Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 104
PSALM CIV.
Verſ 1. O Lord my God, thou art very great, thou art clothed with honour and majeſty.] See the Note Pſal. 93.1.
Verſ. 2. Who covereſt thy ſelf with light as with a garment, &c.] That is, Who doſt diſcover thy glory, which is inviſible in it ſelf, by the light which thou haſt created, even as a king appears to men gloriouſly adorned with his robes of royalty. And this the Pſalmiſt, recounting the works of God, mentions in the firſt place, becauſe in the worlds creation, it was the work of the firſt day. And it may the rather be compared to a garment, wherewith God doth as it were cover himſelf, becauſe the heaven, where God is in a ſpeciall manner preſent, is all over covered, as it were, with light. Who ſtretcheſt out the heavens like a curtain; that is, as eaſily as one may draw a curtain, to wit, the curtains of a tent, under which God is pleaſed to withdraw himſelf, as it were, from the ſight of his creatures: ſee the Notes Gen. 1.6. and 2 Sam. 22.12. And this, with that which followeth in the two next verſes, he addeth next, becauſe theſe were the works of the ſecond day.
Verſ. 3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, &c.] That is, Who by his watry clouds hath divided the region of the aire, as it were, into ſeverall chambers, from whence, when he pleaſeth, he doth marvellouſly many waies ſhew forth his glory; ſee the Note Gen. 1.6: who maketh the clouds his chariot, who walketh upon the wings of the wind; that is, who guides and governs the clouds, and the ſwift flying winds, as he pleaſeth; ſee the Note 2 Sam. 22.11, 12.
Verſ. 4. Who maketh his angels ſpirits, &c.] Becauſe the Apoſtle doth plainly apply this to the angels, Heb. 1.7. And of the angels he ſaith, Who maketh his angels ſpirits, and his miniſters a flame of fire; therefore many of our beſt Expoſitours hold, that the Pſalmiſt doth indeed ſpeak here concerning the angels: Having ſay they, ſpoken in the foregoing verſes concerning the heavens, before he comes, in the following verſes, to ſpeak of the earth and the things therein, he doth here inſert this paſſage concerning the angels, becauſe they do as it were communicate both with heaven and earth, as having their conſtant habitation in heaven, yet ſo that they are ordinarily ſent forth into the earth, and imployed there in the ſervice of God for the good of men. Now they that are of this opinion, as it is clear our Tranſlatours were, do thus underſtand the words; to wit, either that God made his angels of a ſpirituall, incorporeal ſubſtance, and withall lightſome, bright and glorious creatures, like a flame of fire; or elſe, that he made his angels ſpirits, or winds, that is, active and ſwift in the ſervices enjoyned them, flying as ſpeedily as the winds, to doe whatever he gives them in charge: and a flaming fire; that is, pure and ſimple, active and fervent, ſtrong and vigorous, and of a kind of fiery efficacy, ſuddenly piercing things, carrying all before them, and conſuming Gods enemies with unreſiſtable violence, and in all theſe things like unto the fire: whence it is, they ſay, that ſome of the angels are called Seraphims, that is, burning; and frequently the angels have appeared like fire, as to Elijah, 2 Kings 2.11. and to Eliſh…, 2 Kings 6.17. But now on the contrary, other learned men, and of the beſt Expoſitours, do hold that the Pſalmiſt doth here ſpeak of the winds and fiery meteors; and accordingly they take the meaning of the words to be this, that God maketh the ſpirits, or winds, to be his angels or meſſengers, and a flaming fire, that is, the thunder and lightning and other fiery meteors, to be his miniſters, according to that Pſal. 148.8. fire and hail, ſnow and vapour, ſtormy wind fulfilling his word. And indeed, becauſe the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks in ſuch order here of the works of creation, according to the daies wherein they were created, I cannot but think that he ſpeaks in theſe words concerning the winds and fiery meteors in the aire. But why then doth the Apoſtle apply this to the angels? I anſwer, 1. that ſome think the Apoſtles purpoſe was only to ſhew, that what is here ſaid concerning the winds and meteors, may be alſo analogically ſaid concerning the angels; as God uſeth the winds and meteors, as his meſſengers and miniſters, ordering them and imploying them as ſeems good in his own eyes, ſo doth he alſo make uſe of the miniſtry of angels: 2. that even the Pſalmiſt in ſaying, that God uſeth the winds as his angels, doth alſo clearly thereby imply, that even the angels are but Gods ſervants, creatures made for and imployed in his ſervice, as he is pleaſed to order them, and therefore not equall to him, who is the Son of God and Lord of all things; which is all the Apoſtle there contends for: and 3. that the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks here of the winds and meteors, as they are under God ordered and governed by the angels, (ſee the Note 2 Sam. 22.11.) and that conſequently he ſpeaks therefore of the angels, as they are in the winds & meteors, moving them, & clothed, as it were, with them; & that therefore the Apoſtle might well ſay, that the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks here of the angels: & this laſt is, I conceive, the moſt ſatisfactory anſwer.
