Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 81 – Psalm 82
PSALM LXXXI.
Verſ. 3. BLow up the Trumpet in the New-moon, &c.] That is, the New-moon of every monethmonth; for which ſee the Notes Numb. 10.10, and 28.11: in the time appointed on our ſolemn feaſt-day; that is, upon every one of our ſolemn feaſt-daies, for the ſervice whereof it ſeems this Pſalm was compoſed: or both clauſes may be meant of one and the ſame time, to wit, the new-moon of the ſeventh monethmonth, which was indeed a ſolemn feaſt-day, and called the feaſt of trumpets; for which ſee the Note Lev. 23.24.
Verſ. 5. This he ordained in Ioſeph, &c.] That is, in Iſrael; ſee the Note Pſal. 77.15: for a teſtimony; that is, for a law, ſee the Note Pſal. 19.73 or for a memoriall of the mercy in the following words mentioned: when he went out through the land of Egypt; to wit, when he led his people thence with an out-ſtretched arme; or, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, when he went out against the land of Egypt, that is, when he went forth as a captain before his angels, that were to execute his judgements upon the Egyptians. As for the following clauſe, where I heard a language that I underſtood not, it is ſpoken, I conceive, by the Pſalmiſt in the name of the people of Iſrael. And though ſome underſtand it thus, that when God had carried them out of Egypt, they did hear a language which they had never been acquainted with, to wit, the voice of God ſpeaking from mount Sinai; yet I doubt not but the meaning is this, that in Egypt they heard a language which they underſtood not, and that this is added by way of aggravating the miſery of their bondage there, from which God delivered them, and that becauſe for the ſame reaſon we ſee this very particular alledged elſewhere, as Pſal. 114.1. when Iſrael went out of Egypt, the houſe of Iacob from a people of ſtrange language: ſee alſo the Notes Deut. 28.49.
Verſ. 6. I removed his ſhoulder from the burden; his hands were delivered from the pots.] That is, from making pots; or from filling and carrying pots laden with water, ſtraw, clay, bricks, mortar, &c. all which may be comprehended in that generall expreſſion, Exod. 1.14. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of ſervice in the field. However, clear it is, that from hence to the end of the Pſalm God is brought in as expoſtulating with his people.
Verſ. 7. Thou calledſt in trouble, &c.] To wit, when after their deliverance out of Egypt (of which he had ſpoken in the foregoing verſe) Pharaoh had purſued them to the red-ſea; ſee Exod. 14.10, 15: I anſwered thee in the ſecret place of thunder; that is, out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud from whence I thundered upon the Egyptians, ſee the Notes Exod. 14.24. Now this might be tearmed an anſwering them in the ſecret place of thunder, 1. becauſe the thunder came out of the pillar of the cloud, which though it gave light on one ſide to the Iſraelites, yet it was a cloud of darkneſſe to the Egyptians, Exod. 14.20: 2ly, and eſpecially, becauſe though God did not viſibly then appear to them, yet the thunder was a clear evidence of his hidden preſence there, and that however before he had ſeemed to hide himſelf from them for a time, yet he was in a readineſſe to help and deliver them: and it may well be that this is ſpoken in reference to that which is ſaid Exod. 14.20. that the Lord looked to the hoſt of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the hoſt of the Egyptians. And ſome underſtand it alſo of Gods ſpeaking to the people from mount Sinai by a voice like thunder, which came from the thick cloud that was upon the mount. As for the following clauſe, I proved thee at the waters of Meribah, to wit, by the thirſt they endured there, this is doubtleſſe added to ſhew, that it was of Gods free grace that he did thus deliver them from the Egyptians, ſeeing ſo ſhortly after they did by their murmuring at Meribah diſcover how unworthy they were of this mercy. See alſo the Note Exod. 15.25.
Verſ. 8. Hear, O my people, and I will teſtify unto thee, &c.] See the Note Deut. 4.26. But this muſt be underſtood as ſpoken by God to the Iſraelites when he had newly carried them out of Egypt, as is evident by that which follows ver. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice, &c. ſee the Notes alſo Exod. 15.25.
