Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. 1. The Introduction: The words explained.
THis Pſalm is foreign Pſalmus praetitulatus; (ſo Divines call thoſe, which have Titles prefixed to them.) The Title thereof is that, upon which as the Baſis or Foundation, I intend to build this Diſcourſe. There is ſometimes that in the Porch, before you enter the main and principal building, which may pleaſe and profit a judicious Eye: Thus 'tis here; though the words I fixe upon, be but a bare Title, and ſo but as the porch or in-let into the Pſalm it ſelf; yet there is that matter contained in them, which may be very uſeful, and may much delight and profit a ſerious Chriſtian. This I am ſure of, they offer that, which fully ſuits with my preſent deſign, and therefore here I will lay my foundation.
Let me premiſe this, in General; the Titles of the Pſalms are not to be neglected, or ſlightly paſſed over; but but they are to be weighed and conſidered, as well as the Pſalm it ſelf. Take three reaſons to prove and back this Aſſertion.
1. Becauſe (according to the opinion generally received) they are of divine inſpiration; that ſpirit that dictated the Pſalm, did dictate the Title alſo. They are a part of the Scripture, and All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. In this bleſſed book of the Pſalms, (which the Ancient Fathers do very much magnifie) there are the Contents (prefixed before them as before other parts of Holy Writ) the Titles, the Pſalm it ſelf: The firſt are confeſſedly of Man, merely of Humane invention and addition, (though I do not deny the uſefulneſs of them.) The two latter are of God, and have his ſtamp upon them. And if ſo, then 'tis not without reaſon, that ſome have been diſſatisfied at the leaving out of theſe Titles, in ſome Editions of the Bible, (as 'tis known they are;) for why ſhould we loſe any Iota or tittle of the word of God? Some learned men conjecture, that the Pſalms at the firſt penning of them, were not put together, or put into that order wherein now we have them, but that that was done afterwards by*Non eſt ignorandum, &c. — Eſdras ut antiquae traditiones ferunt, in compoſitos eos, — in unum volumen collegit & retulit. Hilarius in Prolog. in Explan. Pſalm. p. 334. Ezra; and that he alſo (that the Church might be the better directed in the uſe of them) ſet the Titles before them: Let this be granted, this makes not againſt what here I have aſſerted, this Ezra being a Prophet, and extraordinarily inſpired in what he did.
2. Becauſe they are of excellent uſe; for they are as a*Quid eſt Titulus niſi Clavis? Ʋt in domum non ingreditur niſi per clavem, ita & ut uniuſcujuſque Pſalmi intellectus per clavem (h. e.) per titulum intelligitur. Hieron. in Proaem. ad Pſalm. vid. Hilarium in Prologo in Pſalm. explanat. p. 336. Quanquam haec à nobis, &c. key to open the whole Pſalm; they contribute much light to the right underſtanding of it. By the(a)Significant Tituli aut rem geſtam, quae carmini dederit occaſionem, aut Authorem, aut Argumentum, aut Genus carminis, aut Muſicum Inſtrumentum, aut Cantorem; aut horum modò plura, modò pauciora. Caſtalio in Pſal. 4. Titles we learn, who was the Author of it, when it was penn'd, upon what occaſion, what the drift and ſcope of it is; and the knowledge of theſe conduces much to the clearing up of the Pſalm it ſelf. I am not willing to ſtay upon this, otherwiſe it might eaſily be made out in ſeveral inſtances. Do but take this very Title, which I have fix'd upon; it ſhews, when the following Pſalm was compoſed, when it was uſed, upon what occaſion; it was at the Dedication of the Houſe of David. And if you pleaſe to read it, you will find it to be adapted and ſuited to ſuch a time, and ſuch an end; it conſiſts of Prayer and Praiſe; theſe two are intermingled through the whole Pſalm (verſe 1.) I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou haſt lifted me up, and haſt not made my foes to rejoyce over me: (verſe 4.) Sing unto the Lord (O ye Saints) and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holineſs: (verſe 11.) Thou haſt turned for me my mourning into dancing, &c. To the end that my glory may ſing praiſe to thee, and not be ſilent; O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Here is praiſe. Verſe 10. Hear O Lord, and have mercy upon me, Lord be thou my helper. Here is prayer. And theſe were the two things, which were mainly uſed in religious Dedications; and therefore though there be no literal or expreſs mention in the Pſalm of Dedication, yet the matter of it is well enough ſuited to the Title, it conſiſting of thoſe two great things, which (I ſay) were moſt in uſe in religious Dedications.
