Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 66
PSALM LXVI.
Verſ. 1. MAke a joyfull noiſe unto God, all ye lands.] Hereby the Pſalmiſt expreſſeth how earneſtly he deſired that God might be glorified, in that he could wiſh that, if it were poſſible, all nations might be wonne to praiſe his name, as indeed there was juſt cauſe for all to doe. But ſee farther in the Notes upon Deut. 32.43. and 1 Chron. 16.23, 24.
Verſ. 3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works? &c.] The Pſalmiſt bids them thus to direct their ſpeech to God, becauſe when men ſet God before their eyes in any holy ſervice they undertake, it makes them perform it the more heartily and fervently. And by putting all nations upon the acknowledgement of Gods terrible works, he covertly encourageth the people to truſt in God, who could doe ſuch terrible things to their enemies. Through the greatneſſe of thy power shall thine enemies ſubmit themſelves unto thee: ſee the Note 2 Sam. 22.45.
Verſ. 5. Come and ſee the works of God, &c.] That is, Weigh well with us the wonderfull works of God; ſee alſo the Note Pſal. 46.8: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men; that is, thoſe prophane men that are adverſaries to the people of God; or all mankind in generall. And it may be ſpoken by way of contempt, to intimate how baſe and vain they are in compariſon of God.
Verſ. 6. He turned the ſea into dry land, &c.] That is, the red ſea: they went through the floud on foot; that is, Jordan: there did we rejoyce in him; that is, our nation, or we his people; for thus they ſpeak of themſelves as one body with their forefathers, to ſhew that the wonders wrought for their forefathers were a juſt ground of encouragement for them. We have the like expreſſions Pſal. 81.5. and Hoſ. 12.4.
Verſ. 7. He ruleth by his power for ever, &c.] As if he had ſaid, And therefore what he hath done for his people in former times he can doe ſtill: his eyes behold the nations, to wit, to obſerve their waies, to rule and overrule them as he pleaſeth: let not the rebellious exalt themſelves; to wit, becauſe this omnipotent all-ſeeing God can eaſily deſtroy them.
Verſ. 10. Thou haſt tryed us as ſilver is tryed.] That is, with very ſore and many afflictions, as ſilver is tryed in a hot fire and many times; ſee Pſal. 12.6, and the Note upon Job 23.10: yet not to deſtroy us, but to purge away our corruptions: and therefore when God tryeth his people with lighter afflictions, he ſaith on the contrary, Iſa. 48.10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with ſilver, or, as ſilver.
Verſ. 11. Thou broughteſt us into the net, &c.] That is, into bondage, or into great ſtreights and dangers on every ſide: thou laideſt affliction upon our loins; that is, by ſore afflictions thou haſt bereaved us of all ſtrength, and made us exceeding weak and feeble; or, thou haſt ſuffered men to bind us in chains; or, thou haſt layd very heavy burdens of affliction upon us; or, thou haſt cauſed men to uſe us like pack-horſes, beating us, and laying intolerable burdens upon us.
Verſ. 12. Thou haſt cauſed men to ride over our heads, &c.] That is, we lying upon the ground, as thoſe do that are wounded in battel, our enemies ride over our heads; or, they ride us like beaſts, becauſe they that ride upon beaſts are lifted up above their heads, or do, as it were, fit or lean over their heads. However, the meaning is only this, that their baſeſt enemies, having brought them into ſubjection, did inſult over them and abuſe them with all poſſible cruelty, ſcorn and contempt. And indeed we have the like expreſſion Iſa. 51.23. But I will put it (that is, the cup of trembling) into the hand of them that afflict thee, which have ſaid to thy ſoul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou haſt laid thy body as the ground and as the ſtreet to them that went over.
Verſ. 15. I will offer unto thee burnt-ſacrifices of fatlings, with the incenſe of rams.] That is, with the ſmoke ariſing either from the whole burnt-offerings of rams, or from the fat of rams, which in peace-offerings was only burnt upon the altar; for this it is that is here called incenſe, to ſhew that how unſavory ſoever it might be in it ſelf, yet through Chriſt, of whom all theſe ſacrifices were types, it was a ſacrifice of a ſweet-ſmelling ſavour unto God. Yet ſome underſtand this of incenſe, that was burnt with their ſacrifices.
Verſ. 17. I cryed unto him with my mouth, &c.] Some conceive that theſe words with my mouth are added, to ſhew the certainty of this truth, that God is moſt ready to hear the prayers of thoſe that call upon him; as if a husbandman ſhould ſay, to prove that God is moſt ready to bleſſe the work of his hands that is induſtrious in his calling, With theſe hands of mine did I till this ground and ſow it, and thus and thus God was pleaſed to bleſſe my labours. But for this ſee the Note Pſal. 3.4. And he was extolled with my tongue; to wit, by my returning him praiſe, when he had granted my requeſts; or, by my praying; for God is greatly exalted by his ſervants flying to him in all their neceſſities, as their only hope and refuge.
Verſ. 18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart, the Lord will not hear me.] That is, If I have any evil intention in that which I beg of God, according to that Jam. 4.3. Ye ask and receive not, becauſe ye ask amiſse, that ye may conſume it upon your luſts; or, if I wittingly allow my ſelf in, or give my ſelf over to any ſin whatſoever, praying, but the whilſt, through inward ſelf-flattery, delighting in any ſin, and purpoſing to nuzzle my ſelf therein, yea though it ſhould be only ſome inward luſt of my heart, God would not regard my prayers. This I conceive is the drift of theſe words: yet it may well be alſo that the Pſalmiſt intended hereby to juſtify himſelf againſt the ſlanders of his enemies.
Verſ. 20. Bleſſed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.] So that though he did not regard iniquity in his heart, as is ſaid before ver. 18. yet he aſcribes it wholly to the mercy of God, that his prayers were not rejected.