Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 135 – Psalm 136
PSAL. CXXXV.
Verſ. 2. YE that ſtand in the houſe of the Lord, in the Courts of the houſe of our God.] Though this Pſalm begins with the very ſame words, in a manner, as doth the foregoing Pſalm; yet I conceive the drift of this is, not only to ſtir up the Prieſts & Levites, as it was in the former, to this duty of praiſing God, but the people alſo: & that 1. becauſe the arguments which here he brings to preſſe this, did in common concern both Prieſts & people; & 2. becauſe that clauſe, which is here added, in the Courts of the houſe of our God, may be extended to the people, as well as to the Prieſts, ſeeing there were ſome Courts in the Temple which were for the people to worſhip God in.
Verſ. 3. Sing praiſes unto his name; for it is pleaſant.] That is, The name of God is pleaſant & delightfull to his ſervants, when they think or ſpeak of it; or, It is a pleaſant and delightfull thing to ſing praiſes to his name.
Verſ. 5. Our Lord is above all gods.] That is, all that are called gods; ſee the Note Deut. 10.17. And in advancing the Lord above all Idol-gods, he hath reſpect to the high eſteem which the heathens had of them.
Verſ. 6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the ſeas and all deep places.] That is, all deep rivers and lakes: or, by deep places may be meant all the inviſible depths, both of the earth and waters, even to the very centre.
Verſ. 7. He cauſeth the vapours to aſcend from the ends of the earth, &c.] Of which in the middle region of the air the clouds are formed. Now in ſaying that theſe aſcend from the ends of the earth, either his meaning is, that they aſcend from all parts of the earth in every quarter of the world; or elſe that they aſcend from the ſea, which is the lands end, or the utmoſt bounds of the earth. And indeed thoſe vapours of which watry clouds are formed do uſually riſe from watry places of the earth, and eſpecially from the ſeas; whence is that of Elijahs ſervant 1 Kings 18.44. Behold, there ariſeth a little cloud out of the ſea, like a mans hand; ſee alſo Amos 5.8. He maketh lightnings for the rain; that is, to make way for the rain, the lightnings burſting the clouds, that ſo the rain may pour down; or, to goe along with the rain, this being the wonder here noted, that fire and water ſhould ſo go together, & break forth from the ſame cloud: he bringeth the wind out of his treaſuries; that is, ſay ſome, out of the caves and hollow places of the earth: but I rather conceive, that becauſe the wind riſeth many times on a ſudden, & as our Saviour ſaith Joh. 3.8. we cannot tell whence it cometh, therefore God is ſaid here to bring it forth, as if he had it locked up in a readineſſe in ſome ſecret & hidden treaſuries or ſtore-houſes.
Verſ. 13. Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever, and thy memoriall, O Lord, throughout all generations.] See the Note Pſal. 102.12.
Verſ. 14. For the Lord will judge his people, and he will repent himſelf concerning his ſervants.] That is, Though he may for a time afflict his people, yet he will at laſt relent over them, and puniſh their enemies: ſee the Note Deut. 32.36.
Verſ. 15. The idols of the heathen are ſilver and gold, &c.] By this deſcription of the vanity of idols, compared with the fore-mentioned works of God, he clears what he had ſaid before verſ. 5. that our Lord is above all gods. What is farther to be noted in this and the five following verſes, ſee in the Notes Pſal. 115.4, 11.
Verſ. 21. Bleſsed be the Lord out of Zion, &c.] That is, Reſorting to Zion, the place of Gods preſence and publick worſhip, let us thence praiſe the Name of our Lord.
PSALM CXXXVI.
Verſ. 1. O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.] See the Notes 2 Chron. 7.3, and 20.21.
Verſ. 4. To him who alone doth great wonders.] See the Note Pſal. 72.18.
Verſ. 6. To him that ſtretched out the earth above the waters.] See the Notes Gen. 1.9. and Pſal. 24.2.
Verſ. 7. To him that made great lights.] See the Note Gen. 1.16.
Verſ. 8. The ſun to rule by day, &c.] That is, to have ſole power under God to give light by day, the moon & ſtars not then appearing; as on the other ſide the moon & ſtars have the only power to give light by night, the ſun being then hidden from our ſight, and are therefore alſo ſaid in the following verſe to rule by night.
Verſ. 14. And made Iſrael to paſse through the midſt of it.] To wit, the red ſea, (as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe) not only by opening a paſſage for them through the waters, but alſo by giving them courage to paſſe between thoſe heaps of water, with as much confidence as if they had been to goe on dry land in any other place.
Verſ. 16. To him which led his people through the wilderneſſe.] To wit, carefully & tenderly, as a father leads his child, or a ſhepheard his flock, ſupplying them in their wants, & protecting them from dangers, going before them, by day in the pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire; ſee the Note Exod. 13.21.
Verſ. 23. Who remembred us in our low eſtate.] That is, many and many a time when our dangers & miſeries were greateſt.
Verſ. 26. O give thanks unto the God of heaven.] That is, that created the heavens, that hath his habitation in the heaven, and from thence doth ſupport and govern the whole world.