3. Becauſe precious matter is often wrapp'd up in the very Title; taking it by it ſelf, apart from the body of the Pſalm, before which 'tis placed. Theſe are not only as the key to open the Cabinet, but ſometimes they are as the Cabinet it ſelf, in which many excellent and precious truths are locked up. The key though it be made of iron, yet 'tis valued becauſe of its uſe, (for the iron-key will open the lock as well as any other:) But if it be made of gold, then 'tis prized, not only for its uſe, but for its own intrinſick worth. 'Tis thus in the Titles of the Pſalms; and particularly in that which I am upon. It ſpeaks of Houſe-dedication, that's an excellent ſubject, a very high and weighty duty (as will hereafter appear.) This we learn out of it; out of this Mine we dig this treaſure: And in reſpect to this, the Jews in their dedicatory Acts made uſe of it*Ainſworth upon the words.. So Maimonides tells us; who ſays, when the Iſraelites brought their baskets of firſt fruits to the Sanctuary, and came thither in Companies, they ſang by the way the 122. Pſalm; when they came to the Sanctuary, they ſang the 150. Pſalm: and when they were come into the Court-yard, the Levites ſaid this 30. Pſalm.
This I have premiſed, that I might both a little inform you as to the Titles of the Pſalms, and alſo that I might juſtifie my ſelf, in my grounding of the enſuing diſcourſe upon a bare Title. It will be convenient, before I come to that which I aim at, to go over the words, and to give you the explication of them, and that will take up ſome time.
They begin thus — A Pſalm and Song. The learned put a difference betwixt theſe;(a)Vid. Hilarium in Prol. in Explan. Pſalm. p. 336. Pſalmus eſt, cum, &c. foreign, &. Baſil. in Pſal. 1. p. 160. Pſalmus propriè eſt illud Carmen, quod ſimul cum Pſalterii inſtrumento ſuavi voce profertur; Ode ſeu Canticum vox quaedam Muſica est cum Harmonia ſolo ore prolata. Euthym. in Praef. ad Pſalm. they ſay they differ thus; when there was not only the voice but ſome Muſical inſtrument joyned with it, then it was a Pſalm; when there was only a voice without any muſick, then it was a Song: when both went together, muſick and voice, then it was a Pſalm and Song. Nay(b)Canticum Pſalmi cum vox Humana ſequitur concentum Organi, Pſalmus Cantici ubi contra. Hebraeorum Doctores differentiae hujus rationem, ſe ignorare ingenuè agnoſcunt. Vaetabl. Where the Muſical inſtruments vvent before the voice, there 'tvvas a Pſalm and Song: Where the voices of men vvent before the Inſtruments, there a Song and Pſalm: But this obſervation concerning the different placing of the vvords, ſeems to be a mere querk. Engliſh Annot. ſome are ſo curious and critical, as to obſerve ſomething from the Order; when 'tis Pſalm and Song, (as here, and Pſal. 65.) then the muſick went before the voice; when 'tis Song and Pſalm (as Pſalm 60.) then the voice went before the muſick. I aſſent to the difference put betwixt them. The Apoſtle brings them in as diſtinct, Col. 3.16. (and he adds a third, viz. an Hymm.) But as to the inferring of any thing from the order, that is a very nicety, a meer ſpeculation. But let this paſs, I am not much concerned in this clauſe; that which follows is that which I muſt abide upon.
(At the dedication of the Houſe of David) Something here muſt be ſpoken, 1. to the act, (Dedication) 2. to the object, or the Thing dedicated: (the Houſe of David.)
For the Act; doubtleſs this was no ſinful, idolatrous, unwarrantable dedication; but that rather which was lawful, nay religious and holy. You read in Dan. 3.3. of a wicked, impious dedication: The Princes, the Governors, and Captains, the Judges, the Treaſurers, the Counſellors, the Sheriffs, and all the Rulers of the Provinces were gathered together, unto the [dedication] of the Image, that Nebuchadnezzar the King had ſet up. This was very ſolemn, but very ſinful. After the dedication, then came the adoration (as you ſee verſe 7.) — But the dedication, which the Text ſpeaks of, was of a quite other nature; it was that which was done to the true God, in a right manner, upon right ends; and ſo it was holy and praiſe-worthy.
