind, and the Angel of the Lord shall chase them, Their way foreign shall be darke and slippery, and the Angel of the Lord shall persecute them, Destruction shall come upon him unawares, and his net that he hath hid shall catch himself, into that very destruction shall he fall. That David, who was a Prophet inspired by God with knowledge of future events, should thus rather predict and denounce Gods just judgments on obstinate sinners, and that out of designes purely charitative, by denouncing to work repentance, that repentance might frustrate and cancel the denuntiation, is much more reasonable for us to resolve, than that in the spirit (when possibly without the power) of Elias he should so frequently call for thunder from heaven either upon his own or Gods enemies. And in many places, particularly that of Ps. cix. 'tis reasonable to resolve, that it is Christ himself that speaketh in the Prophet, as being the person there principally concerned, and the completion most signal in many circumstances there mentioned, the succession especially of Matthias in his Apostolical and Episcopal office. And then there remains no more question or difficulty, how these and the like passages are to be accommodated to the Christians affection and spirit, than how the plain denuntiations of the Gospel are to be enterteined by it, Except ye repent ye shall perish: Indignation and anger and wrath upon every soule that doth ill: Our God is a consuming fire: There remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation, which shall consume the adversary: and many the like, which are to be admitted into the very bowels of the Soule, there to performe their work of Melting Contrition, Mortification and Reformation, to bruise the Soule and dissolve it, and purge all the dross out of it, and so refine and prepare it for the uses of Holiness. 'Tis ordinarily said, that the Jews were a typical people, the whole divine oeconomy toward them is doctrinal and instructive to us, not immediately or literally, but by way of Anagogy; the severity required of them toward the Canaanites, is to be transcribed by us no other way than by our displeasure and revenges on our lusts and sins, the greatest enemies either of God or us. And thus our zeal and indignation may be seasonably laid out, yea and our Anathemas (if we still continue them in that forme) our solemn delivering them up to God's displeasure, judgment and executions, without pleading their cause, or solliciting any reprieve for them.
33. If again it be objected, That many affections of the Psalmist are much more divinely elevated than 'tis imaginable our dull earthy hearts should keep pace with them, That the Beatitudes belong to those which are much higher advanced than we are, That the professions of love are exuberant, and but reproaches of our lukewarmeness, not paterns of formes for it: I answer, That 'tis most true that these divine flames are much above the common pitch, and were not meant so to our use, as to flatter us that we are, or may lawfully assume to be such as David was, or as he by these pourtraitures desired we should be. Yet are there other proper advantages to be made of these. They that recite the Beatitudes, are to doe it with the sincerity of honest hearts, aspiring to that pitch, and begging God's grace and assistance to advance them to some measure of all those practices to which those Beatitudes are pronounced: they that take into their mouths David's forms of professions of love, or faith, or zeal, or resolute adherence and obedience to God, are thereby to reproach and excite their own defects, to humble themselves before God, that they cannot pronounce them so vigorously as they ought, and to pray for that growth and spiritual proficiency, that at their next approaches to that part of the office they may performe it with more savour, and professe with more truth what the Psalmist calls us and teaches us to professe.
34. Lastly, for the sweetnesse of Gods Law, which is so oft proclaimed in these Books, the gratiousnesse of Gods precepts, not onelyonly of the promises annext to them by way of future reward, but the resultance of present joy and gratefulnesse and agreeablenesse, which discovers it selfe in every part of our obedience to Gods yoke, more to be prized than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honey-combe, and such as when it is tried to the uttermost, the servant of the Lord not only willingly supports, but unfeignedly loves it; If we are not cordially able to joyne with the Psalmist in these and the like expressions, then, as we need not be told 'tis for want of the like temper and frame of mind which he had, so we must hereby be directed, first to cure our appetites, and then to taste and see, as the Psalmist advises, solemnly to make our trialls, to gain this part of Christian experience, which is not to be had but in a constant serious practice of all God's wayes; and then we shall not faile to see and discern how gracious the Lord is, and that there is not any such probable way to the blessednesse even of this life, as that of adhering and keeping fast to his precepts and directions, in opposition, and defiance, and abhorrence to all the false wisdome and promises of the World.
35. I shall not now farther inlarge this foreign, by inquiring, as I had thought, into the Measures and Musick of this Divine Poesy. Of which as it is not easy to make any exact discoveries; so some imperfect observations, which are the utmost I can aspire to, will not be sufficient to excuse the confidence of entring on a disquisition which no others have adventured to trace before me, nor found themselves invited to it, either by the Helps which remain in this kinde, or the Profit that probably were to be reaped by it. The onelyonly advise, with which I shall conclude, is, That in general we remember, that the whole Book is originally metrical, and so designed to consort and united affections, and therefore ought to be distinguisht, and have its use separate from other Scriptures which are read in our presence, and accordingly we sit and hearken to them, and indeavour to remember them, and apply them to the increase of our spiritual knowledge; whereas this, as all the Hymns of the Church, belongs to the whole assembly of both sexes, not as to Auditors, but to Actors: and therefore in this part of the Publick Service, whether saying or singing of Psalms, every person of the Congregation is to preserve his interest, with his voice and heart joyning in all, or at least by mainteining his right to all by interposing in every other verse, by way of Response and alternation. Which that it was the Primitive custome, if we wanted other evidences, the Epistle of‖Lib. x. Ep. 97. Plinie to Trajane would competently assure us, where he tells him of the custome of the Christians in their coetus, Carmen Christo, tanquam Deo, dicere secum invicem, to say one with another by turnes a verse, i. e. a Psalm or Hymne, to Christ, as unto God. Which custome (together with the reverend posture of standing assigned to this office of Psalmody, and the Doxology at the end of every Psalm, to testify what Pliny discovered, that we say our Psalms to Christ as to God) upon what deliberations or designes it hath been indeavoured to be laid aside, and the Psalms, whilst they are but in Prose, barely read in the common mode of other Scriptures, and the people denied their parts in them (save when they are sung in very ill Metre) I list not to conjecture; but shall hope, when we have atteined any part of the Psalmists affections, to fit us for the office, it will be thought as fit for our Lips and Hearts, as for our Eares, to turne Psalmodists.
H. Hammond.