Verſ. 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth, &c.] See the Notes Job 26.7. and Pſal. 24.2. Here begins the relation of Gods work of creation on the third day, when he eſtabliſhed the earth in its place, and made a ſeparation betwixt the earth and the waters, and cauſed trees and plants and herbs to grow up therein; as is expreſſed in the following verſes.
Verſ. 6. Thou coveredst it with the deep, as with a garment; the waters ſtood above the mountains.] Some underſtand this of the earths being wrapped about with the ſea, as with a garment; and ſome of Noahs ſloud. But it is clearly meant of the earths being at firſt covered round about under a deep of water, Gen. 1.2, 9. before the waters were ſeparated from it; which is related in the following verſes.
Verſ. 7. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they haſted away.] That is, at thy thundring command, at thy mighty dreadful] command, which every creature muſt needs hear, and which no creature hearing it dares diſobey: ſee the Note Gen. 1.9.
Verſ. 8. They goe up by the mountains, they go down by the valleys, &c.] That is, in going to the place appointed for them, nothing can ſtop their courſe, but by the mighty power of God they run up the mountains, and ſo down the valleys. Theſe words may be read, as they are render'd in the margin, the mountains aſcend, the valleys deſcend; and then the meaning thereof muſt be, that the waters being ſeparated from the earth, God did at the ſame time bring the earth into that faſhion and form that now it hath, being diſtinguiſhed here and there with mountains and valleys; or that upon the removall of the waters, the riſing mountains and the low-laid valleys did then appear.
Verſ. 9. Thou haſt ſet a bound that they may not paſſe over, &c.] See the Notes Job 38.8, 9, 10.
Verſ. 13. He watereth the hills from his chambers, &c.] See the Note above verſ. 3. That which is here noted as remarkable is, that even the mountains, where there are no ſprings and brooks of water, are yet watered with the dew and rain that fall from the clouds: the earth is ſatisfied with the fruit of thy works; that is, with the rain, which is thy work, cauſing the clouds to be filled therewith, and cauſing it to be ſhowred down when thou pleaſeſt upon the earth; or, with the rain, which proceeds from the clouds; or, with the fruits, which thou cauſeſt the earth by this means to bring forth.
Verſ. 14. He cauſeth the graſse to grow for the cattel, and herb for the ſervice of man, &c.] That is, and all kind of herbs which are for the uſe of man, whether for food or phyſick; that he (that is, that God) may bring forth food out of the earth. This, I conceive, is the meaning of theſe words. Yet ſome Expoſitours underſtand them otherwiſe, to wit, that God cauſeth not the graſſe only, but the herb, to grow for the cattel, for the ſervice of man, that is, that the cattel being nouriſhed thereby may be ſerviceable to man. That he may bring forth fruit out of the earth; that is, that man, by his labour in tilling the earth, may eat of the fruit thereof.