It will be asked, what was this dedication that here David makes? wherein did it conſiſt? For anſwer to this, I ſhall not ſpend much time in the opening of the word; which in the Hebr. is foreign; from foreign, which ſignifies to initiate and dedicate — The ſubſtantive is uſed, Nehem. 12.27. Numb. 7.10. the Verb in ſeveral places — The Greek word (which the LXX. uſe, and the Greek Fathers generally) is foreign— (which in ſound as well as in ſenſe, bears a great vicinity to the Hebrew word) — Joh. 10.22. you read of the Feaſt of the dedication; there 'tis, (foreign—) But I told you I would not ſtay upon the word, but rather come to the Thing.
Dedication then, (as 'tis appli'd to places or things) notes,
1. Initiation;
2. Reſtauration;
3. Setting apart, in a ſolemn manner, by ſome religious rites and acts —
4. Conſecration, to holy ends and uſes —
Each of theſe are included in dedication: And ſo when David is ſaid to dedicate his Houſe, 'twas either his firſt entrance into it, or his reſtoring of it to its firſt and primitive purity; or his ſetting of it apart, by religious rites and acts; or his conſecrating of it to holy ends and uſes. To open theſe briefly.
1. To dedicate a thing, it is to initiate it, to enter upon it, to take the firſt poſſeſſion of it — Dedication (ſaith Ainſworth) is then, when a new thing is firſt imploy'd, and put to that uſe for which it was made; as when a man firſt enters upon his houſe, which he hath either built or purchaſed, or 'tis given to him, or deſcends to him, this is dedication. So it ſeems to be taken, Deut. 20.5. What man is he that hath built a new houſe, and hath not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his houſe, leſt he dye in the battel, and another man dedicate it — (that is) enter upon it, and take poſſeſſion of it. This notion ſuits well enough with the word in the Original, foreign, Initiavit, dedicavit — Aven. Pagn, &c. Bonae notae auctoribus, dedicare, idem eſt, quod primùm uſurpare. Cocc. — Tum homines initiare, (ſive dedicare) dicuntur domus, cum primùm in eis, edere, bibere, & habitare incipiunt — Hoſpin. de Orig. T…mpl. fol. 103. — Encaenia, aedis ſacrae initiationes appellantur. Stuckius, Antiq. Conv. l. 1. c. 24, &c. An Encaenia purior ſit lectio, quippe (Suidâ interprete) ſic dicebatur celebritas, quum novi quippiam foret geſtum. Cael. Rhodigni. lib. 22. c. 14. — Suetonius ſpeaking of Nero, of that ſtately Palace vvhichwhich he had built, he adds, Ejuſmodi domum cùm abſolutam [dedicaret,] &c. (that is) Firſt took poſſeſſion of it — lib. 6. c. 31. — Dedicare non ſolum eſt foreign, ſed etiam auſpicari uſum alicujus rei — Caſaub. Plin. ad Traj. Vel opus publicum [dedicant] (that is) enter upon publick vvork He that did firſt put on a nevv Garment, he vvas ſaid, veſtem encaniare, Aug. in Joh. 10. Tract. 28. & lib. 7. in Joh. c. 9. —which ſignifies to initiate, (as hath been ſhown) and ſeveral learned men open it by this; and ſo 'tis frequently uſed in Claſſical Authors. The meaning of the words then is this; A Pſalm and Song at the dedication of the Houſe of David; (that is) when David firſt entred upon his Houſe, he made uſe of this Pſalm; or he penned this Pſalm; for this uſe, and for this time, when he entred upon his new habitation.
2. To dedicate, 'tis to reſtore a thing to its primitive uſe and purity. When things were either not uſed at all, or abuſed, and turn'd to a wrong uſe, the reſtoring of theſe to their proper uſe and purity, Encaeniorum nomen, Graecum eſt, ab innovando deductum, quòd res innovantur vel ex profano uſu, vel ad eum uſum, in quem primitùs erant inſtitutae reducuntur. Hoſpin. de Orig. Feſt. Chriſtian. f. 113. But Caſaubone tells us, that the word, perpetuò apud 70. Interpretes, & N. Teſtamenti auctores, de iis dicitur, quae Deo dedicantur, & conſecrantur; non quae obſoleta & abolita in uſum revocantur.was called dedication — Thus the Temple was dedicated, by Judas Maccabaeus, after Antiochus had ſo polluted it — Thus David might dedicate his houſe, after it had been ſo defiled by Abſalom. But I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more to this under the next head.
