Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 93
PSALM XCIII.
Verſ. 1. THe Lord reigneth, &c.] As if he had ſaid, In the midſt of all thoſe confuſions and hurly-burlies that are in the world, which ſeem to threaten the utter ruine of the Church, the Lord, who is the God and king of Iſrael, governeth the whole world, and ſo is the ſure defence of his people: he is clothed with majeſty; the Lord is clothed with ſtrength, wherewith he hath girded himſelf; that is, he hath by his works manifeſted himſelf to be glorious in majeſty and power, as a king clothed with his royall robes, and is alwaies as one that is ready prepared for battel: the world alſo is eſtablished, that it cannot be moved; as if he had ſaid, And hence alſo it comes to paſſe, that the whole world and all things therein are eſtabliſhed, that it cannot be moved: that is, that the world by the ſupporting providence of God is firmly ſettled, according as it was at firſt eſtabliſhed by the law of creation; and conſequently alſo, that the Church throughout the world is firmly ſettled and preſerved, that it ſhould not be rooted up. But now many underſtand this Pſalm throughout of Chriſts exerciſing his kingly power Matth. 28.18. for which ſee the Note Pſal. 22.28.
Verſ. 2. Thy throne is eſtablished of old, &c.] It is in the Hebrew from then, and ſo the meaning may be, that even from the firſt creation and ſettling of the world, of which he had ſpoken in the foregoing words, God had eſtabliſhed the heaven for his throne, as it is elſewhere called Pſal. 11.4. And it is very probable, that having ſpoken before of Gods eſtabliſhing the earth, ſo here he ſhould alſo ſpeak of his eſtabliſhing the heaven. But yet the words may be underſtood thus, Thy throne is eſtablished of old, that is, Thy kingdome and government hath been from the beginning, yea from all eternity, as thy ſelf art, according to that which follows, thou art from everlaſting.
Verſ. 3. The flouds have lifted up, O Lord, the flouds have lifted up their voice, &c.] That is, they rage and make a mighty tumult. But, alas, God doth at his pleaſure overrule and awe them, as it follows in the next verſe, The Lord on high is mightier then the noiſe of many waters, yea then the mighty waves of the ſea: for which ſee the Note Pſal. 89.9. For this may be underſtood literally of the ſwelling waves of rivers and ſeas, ſee the Note Pſal. 65.7; or of the rage of the enemies of Gods people, ſee the Note Pſal. 46.3.
Verſ. 5. Thy teſtimonies are very ſure, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 19.7. Having in the former verſes ſpoken of Gods governing the world in generall; here he adds that ſpeciall mercy, that God had given them his Word, which was ſure and faithfull; and then alſo that he had taken them to be a holy people unto himſelf, eſtabliſhing a covenant of life eternall with them, which was their excellency & their glory above all other nations: all which many learned Expoſitours conceive is implyed in that next clauſe, holineſſe becometh thine houſe, O Lord, for ever. But then again we may probably conceive otherwiſe of the inference of theſe words upon that which went before, to wit, that herein the Pſalmiſt ſhews, that by the Lords quelling thoſe proud waves which had beaten ſo furiouſly upon his Church, whereof he had ſpoken in the two foregoing verſes, he had approved the faithfulneſſe of his promiſes; and that becauſe theſe his teſtimonies were ſo very ſure, therefore it could not be, but that the Church muſt be preſerved againſt the rage of all her enemies: And then for that laſt clauſe, holineſſe becometh thine houſe for ever, either the meaning muſt be, that Gods approving his holineſſe and faithfulneſſe, by the defence of thoſe that fled to his houſe for ſhelter, did well become his houſe for ever; or that God, to make good his faithfulneſſe, was engaged to preſerve his Temple and Church from being polluted and profaned by her enemies; or that becauſe of Gods faithfulneſs, it became Gods people to carry themſelves always before God in a holy manner, but eſpecially in the holy aſſemblies. As for thoſe that underſtand this Pſalm of Chriſt, they take this as ſpoken in reference to Gods faithfulneſſe in performing all his promiſes concerning the Meſſiah, and particularly in preſerving his Church from being polluted.