Verſ. 15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oyl to make his face to shine, &c.] To wit, when it is uſed by men in their anointing of themſelves with precious ointments; for which ſee the Note Pſal. 23.5. Yet ſome underſtand it of the vertue that there is in oyl, when it is eaten, to chear the hearts of men, and ſo to make them look with a chearfull and lightſome countenance, according to that Prov. 15.13. A merry heart maketh a chearfull countenance. However, by joyning that which follows, concerning the ſupport of mans life by bread, and bread which ſtrengtheneth mans heart, there is this covertly commended to our obſervation, That God hath provided not only for mans neceſſity, but alſo for his delight.
Verſ. 16. The trees of the Lord, &c.] That is, high and lofty trees, (as the cedars are called cedars of God Pſal. 80.10. though it be render'd in our tranſlation the goodly cedars) are full of ſap; whereas one might wonder how the earth ſhould yield ſap enough for trees of ſo mighty a height and ſo huge a bulk. Or by the trees of the Lord may be meant ſuch trees as grow of themſelves by the ſole providence of God, and are not ſet or planted by man, as the following clauſe ſeems to explain it, the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted.
Verſ. 19. He appointeth the moon for ſeaſons, &c.] See the Notes Gen. 1.14: the ſun knoweth his going down; ſee the Note Job 38.12. And here begins the relation of the works God created the fourth day.
Verſ. 21. The young lions roar after their prey, &c.] That which the prophet ſaith Amos 3.4. Will a Lion roar in the forreſt, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? may ſeem to imply, that lions uſe not to roar till they have taken their prey; whereas the Pſalmiſt here ſeems to ſay, that they roar after their prey, and do hereby as it were ſeek their prey of God. But herein we ſhall find no contradiction, if we conſider, 1. that a lion may be ſaid to have a prey, or to have taken his prey, as the Prophet ſpeaks, becauſe it is ſurely his, when he hath once diſcovered it, though he have not yet gotten it into his paws; and 2. that it may well be that the lion is wont to wander up and down ſilently, for fear of frighting away the beaſts he ſeeks after, till he hath eſpied a prey; and then he may be ſaid to roar both for his prey, and becauſe he hath gotten a prey. And indeed Naturaliſts report, that by the lions roaring even thoſe creatures that are ſwifter of foot then he are ſo aſtoniſhed, that they fall down, and are eaſily taken by him.
Verſ. 25. So is this great and wide ſea, &c.] Having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, the earth is full of thy riches, he adds, ſo is this great and wide ſea, wherein are things creeping innumerable; to wit, things that creep along upon the ground, or that glide in the waters. And thus the Pſalmiſt enters here upon the works created on the fifth day; ſee Gen. 1.20: only he mentions not the fowls, which were created alſo on that day, becauſe of them he had occaſionally ſpoken before, in ſpeaking of the trees wherein they make their neſts; as for the ſame reaſon he omits alſo to ſpeak of the beaſts and cattel created on the ſixth day, becauſe of them he had alſo occaſionally ſpoken before.
Verſ. 26. There is that Leviathan, &c.] See the Notes Job 41.1, &c: whom thou haſt made to play therein. This is ſaid, either 1. becauſe theſe huge whales do by ſwimming and tumbling up and down in the ſea, and clapping their ſinns and tails, ſeem to ſport themſelves, as other leſſer fiſhes are wont to do; or 2. becauſe by reaſon of their great ſtrength, their overturning of boats or ſhips, and hunting and devouring all other creatures that live in the waters, is but a ſport to them; or 3. becauſe they ſecurely lord it in the ſea, not fearing man, or any other creature whatſoever: as upon the ſame account it is ſaid of the Babylonians, Habak. 1.10. they shall ſcoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a ſcorn unto them; they shall deride every ſtrong hold, &c.