3. Dedication is the ſetting a thing or place apart, by ſome ſolemn and religious rites and acts; or 'tis the entring upon the poſſeſſion of a thing or place, by ſome ſolemn, Dr. Hammond upon the Text. Dedicatio eſt initium habitandi cum quâdam ſolemnitate. Cajetan.&c. — Dedication is a ſolemn and religious entrance upon poſſeſſion — Thus David dedicated his houſe, he entred upon it, by ſolemn prayer and praiſe, and penn'd this Pſalm, which is made up of theſe two, for this very end. This I ſhall be large upon in the proſecution of this diſcourſe.
4. Dedication is as much as Conſecration. To dedicate a thing to God, 'tis to conſecrate it to holy ends and uſes. Dedicated things were conſecrated things; for upon the dedication they became conſecrated. See at your leiſure, 1 Kings 13.13. 2 Sam. 8.11. 1 Chron. 18.11. — The word which is rendred, by dedication, foreign.Heb. 9.18. is rendred by conſecration, Heb. 10.20. To dedicate the houſe then, 'tis to conſecrate it; what's that? to devote it to God, to ſet it apart for God, and for holy uſes, (for herein lies the nature of conſecration:) It reaches to perſons, time, places, things. The Scripture ſpeaks of the Conſecration of the Temple, foreign dicuntur, quae ſacro uſui veluti initiantur. Beza in Joh. 10.22. Latini, Dedicationes & Conſecrationes vocant, quòd res ab uſu hominum prophano eximerentur, ut Deo uſibúſque ſacris dedicarentur. Hoſpin. de Orig. Feſt. Chriſtian. f. 115. Encaenia, A feaſt wherein ſomething is renewed; becauſe thoſe things only are reputed conſecrated, vvhichwhich are ſeparated from their common uſe, and dedicated to ſome nevv and holy uſe — Sympſ. Lexic. in D. 107. Godw. Jew. Antiq. l. 3. c. 11. — The Lexicographers, open Dedication, by foreign, &c. Martin. Calcpin. &c. — Tully puts Conſecration and Dedication together. Mens, Fides, Virtus, Concordia, conſecratae & publicè dedicatae ſunt. De Mat. Deor. — foreign dedicatio, quando aliquid è cenſu rerum profanarum aut vulgarium eximitur, peculiaribuſque ceremoniis, conſecratur Numini ad uſus ſacros. Geier. in Dan. 3.2. p. 241.1 Kings 9.7. 2 Chron. 7.16, 20. of the Prieſts, Exod. 28.41. Exod. 29.22. 2 Chron. 26.18. of the ſacrifices, 2 Chron. 29.33. of tithes, 2 Chron. 31.6. Levit. 27.30. of houſes, and fields, and of whatever was given to God, Levit. 27. (per tot.) of the Sabbath, the firſt fruits, &c. Wherein did the conſecration of all theſe lye? In their being ſet apart from common uſes, and in their being deſigned and deſtinated to holy ends and purpoſes. Davids dedication of his houſe, (in a great meaſure) came up to this; he conſecrated his houſe to and for God; and he reſolved that his houſe ſhould be Gods houſe; where he dwelt God ſhould dwell; his habitation ſhould not be for ſin, but for piety and godlineſs: Thus he conſecrated his houſe, and this was his dedication of it. That I may not not be miſtaken, I ſhall ſhow you in what ſenſe I ſpeak to the conſecration of private houſes, when I come to houſe-dedication.
