Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 72
PSALM LXXII.
The Title. A Pſalm for Solomon.] Some read it, A Pſalm of Solomon, and hold that it was compoſed by Solomon: only ſeeing in cannot be denied that this Pſalm was one of Davids prayers, becauſe of thoſe words in the cloſe of this Pſalm verſ. 20. The prayers of David the ſon of Ieſſe are ended; they ſay withall, that the Pſalm is no other but the prayer which David made for Solomon a little before his death, when by Davids appointment he was anointed king of Iſrael, his father yet living, 1 Kings 1.39. and that it was only brought into the form of a Pſalm by Solomon. But whether it were compoſed by Solomon, or, as others rather think, by David, however it was for Solomon, that is, concerning Solomon, or, for Solomons ſake; as being written by way of 1. congratulating him for the honour which was newly conferred upon him; 2. of praying to God for him, that his kingdome might be juſt, proſperous and laſting; and thereby alſo teaching the people what they ſhould beg of God on his behalf; 3. of propounding to him the pattern of Chriſts perfect government, that imitating him in his government, he might draw down the bleſſings here mentioned upon him; and 4. by way of foretelling what his government ſhould be. Only we muſt know, that though Solomon alone be expreſly named here, yet what is deſired for him is covertly alſo deſired for all that were to ſucceed him in that throne, even unto Chriſt, in whom the kingdome was to be eſtabliſhed for ever, and of whom Solomon was a type, in regard whereof even he alſo is called Solomon Cant. 8.12. ſee the Note 2 Sam. 12.24. And indeed that this Pſalm is chiefly meant of Chriſt, is evident, becauſe there are many paſſages hereof that cannot properly be meant of Solomon, as thoſe verſ. 5, 7, 8, 11, and 17; and that verſ. 8. is expreſly applyed to Chriſt, Zach. 9.10.
Verſ. 1. Give the king thy judgements, O God, &c.] This prayer may be underſtood as made by David, either in his own name, or in the name of the people: Give the king thy judgements, O God, and thy righteouſneſſe unto the kings ſon; that is, to Solomon. For though ſome by the kings ſon in the ſecond clauſe underſtand Solomons poſterity; yet I rather think it is Solomon that is here called both the king and the kings ſon, this being peculiar to him, and which could not be ſaid either of Saul or David, that ſat in the throne before him, that he was made king by right of ſucceſſion of Gods appointment, as the ſon and heir of David the king. Only withall we muſt alſo include Chriſt, who, as man, was the ſon and heir of David, Luk. 1.32. the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and in regard of his divine nature, the Son of God, the great King of heaven and earth. And then for the thing deſired for Solomon in theſe words, it is, that God would enable him to govern his people juſtly, according to that form of righteouſneſſe preſcribed in his Word: for by Gods judgements and Gods righteouſneſſe is meant, either the knowledge of that way of righteous government preſcribed in Gods law; or thoſe gifts and graces which God was wont to give to magiſtrates, that they might juſtly govern the people; or an ability and holy will to govern according to that exact pattern of Gods righteous governing the world. So that it is in effect the ſame with that which Solomon begged of God for himſelf 1 Kings 3.9. But now as theſe words are referred to Chriſt, the accompliſhment is moſt clear: for as the Father committed all judgement unto the Son, Joh. 5.22; ſo he adorned his humane nature with a fulneſſe of all grace requiſite hereunto, ſee Iſa. 11.2, 3: and therefore ſome note, that in reference to Chriſt this is ſpoken rather by way of propheſying what ſhould be, and by way of congratulating the graces and juſt government of Chriſt, then of praying that this might be.
Verſ. 2. He shall judge, &c.] That is, When thou haſt thus fitted him for the government of thy people, as is before ſaid, then he shall judge thy people with righteouſneſſe, and thy poor with judgement: and moſt fitly might this be ſaid of Chriſt, the true Melchiſedech, (ſee the Note Gen. 14.18.) of whom it was propheſied Iſa. 32.1. Behold, a king shall reign in righteouſneſse. See alſo Iſa. 11.4. and the Note Pſal. 43.1.