Verſ. 27. Theſe wait all upon thee, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Though there be ſuch an infinite number of birds, beaſts and fiſhes, yet thou provideſt for them all. And in that expreſſion of the creatures waiting upon God, the Pſalmiſt ſeems to allude to that which may be ordinarily ſeen in farms and countrey-houſes, to wit, how the cattel and fowl will look and follow after thoſe that at certain ſet times are wont to give them their meat: and ſo likewiſe in the following clauſe, that thou maiſt give them their meat in duo ſeaſon; where by their meat he intends the ſeverall ſorts of meat which he provides for the ſeverall creatures, according to their kinds; and by thoſe words in due ſeaſon, is hinted to us that provident care of God over them, in that 1. he provides for them ſo liberally in the ſummer, that there is a ſupply for them all the year after; & 2. that he provides for ſome of them ſeverall ſorts of food, ſome at one time and ſome at another.
Verſ. 28. That thou giveſt them they gather, &c.] Here again he alludes to the feeding of fowls about a houſe by throwing of handfulls of corn to them: thou openeſt thine hand; that is, thou giveſt them food liberally: and they are filled; that is, fully ſatisfied.
Verſ. 29. Thou hideſt thy face, &c.] That is, Thou forbeareſt to ſhew thy ſelf any longer favourable to them, to wit, by withholding food from them, & by refuſing to uphold them in their being as formerly: they are troubled; that is, ſorely diſtreſſed; or, they waſte away, ſee the Note Pſal. 30.7: thou takeſt away their breath, they die and return to their duſt; that is, to the duſt of which they were created, ſee the Note Gen. 1.20.
Verſ. 30. Thou ſendeſt forth thy ſpirit, they are created; & thou renewest the face of the earth.] That is, Though trees, plants and herbs, yea & all living creatures die continually, yet others, by that vigour & vitall ſpirit which God gives them, do as continually ſpring up in their room; & ſo the face of the earth by a freſh ſucceſſion of creatures is conſtantly renewed, one generation paſſeth away, and another generation cometh, Eccleſ. 1.4. So that by thoſe words thy ſpirit here may be meant, either that principle of life which God gives unto all things that live, & whereby the unreaſonable creatures do both live & breath, which Solomon calls Eccleſ. 3.21. the ſpirit of the beaſt that (when they die) goeth down to the earth; or elſe, that almighty quickning power, whereby this life is wrought in the creatures, and whereby therefore all things are preſerved in their being: and therefore ſome conceive it is ſaid that God ſends forth his ſpirit, and they are created, becauſe this is the proper effect of the holy ſpirit of God.
Ver. 31. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever; the Lord shall rejoyce in his works.] That is, The Lord ſhall preſerve & uphold his creatures, that he may ſtill delight himſelf in them. Yet moſt Expoſitours conceive, that in theſe words the Pſalmiſt doth at leaſt imply his deſire, that men might ſo acknowledge Gods bounty & goodneſſe in the creatures, & ſo uſe them to his glory, that God might not repent that he had made them, but that he might ſtill rejoyce in them, & ſo ſtill preſerve them.
Verſ. 32. He looketh on the earth, & it trembleth; he toucheth the hills, & they ſmoke.] Either to imply, that it is indeed the mercy of God that he continueth his creatures, or to imply how carefull men had need to be, to give God cauſe to rejoyce in his works, he ſheweth here, that by experience we may ſee how eaſily he could deſtroy the whole world, in that an angry look from God will make the earth to tremble, & the leaſt touch of his diſpleaſure will burn up the mountains; which is evident in the earthquakes, the thunder & lightnings, that do often diſcover the mighty power of God, but was moſt terribly diſcovered at mount Sinai, when the Law was given, whereto haply he doth here allude.
Verſ. 34. My meditation of him shall be ſweet, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, ſhall be pleaſing to God. But rather the Pſalmiſt means, that his meditating on the goodneſſe of God in his wonderfull works ſhould delight and refreſh his heart, and ſo make him praiſe God with much chearfulneſſe; as is expreſſed in the next words, I will be glad in the Lord.
Verſ. 35. Let the ſinners be conſumed out of the earth, &c.] To wit, becauſe they give not God the glory due to him as the Creatour and governour of the whole world, but by polluting and abuſing his creatures through ſin, do keep the Lord from rejoycing in his works; ſee verſ. 31.