Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, 4 [i.e. 5] (cont.) · Psalm 147
PSAL. CXLVII. A Hymn.
THE Scope and intent of the Prophet in this Pſalm, is, to ſtir up men to praiſe God, for which he produceth many Arguments. The occaſion of the compoſing of it, was the reduction of the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon, and therefore it is ſuppoſed that Haggai and Zechariah the Prophets were the Authours of it; and therefore ſome Interpreters put their names in the Title of it.
The parts are.
1. An Exhortation to praiſe God, ver. 1. which is repeated, ver. 7. & 12.
2. The Arguments to perſwade to it, Gods bounty, wiſdom, power, providence, juſtice and mercy, through the whole Pſalm.
1. He invites to praiſe God. The firſt part.The Exhortation is briefly propoſed, Praiſe the Lord, ver. 1. which the Prophet, as the Chanter of the Quire, begins; and after ſome reaſons given, repeats in more words, Ver. 1 Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving, ſing praiſes upon the Harp unto our God, ver. 7. And yet again at ver. 12. Praiſe the Lord, O Jeruſalem, praiſe thy God, O Zion; where the Arabique, Greek, and Latine Tranſlators begin a new Pſalm; but in the Hebrew they are conjoyned, and but one Hymn.
2. The ſecond part.Now the Prophet hath no ſooner ended his Exhortations, but to every one of them ſingly he annexeth his Reaſons.
To praiſe God, he exhorts upon two grounds.
1. Ab utili, jucundo, decoro, ver. 1.
2. For his bounty to Jeruſalem, in building it, and bringing back the diſperſed, ver. 2. in comforting the ſad and contrite in ſoul, ver. 3. 2. For his wiſdom, ver. 4. For his power, ver. 5. For his mercy and juſtice, ver. 6.
His firſt Arguments are taken from the thing it ſelf; His reaſons to perſwade it, becauſe it is,for to praiſe God, is,
1. Ver. 1 Good: For it is good to ſing praiſes to our God: Good, for divers Reaſons.1Good, for four reaſons.
1. That is good which God commands, Micah 6.8. So that Thankſgiving is no indifferent Action, no Will-worſhip, but it is cultus inſtitutus, not to be neglected.
2. It raiſeth the heart from Earth to Heaven; and being the work of Angels and Saints in Heaven, joins us with that Quite above.
3. Good again, becauſe by it we pay a debt, in which is juſtice: Lift up your hearts unto the Lord: Reſp. It is meet and right ſo to do.
3. Good, becauſe for it we are like to receive a good and a great reward; for if he that prayes to God is like to be rewarded, Matth. 6. much more that man that ſings praiſes to him; for in prayer we conſult with our own neceſſities, in our praiſes we honour God, and bleſs him for his gifts.
2. 2Pleaſant in divers reſpects.To praiſe God is pleaſant.
1. Becauſe it proceeds out of love; for nothing is more pleaſant to him that loves, than to make Sonnets in the praiſe of that party he loves.
2. Becauſe it muſt needs pleaſe a man to perform that Duty for which he was created; for to that end God created men and … that they ſhould praiſe him, Iſa. 43.7. A check this is to that ſlowneſs and backwardneſs we find in our ſelves to praiſe God; or when we feel it tedious unto us.
3. Becauſe God is delighted with it, as the ſweeteſt Sacrifice: He that offereth me praiſe and thanks, he honoureth me, Pſal. 50.
4. It is pleaſant to God, becauſe he is delighted with thoſe vertues which are in us, Faith, Hope, Charity, Religion, Devotion, Humility, &c. of all which, our praiſes are a manifeſt.
3. It is comely: For there is no greater ſtain than Ingratitude; 3Comely and decent.it is made up of a lye and injuſtice; for either it inſinuates and denies, that the benefit is not received, or that if received, a man will not pay for it, no not thanks. There is then all the decency in the World in it, that man be thankful to his God, that freely gives him all things.
2. Theſe are the firſt Arguments the Prophet uſeth, and they are drawn, 2For his goodneſs to Jeruſalem.à natura rei. Thoſe that follow are more particular, and as the caſe then ſtood, reſpect Iſrael; but may well be applied in all Ages to the Church of God.
1. The firſt taken from the reduction of the people from Captivity, and the building of Jeruſalem, in which appeared the goodneſs of God to them; for it was the mercies of God that they were not conſumed.