Let this ſuffice for the nature of the act; I come to the object, or the thing dedicated, that was Davids houſe, (according to our reading of the words:) A Pſalm and Song at the dedication [of the houſe] of David. You find in Scripture mention made of the dedication of ſeveral things and places — The Tabernacle (that*Templum deambulatorium, Auguſt. calls it. moving Temple, the ſeat of worſhip, till the erecting of the Temple) was anointed and ſanctified, that, and all the inſtruments thereof, the Altar and the veſſels thereof, Numb. 7.1. And of the Altar, 'tis ſaid, (verſe 10.11.) The Princes offered for dedicating of the altar, &c. They ſhall offer their offering, each Prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar — (verſe 84.) This was the dedication of the altar, (in the day when it was anointed,) &c. (verſe 88.) This was the dedication of the altar, after it was anointed — The Temple, that was dedicated; and this paſſed under a three fold dedication — The firſt was,2 Chron. 7.5. at the firſt building of it by Solomon, 1 Kings 8.63. So the King and all the children of Iſrael dedicated the houſe of the Lord. The ſecond was, at the rebuilding of it by Zorababel, and the reſt, after the return out of captivity, Ezra 6.16. And the children of Iſrael, the Prieſts and the Levites, and the reſt of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this houſe of God with joy. The third was in the time of Judas Maccabaeus, after Antiochus had ſo polluted and profaned it; (for he had ſet up the image of Jupiter in it, deſtroyed the holy oyle and the veſſels thereof, committed horrid indignities in it:) Three years after this,Of this vid. Joſeph. Antiquit. Jud. l. 12. c. 11. — I ſay, three years after, &c. foreign — Joſeph. ibid.— Encaeniorum, ſive repurgarionum feſtivitates atque epulas, quae in Templi, quod Antiochus polluerat, recuperati atque repurgati memoriam, agitatae fuerunt die 25. menſis Cisleu, qui partim Novembri, partim Decembri noſtro reſpondet. Stuck. Antiq. Conviv. l. 1. c. 33. — Bux-torf. Synag. Iud. c. 23. Hoſpin. de Orig. Templ. f. 103. — The Feaſt of Dedication was a yearly feſtival, appointed by Iudas Maccabaeus, to be obſerved in the ſpace of eight days, from the 25. &c. The reaſon of this feaſt vvas to remember Gods mercy in delivering them from Antiochus, vvho had ſet up the Idol of Iupiter in the Temple of God, and aboliſhed the true vvorſhip of God — Godw. I…w. Antiq. l. 3. c. ult. — Iudas Maccabaeus being victorious over Antiochus, comes and dedicates the Temple again, purges it from its defilements, and reſtores it to its former uſe: the Hiſtory of this you have, 1 Maccab. 4.36, 52, 53, 54, 56, 59. To this dedication, the moſt of Divines refer thoſe words, Ioh. 10.22. And it was at Jeruſalem, the feaſt of the dedication, and it was winter.
Beſides the dedication of theſe places, which were impropriated to the worſhip of God; you read of the dedication of common places. As of the wall at Ieruſalem, Nehem. 12.27. And at the dedication of the wall of Jeruſalem, they ſought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jeruſalem, to keep the dedication with gladneſs, &c. Of private houſes, Deut. 20.5. And here 'tis ſaid, At the dedication of the houſe of David.
But Expoſitors do not agree in their interpretations concerning this houſe; many will not have it to be underſtood of Davids private houſe;Vid. Lorin. in loc. ſome make it to be the Tabernacle, into which David brought the Ark, when he fetched it from the houſe of Obed Edom, 2 Sam. 6.12, &c. At that time they ſay David penn'd this 30. Pſalm: but this is only aſſerted not proved. 'Tis very probable that the 68. Pſalm was penned upon this occaſion, but as to this we have no ſuch probability. Some make it to be the Temple; the Chaldee reads the words thus, For the dedication of the houſe of the Sanctuary, an hymn of David. In dedicatione domus, (i. e.) Templi, licet non ſit mentio Templi: At the dedication of the houſe, that is, of the Temple, though the Temple be not mentioned: (ſaith R. David) and moſt of the Jewiſh Interpreters go this way: almoſt all of them underſtand by the dedication of the houſe, the dedication of the Temple (as a*Hebraei ferè omnes, per Dedicationem domus, intelligunt Dedicationem Templi. Muis in loc. learned Expoſitor obſerves.)
The beſt and the moſt judicious Interpreters carry the words to Davids private houſe; to his ordinary dwelling houſe.