Verſ. 10. Open thy mouth wide, &c.] That is, Ask freely and largely, even whatever you will, yea ask ſtill greater and greater things, and that with full aſſurance of faith, preſſing your requeſts with fervency and importunity: and I will fill it; that is, I will fulfill all your deſires. But yet this laſt clauſe ſome underſtand particularly of Gods ſupplying them liberally with food and ſuſtenance, whereto that may ſeem to agree which is added ver. 16. He should have fed them alſo with the fineſt of the wheat, &c: and ſome, of Gods filling their mouths with his praiſes, for which ſee the Note Pſal. 71.8. And however in the expreſſion here uſed there ſeems to be an alluſion to the manner of birds feeding their young ones.
Verſ. 15. The haters of the Lord should have ſubmitted themſelves unto him, &c.] Hereby is implyed, that on the contrary, becauſe of his peoples ſins, he had choſen to proſper thoſe that hated him, rather then not puniſh his peoples rebellion againſt him. See the Note alſo 2 Sam. 22.45.
PSALM LXXXII.
Verſ. 1. GOd ſtandeth in the congregation of the mighty, &c.] That is, He is preſent among the great judges and Potentates of the world, and preſident over them, ſee the Notes 2 Chron. 19.6. and Deut. 1.17: he judgeth among the Gods; ſee the Note Exod. 22.28. The meaning is, that they are but his vicegerents, and that he will therefore judge them, according as they carry themſelves in judging others. And hence it is that in the following verſes he expoſtulates with them as his ſubjects and vaſſals, How long will ye judge unjuſtly? &c.
Verſ. 5. They know not, &c.] As if he had ſaid, But, alas, it is in vain to ſpeak to theſe men, They know not, that is, Being blinded with gifts, corrupt affections, and their greatneſſe in the world, they know nothing of this which I have ſpoken to them of; they know not what is juſt and what is unjuſt, nor what belongs to them to doe: neither will they understand; that is, they are wilfully ignorant, and will not be taught: they walk on in darkneſse, they proceed on in their waies of ignorance, ſin and folly. And then for the laſt clauſe, all the foundations are out of courſe, in the originall are moved, either it doth ſimply declare the evil that came by the injuſtice of theſe judges, to wit, that for want of juſtice and judgement, which are the foundations of kingdomes & commonwealths, all things were out of order and went to wrack; or elſe it is added to imply the obſtinate blindneſſe of the judges, who though they might ſee that all things were brought into confuſion, & were like to be utterly ruined by their unjuſt doings, yet they would not be convinced of the evil of their waies. But ſee the Notes Pſal. 11.3, and 75.3.
Verſ. 6. I have ſaid, Ye are Gods, &c.] See the Note Exod. 22.28: and all of you are children of the moſt High, to wit, becauſe God had conferred part of his ſovereignty and judiciary power upon them, as Princes are wont to leave theirs to their children; and becauſe withall they ſhould be, if they would carry themſelves as they ought to do, moſt dear to God, as children are to their father.
Verſ. 7. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.] That is, ye ſhall be caſt down from your places of dignity and power, (according to that Luk. 1.52, he hath put down the mighty from their ſeats) like as other Princes before you have been, or as it hath been with the princes of other nations; or, ye ſhall die by ſome violent death, as uſually tyrants are wont to do.
Verſ. 8. Ariſe, O God, judge the earth, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Seeing the judges on earth are every where ſo unjuſt, do thou from heaven take this work into thine own hands; do thou free the oppreſſed, and puniſh the oppreſſours, with their unjuſt judges: for thou shalt inherit all nations; that is, by this means all nations ſhall ſubmit themſelves to thee, and ſhall worſhip and fear thee; or, thou art and alwaies ſhalt be the ſupreme judge of all nations, neither can any tyrants wreſt this power out of thine hands. Yea ſome conceive that this is ſpoken in reference to Chriſt.