Verſ. 3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hils by righteouſneſſe.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, By reaſon of the righteouſneſſe of his government, there ſhall be ſuch peace, that the barrenneſt parts of the kingdome ſhall be husbanded, and ſhall yield the fruits of the earth in abundance; which is indeed the uſuall effect of peace: ſee the Note 1 Kings 4.25. But rather I conceive it is a metaphoricall expreſſion; as if he had ſaid, that all kind of peace and proſperity ſhould grow up and flouriſh in every part of the kingdome, the earth ſhould yield as fair a crop of peace and proſperity as of other the fruits of the earth; as we uſe to ſay of any thing that is plentifull, that it may be found growing under every hedge. And the mention that is made of the mountains and hils, is either only becauſe Judea was a mountainous and hilly countrey; or elſe to imply how the kingdome ſhould in every place flouriſh in this regard; as it is a ſign of the univerſall fruitfulneſſe of a land, when even the mountains, the moſt barren places, do yield a rich encreaſe; or that even thoſe places ſhould be ſafe and peaceable, where wild beaſts and robbers were wont to lurk. However, in this propheſy of the peace of his government, there is an alluſion certainly to the name of Solomon; concerning which, as alſo how this may be applyed to that peace which Chriſtians enjoy by Chriſts ſubduing Satan, ſin and death, ſee the Notes Gen. 14.18. 2 Sam. 12.24. and 1 Kings 4.24. And withall obſervable it is, how this agrees with that of the prophet Iſa. 32.17. And the work of righteouſneſse shall be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſſe quietneſse and aſſurance for ever.
Verſ. 5. They shall fear thee as long as the ſun and moon endure, &c.] This may be underſtood, either as ſpoken to the king, for whom he had hetherto prayed; and ſo the meaning muſt be, that becauſe of his wiſdome and juſtice in governing his kingdome, the people ſhould reverence and fear him, and yield him willing and ready obedience; as it is indeed expreſſely ſaid of Solomon, 1 Kings 3.28. that all Iſrael feared the king, for they ſaw the wiſdome of God was in him to doe judgement: or elſe rather as ſpoken to God, They shall fear thee, &c. as if he had ſaid, By the righteouſneſſe of the kings government, O God, religion ſhall be promoted, and men ſhall be brought willingly and ſincerely to fear and ſerve thee. But now becauſe it is ſaid that this ſhould be as long as the ſun and moon endure, &c. that is, to the end of the world, this muſt needs be referred to Chriſt, whoſe kingdome muſt continue for ever. For we ſee in the later end of Solomons reign, there was a great defection to idolatry amongſt the people, and at laſt his own ſervants roſe up againſt him; and when his ſon came to the throne, ten of the tribes revolted from him.
Verſ. 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mowen graſſe, &c.] That is, Whereas tyrants are like ſtorms of wind and hail, that deſtroy the fruits of the earth, he ſhall be like ſweet ſhowrs, that make the fruits of the earth to grow up and flouriſh, becauſe by the juſtice of his government the people of God ſhall flouriſh in every regard. But eſpecially is this accompliſhed in the kingdome of Chriſt, by whoſe doctrine (for which ſee the Note Deut. 32.2.) and by the righteouſneſſe and goodneſſe of whoſe government, the Church ſhall flouriſh and be enriched with all kind of bleſſings, eſpecially ſpirituall; their hearts ſhall be cheared with comfort, and they ſhall bring forth abundantly the fruit of a holy life and converſation: beſides that it might be the more fitly ſaid, He shall come down like rain, becauſe his kingdome is in a ſpeciall manner from above, Joh. 3.31. ſee alſo Hoſ. 6.3.
Verſ. 7. In his daies shall the righteous flourish, &c.] That is, There ſhall be many righteous ones, and they ſhall be exalted and be proſperous in every regard; which moſt fitly ſuits with Chriſts kingdome, who not only bleſſeth the righteous, but makes men righteous, and by the preaching of the Goſpel amongſt the Gentiles did wonderfully encreaſe the number of them▪ and abundance of peace ſo long as the moon endureth; ſee the Notes above verſ. 3, and 5.