1. The Lord doth build up Jeruſalem; his Church, Ver. 2 the Head of the Kingdom, and Seat of the Sanctuary; he reſtored their Polity and Religion.
2. He gathereth together the out-caſts, or diſperſed of Iſrael, or baniſhed; collected them which were ſcattered; ſo he collected his Church of diſperſed Gentiles, John 10.16.
3. He healeth the broken in heart, the ſad, the calamitous, whether oppreſſed with captivity or ſin, Luke 4.18.
4. And bindeth up their wounds; as if he were a good Chyrurgion, Ver. 3 Luke 10.34.
2. The ſecond Argument is taken from his Wiſdom, 3His wiſdom.in numbring the ſtars.
1. He tells the number of the ſtars. A thing it ſeems impoſſible for man, Gen. 15.5. For there be many of them, immerſae orbi, which then being ſhew'd to Abraham, he could not number; but God hath them upon account.
2. And calls them all by their names: They are his Army, Iſa. 40.26. He knows their power, properties, efficacy of every one of them, and calls them forth by their names, and they anſwer, Here we are, Baruch 3.
But by theſe ſtars ſome underſtand Gods Elect, The ſervants of God like ſtars.whoſe number is to us without number, and whoſe names are written in his Book. Now theſe are well-likened to the Stars.
1. The ſtars are infinite in number: So are his Elect to us, not to him.
2. Among the ſtars ſome are Planets, Erratica: His Elect ſometimes wander up and down.
3. The ſtars ſhine by night cleareſt: His Elect in the darkneſs of perſecutions.
4. One ſtar differs from another in glory: The Elect excel each other in grace, in piety, &c.
5. The ſtars are above, far from impurity: The Converſation of the Elect in Heaven.
6. The ſtars are obſcured with clouds, but they being diſperſed, they ſhine again: So the Church is ſometime obſcured, Matth. 25. But at Chriſts appearing, they ſhall appear in glory, 1 John 3.2. For there is not one of theſe ſtars how obſcure, how dark, how little, or abject ſoever, but Chriſt will call him by his name; and this the Prophet intends. What, ſhall God ever tell the number of his baniſh'd people, and gather together the diſperſed into one Church? why not? He that can tell the number of the ſtars, and call them by their names; I hope 'tis no difficult thing to him to tell the number of his Elect, and call them by nomination.
3. 4From his power.His third Argument to praiſe God, is drawn from his power: Great is our Lord, Ver. 4 and of great power, and his underſtanding is infinite: Let no man deſpair of his power, though the thing expected be great and difficult; for his underſtanding is infinite: And though we cannot find out a way, yet he knows how to bring his Will to paſs.
4. 5From his Mercy, andHis fourth Argument to praiſe God, is taken from his Juſtice and Mercy.
1. Ver. 5 His Mercy: The Lord lifts up the meek, His wayes are not like mens wayes, with whom the meek are deſpiſed; but theſe are the men whom he ſuſtains, defends, exalts.
2. Juſtice.His Juſtice: He caſts the wicked down to the ground. Wicked men ſhall not reign for ever, God will laugh them to ſcorn, and caſt them from the higheſt ſtep of dignity and power, to contempt and ſcorn to the ground.
2. The ſecond part of the ſecond Section. He repeats his Exhortation to praiſe God.But before the Prophet goes on, he repeats his Exhortation, as if he meant to rub up our memories, and that we call to mind to what purpoſe he uſed the former, and will yet uſe the following Arguments.
Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving: Do it in words.
Sing praiſes upon the Harp unto our God: Do it in works.
And preſently he falls upon his Arguments, Ver. 7 which are drawn from Gods Providence, 1From his Providence.of which he gives divers inſtances.
1. Ver. 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth: When he brings clouds over the face of heaven, The inſtances of it four.it is not in his purpoſe to obſcure or darken the beauty of it, but to water and moiſten the earth, without which it will not be fruitful, Pſal. 104.13, 14. Jer. 14.22.
2. Who makes graſs to grow on the Mountains, in the moſt barren places, to which the rain will not ſuffice, except God co-operate with it.