1. Becauſe 'tis expreſly ſaid, (at the dedication of the houſe of David) 'tis not at the dedication of the houſe of God, but at the dedication of the houſe of David. Thus the words run in the(a)foreign: Hebrew, thus the(b)— foreign— LXX render them: the(c)Pſalmus Cantici Dedicationis domus ipſius David. — Lorin, in loc. Quae verba indicant ipſiuſmet Davidis domum, non autem Dei, &c. — To evade the ſtrength of this, Eugubinus and Genebrard bring in David in the front of the Title — reading the vvords thus — A Pſalm and Song of David, at the dedication of the Houſe. And Muis vvarns the Reader, by no means to joyn David vvith Houſe, but vvith Pſalm and Song — Cave referas foreign David, ad nomen vox praecedens Domus, ſed ad foreign Pſalmus Cantici — And his opinion as to the vvords is very ſtrange — Venit mihi in mentem ſuſpicari, Pſalmum Cantici Dedicationis Domus, nihil aliud eſſe, quam Pſalmum decantandum, eo Cantici & Muſicae genere, cujus uſus eſſet in Dedicatione Domus; vel iis Inſtrumentis Muſicis, quorum in eo feſto uſus eſſet — Herein he's ſingular — To evade the ſtrength of the ſecond reaſon, the Jevviſh Doctors ſay, that this vvas done by vvay of Prolepſis or anticipation — The Temple vvas not yet built, but David knevv by the meſſage God ſent him, it ſhould be built in his Sons Time; upon this he compoſed this Pſalm, and ordered his Son, vvhen the vvork ſhould be done, to make uſe of this Pſalm, at the dedication of it. So Kimchi, &c. But Aben Ezra underſtands it of Davids private Houſe. Tranſlation of the Aethiopick verſion is very expreſs: (and much more might be added upon this, if it was needful.)
2. It cannot be underſtood of the Temple, becauſe in Davids time that was not built; he was dead before the Temple was built; it was in his heart to build an houſe to God; it troubled him to dwell in an houſe of Cedar, when the ark of God dwelt in Curtains, 2 Sam. 7.2. but God told him, he was a man of blood, and he ſhould not do it, but his Son ſhould, 2 Sam. 7.13. He ſhall build an houſe for my name, and I will eſtabliſh the throne of his Kingdom for ever, &c. How then can we ſuppoſe, that David ſhould pen a Pſalm for the dedication of that which was not (as yet) in being.
This being concluded upon, that this Houſe was Davids private houſe, there is another difficulty yet remaining, and that is, where to faſten this dedication; to what eſpecial time doth it refer? when was it that David did thus dedicate his Houſe?(d)Sic & David cùm in Hieruſalem novam aedificavit domum, &c. Munſter. Thus Apollinarius gloſſes upon the vvords— foreign, &c. foreign— Thus my reverend and vvorthy Friend (novv vvith God) Mr. A. Jackson. Qualis fuit illa dedicatio Fuit ſolennis conſecratio propugnaculi Zionis, quod bactenus Jebuſitae tenuerant, & idololatriae culin faedaverant. Freid. lib. — Vid. Dr. Hamm. in loc. ſome ſay this was done at the firſt building of his houſe, of which you read, 2 Sam. 5.11. He goes to Jeruſalem, conquers the Jebuſites, takes the strong hold of Zion, Iſrael come in to him, and own him for their King; ſo he builds him an houſe: (as there you may ſee.)— Probabile eſt, Davidem hunc Pſalmum edidiſſe, quam in urbem regreſſus, domum ſuam inceſtu filii & aliis ſceleribus pollutam, vellet repurgare, & Deo quaſi de integro conſecrare. Beza. Ideò de novo dedicabat, quia eum Abſalom, foediſſimè inceſtis ſtupris polluerat, Scultet. Cùm David domum ſuam ab Abſalomo faedatam repurgavit — Grot. Calv. Iun. & Trem. Piſcat. Fabric. Deodale, Lorin. all go this vvay, and pitch upon this time. And the matter of the Pſalm, and ſeveral expreſſions in it, ſeem moſt to favour this interpretation, (as they tell us.) Others ſay this was done when David returned to his Houſe, after the rebellion of his ſon Abſalom, 2 Sam. 20.3. And David came to his houſe at Jeruſalem; and the King, &c. In the time of Davids abſence, his wicked Son had ſadly defiled his houſe, by inceſt and all manner of wickedneſs. Holy David, when he comes to it again, oh, his Houſe muſt be purged, cleanſed from theſe horrid defilements; and therefore he makes a freſh dedication of it to God. The moſt of Interpreters fall in with this period of time; now was the dedication, which the Text ſpeaks of. I ſhall not be peremptory in fixing it, either here or there, both will ſerve for my purpoſe, ſuch a thing was done, Davids houſe was dedicated, though I cannot be poſitive as to the time, when in ſpecial this was done.