Verſ. 8. He shall have dominion alſo from ſea to ſea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.] That is, from the red ſea, or, the ſalt ſea, unto the mediterranean ſea, and from the river Euphrates, unto the deſart that lyeth Southward beyond the utmoſt bounds that way of the land of Canaan. Concerning theſe bounds of the kingdome of Iſrael, ſee the Note Exod. 23.31: and how this was accompliſhed in Solomons daies, but eſpecially in the ſpreading of Chriſts kingdome all the world over, ſee the Note 1 Kings 4.21. and the Note alſo on the Title of this Pſalm.
Verſ. 9. They that dwell in the wilderneſſe shall bow before him, &c.] That is, The moſt remote and barbarous nations ſhall ſubmit themſelves to him, or ſeek his favour: and his enemies shall lick the duſt; that is, they ſhall kiſſe the ground when they come before him in token of reverence (for that was the cuſtome of thoſe Eaſtern countries when they bowed to their kings;) or they ſhall bow their faces to the very ground, as if they meant to lick the duſt: and hence theſe two are joyned together Iſa. 49.23. they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick the duſt of thy feet.
Verſ. 10. The kings of Tarshish, &c.] See the Note 1 Kings 10.22. and of the iſles shall bring preſents; to wit, by way of tribute and homage: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts; that is, as it is commonly thought, the kings of the nations inhabiting Ethiopia and Arabia the happy, deſcended from Seba and Sheba, the ſon and grandchild of Cuſh, Gen. 10, 7. But ſee alſo the Notes 1 Kings 10.1. Pſal. 45.12. and 68.31.
Verſ. 11. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him, &c.] This cannot be meant of Solomon, unleſſe we take it as figuratively ſpoken, all kings, that is, all any thing near about him. But in Chriſt it is and ſhall be literally accompliſhed.
Verſ. 12. For he shall deliver the needy, &c.] That is, He ſhall reſcue them from thoſe that by fraud or violence wrong and oppreſſe them; and this ſhall make men willing to ſubmit to his government. But though this, with that which follows in the two next verſes, is clearly ſpoken of deliverance from externall injuries, yet as it is referred to Chriſt, it may be alſo underſtood of his delivering poor ſinners from the ſpirituall tyranny of ſin and Satan, and of ſaving their ſouls.
Verſ. 14. He shall redeem their ſoul from deceit and violence, &c.] That is, their life, as the following words ſhew: and precious shall their bloud be in his ſight; that is, whereas many men, princes and great ones eſpecially, regard the ſhedding of poor mens bloud no more then the ſpilling of a little water, he ſhall ſhew that he makes precious account of the bloud even of the meaneſt and moſt contemptible amongſt the people, 1. by being ſparing in ſhedding their bloud, ſee 2 Kings 1.13. 2ly, by defending them againſt thoſe that would ſhed it, and 3ly, by taking vengeance on thoſe that did ſhed it, eſpecially when it is ſhed for Gods cauſe, in regard the Lord doth then the more prize it, when thereby his truth is confirmed, and his cauſe maintained.
Verſ. 15. And he shall live, &c.] To wit, long and proſperouſly; but ſee the Note Pſal. 21.4: and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba; to wit, by way of tribute and preſents, 1 Kings 10.15: which is added to imply both how rich and potent a king he ſhould be, as indeed it is ſaid of Solomon 1 Kings 10.23. that he exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches; and alſo with what affection and willingneſſe they ſhould ſubmit to his government; for to ſignify this, was that ancient cuſtome of bringing preſents to their princes, ſee the Note 1 Sam. 10.27. And withall, eſpecially as it is referred to Chriſt, it implies, that men ſhould willingly contribute of any thing they had, for the promoting of his kingdome & glory. Prayer alſo shall be made for him continually: which as it is meant of Chriſt, doth either imply that men ſhould pray for the coming of this their Meſſiah, or elſe rather for the advancement of his kingdome, and for the Church his body; which was in part fulfilled, when the children cried in the Temple, Hoſanna to the ſon of David, Mat. 21.15: and daily shall he be praiſed; Chriſtians endeavouring to honour him both by word and deed.