I have done with the opening of the words, as to the act and object of it. And by what I have laid down, I hope, the ſenſe and meaning of them is ſufficiently cleared up. Yet before I conclude this, I cannot but ſet down ſome of the Antients Interpretations upon them. The Fathers generally do put a myſtical and Allegorical ſenſe upon them. Thus(a)Dedicatio domus David, reſurrectio Salvatoris intelligitur, in quâ omnia corpora vitae dedicantur. David figuram Chriſti tenet; domus David, domus Chriſti, (i.e.) Humanitas domus eſt Divinitatis. Tunc aedificavit domum, quando Humanitatem carnis aſſumpſit; & tunc dedicavit, quando à mortuis eam reſurgere fecit. Et modò aedificatur domus David, i. e. Chriſti, h. e. Eccleſia, uſque in finem aedificatur, ſed in reſurrectione dedicatur; quando immort alitatem acceptura eſt. Vocem redemptoris noſtri continet, qui perreſurrectionem corporis ſui, Eccleſiam (quae omnium mater eſt) acquiſitam, ſuo nomini dedicavit. Hieron. in Comment. ad Pſalm. (If he vvas the Author of them, vvhichwhich Eraſmus and Amorbachius deny.) Hierome, The dedication of the houſe of David, is the reſurrection of our Saviour, by which all our bodies are dedicated to life. David is a Type of Chriſt; the houſe of David is the houſe of Chriſt, (that is) the humanity is the houſe of divinity: then Chriſt built the houſe, when he took our fleſh upon him, then he dedicated it, when he raiſed it up from the dead: And now the houſe of David, (that is) of Chriſt, is built, namely the Church; 'tis building to the end, but at the reſurrection 'tis dedicated, when it ſhall enter upon immortality. [The Title] contains in it the voice of Chriſt, who by the reſurrection of his body, hath dedicated the Church (the Mother of us all) to his own name and glory. Thus Auguſt, (b)Pſalmus laetitiae reſurrectionis, atque in immortalem ſtatum mutationis, atque innovationis corporis, &c. Nam ſuperiori Pſalmo. Tabernaculum conſummatum eſt, ubi habitamus belli tempore, nunc autem domus dedicatur, quae in ſempiternum pace permanebit — Aug. in Pſal. t. 8.A Pſalm of joy upon the reſurrection, and the changing of our bodies into an immortal ſtate; in the Pſalm foregoing, the Tabernacle is finiſhed, where we live in the time of war. Here the houſe is dedicated, which ſhall abide in everlaſting peace. Thus Theodoret, (c)foreign. Theoder. 1.1. P. 504.He calls (ſays he) the dedication of the houſe, the reſtauration of the Humane Nature, which Chriſt perfected, when he dy'd for us, and overcame death, and gave us the hope of reſurrection. Thus Cyrill, Nyſſene, Baſil do alſo Allegorize upon the words; I will not further recite their words; for I ſhall crave leave (with all ſubmiſſion to ſo great perſons) rather to embrace and purſue the literal, than the myſtical and Allegorical ſenſe.
And that leads me to ſpeak of houſe-dedication, ſuch as this of holy David was. The poor Heathens had ſome blind notions of dedication-work; hence they had their ſolemn days, which they dedicated to their Gods; their Temples, which were for their Idolatrous worſhip, they were dedicated: their private houſes alſo paſſed under ſome kind of dedication;Multa alia ſacrificia, locdque ſacris faciendis dedicavi. Liv. 1. ab urbe — Vid. 34. ab urbe, c. 52. Templum pecuniâ meâ extruxi, cujus dedicationem cum ſit paratum, differre longius, irreligioſum eſt. Plin. Ep. lib. 4. & paſſim — of the dedication of private Houſes, ſee many things in Tull. Or at. pro domo ſuâ (verſus finem.) but what was this to the dedication that David here makes, and to what others of the people of God make in imitation of his example: this doth not lye in ſome fooliſh Rites and Ceremonies, (which was all the dedication of the poor Heathens,) but 'tis an holy, ſolemn, religious dedication; (as will appear in that which follows.)