Verſ. 16. There shall be an handfull of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains, &c.] That is, ſo fruitfull ſhall the land be, that though but a handfull of corn be ſown in the earth, & that upon the top of the mountains, where by reaſon of extreme cold in winter, and heat in ſummer, the ground is uſually barren, yet it ſhall yield ſuch mighty corn, ſo thick & ſo high, that being ſhaken with the wind, it ſhall ruſle and make a noiſe like the thick bows of the lofty trees on mount Lebanon. And hereby alſo is implyed the abundance of all other things that ſhould be in thoſe times, & that the ſmalleſt beginnings ſhould through Gods bleſſing grow to great abundance. Yea & ſome underſtand it too of the ſowing of the ſeed of the Goſpel, and of the great encreaſe and flouriſhing eſtate of the Church & kingdome of Chriſt, that ſhould follow hereupon. And they of the city shall flourish as the graſſe of the earth; that is, as the earth ſhall every where yield a great encreaſe of grain, ſo ſhall every city yield as great an encreaſe of men, ſo that they ſhall be every where as plentifull as the graſs of the earth, and they ſhall be too in a flouriſhing condition. And how both theſe were literally accompliſhed in Solomons reign, is expreſſed 1 Kin. 4.20. Iudah and Iſrael were many as the ſand which is by the ſea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.
Verſ. 17. His name shall endure for ever, &c.] If we refer this to Solomon, the meaning may be, that for his wiſedome, his juſt and gentle government, and the proſperity of his reign, his glory and renown ſhould be continued even after he was dead for many generations. But referring it to Chriſt, the meaning muſt be, that he & his kingdome ſhould continue for ever; as likewiſe that his name ſhould be continued in his ſpirituall off-ſpring, that ſhould be called Chriſtians: ſee the Note above verſ. 5. And men shall be bleſſed in him; that is, if we refer it to Solomon, men ſhall propound him as a pattern of one eminently bleſſed, ſaying, the Lord bleſſe you as Solomon was bleſſed; ſee Gen. 48.20: but referring it to Chriſt, the meaning is, that in and through Chriſt believers ſhould attain perfect bliſſe and happineſſe, according to that promiſe made to Abraham, Gen. 12.3. In thee shall all the families of the earth be bleſſed.
Verſ. 18. Bleſsed be the Lord God, the God of Iſrael, who only doth wondrous things.] To wit, by his own power: & this ſeems to be added in reference to the wonderfull goodneſſe of God in continuing the kingdome to Solomons poſterity, notwithſtanding many of them did ſo often provoke God to have utterly deſtroyed them; but eſpecially with reference to Gods wonderfull works in the Churches redemption by Chriſt, her miraculous preſervation maugre the rage of Satan againſt her, and the many other benefits we enjoy by his kingly office.
Verſ. 19. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory, &c.] This ſeems alſo to be ſpoken with reſpect to the times of the Goſpel. Amen & amen: ſee the Note Pſ. 41.13.
Verſ. 20. The prayers of David the ſon of Ieſſe are ended.] For the adding of thoſe words, the ſon of Ieſſe, ſee the Notes 2 Sam. 23.1. It is evident that the 86, the 110, & divers of the following Pſalms beſides, were compoſed by David; and therefore it well may be queſtioned why it is ſaid that here the prayers of David are ended. But to this divers anſwers are given by Expoſitours: as 1. that this was the laſt Pſalm that David compoſed, and haply placed laſt in the order of the Pſalms, & that ſince the order of the Pſalms was tranſpoſed: or 2. that this was the laſt of the Pſalms which David joyned together in a book; & that the following Pſalms (wherein there are ſome alſo that David himſelf did afterwards compoſe) were collected by ſome other holy man of God, & joyned to that book of Pſalms which David had formerly made: or 3. that this is added here, becauſe hither to we have had Davids Pſalms, but now thoſe that next follow were compoſed by Aſaph and others. And indeed if it were clear that the following Pſalms were not compoſed by David, it might well be ſaid in this regard that here the prayers of David are ended, though ſome Pſalms of Davids making be afterwards inſerted; as it is ſaid, The words of Iob are ended, becauſe his reaſoning with his friends doth there end, though ſome words that Job ſpake are afterwards inſerted in that book, as ch. 40.3, 4, 5, & ch. 42.1, 2, &c.