3. He giveth to the Beaſt his food. He giveth it them, they gather it.
4. Ver. 9 And to the young Ravens which cry. Naturaliſts tell us, That the Raven ſeeds not his Chickens, till they be plumed, not owning them, till they be like them, all which time, God ſuſtains them: But others, that no Bird ſo ſoon ſuffers his young to prey for themſelves, as the Raven, being then deſerted by the Dam, cro…itant, invocant, and God hears and ſends them meat, Job 38.41. Chriſt uſeth this Argument, that we rely on Gods Providence, Mat. 6. Luke 12.
Yea, Object. But how ſhall we be deliver'd, we ſee no means?but here the infirm and diſtruſtful Jew may argue, Alas, we ſee no means for our deliverance, we have no Strength, no Ammunition, nor Horſe, nor Armour for War, no, nor yet hearts to fight: How ſhall we be delivered?
The Prophet prevents and anſwers this objection; viz. That God who is to gather them, needs no help at all, he can do it without means, as well as means.
1. Ver. 10 He delights not in the ſtrength of an horſe; which is a warlike creature.Resp. God can do it without means and will
2. He takes not pleaſure in the legs; i. e. nimbleneſs, agility, valour of a man; that is, in any military preparation or power, ſo far forth, as if they were neceſſary means, and he could not do his work without them; theſe he will have in ordinary uſe, but not truſted to, he delights not in that.
But he placeth his delight in his ſervants, and thoſe ſome way or other he will deliver.
1. The Lord takes pleaſure in thoſe that fear him, not in the Majeſty, rich, noble, or ſuperficial Phariſee, but in thoſe that fear him, and trembles at his words.
2. And in thoſe that hope in his mercy. That put their confidence, that out of mercy, love, goodneſſe he will deliver them.
3. He again repeats this propoſition, and calls to the Church to perform it, The third part. of the ſecond Section.where in the Greek and Vulgar begins a new Pſalm.
Praiſe the Lord, O Jeruſalem, praiſe thy God O Zion. He again exhorts to praiſe God.Though others be negligent to praiſe God, yet be not thou. Not Jeruſalem, not Zion.
And then recites four arguments for which he would have Zion ſing praiſes. Ver. 12
1. Security and defence. 2. Benediction. 3. Peace. 4. Jeruſalem eſpecially.Suſtenance or proviſion.
1. Jeruſalem is a City ſecure, being defended by God. 1For her Security.For he hath ſtrengthened the barrs of thy gates. Gates and barrs do well to a City, Ver. 13 but then alone the City is ſecure, when God makes them ſtrong. The true ammunition of a City is Gods defence. Arms, Lawes, wealth, &c. are the barrs.
2. Jeruſalem is a happy City. For he hath bleſsed thy children within hee, 2Benediction.thy Kings, Princes, Magiſtrates, &c. with Wiſdom, Religion, Piety, &c.
3. Jeruſalem is a peaceable City. He maketh peace in thy borders. 3Peace.The very name intimates ſo much. For Jeruſalem interpreted, is Viſio pacis.
4. Jeruſalem is a City provided by God with neceſſary food and proviſion. Ver. 14 For, He filleth thee with the fineſt of the wheat.4Abundance.
Now that it is God that doth all this for Jeruſalem, the Prophet makes good by other things that he doth for the whole world, The Prophet proves this by his general providence.for which he needs not any inſtruments and under-officers to do it by, but only his word and his command: 'Tis but for him to ſay the word, and what he will, is done. He ſends forth his command upon earth, and his word runs very ſwiftly, it pierceth all things, Ver. 15 and preſently execution follows upon it, Heb. 1.3. & Wiſd. 7.22, 24. & 8.1. For inſtance.
1. He giveth ſnow like wooll. Ver. 16 Sometimes great flakes of it like locks of wooll, or elſe to cover the earth, as a winter-garment a man, He brings froſt, ſnow, ice.and keep it warm from the nipping of the cold winds, as is evident in Northern Countries.
2. He ſcattereth the hoar-froſt like aſhes. That thickens the aire as if aſhes were caſt into it. For I have obſerved, that with a hoar-froſt commonly there is a miſt, which reſolves into rain within twenty four hours.
3. He caſteth forth his ice like morſels. That is, fragments of ice.
4. Who can ſtand before his cold? That is, able to endure it, had not he provided clothes, furrs, fire againſt the violence and rigor of it.
Deſcribed he hath the vehemency of the cold in the ſnow, froſt, ice; Annd diſſolves and melts it.next he ſhews with what facility and celerity he diſſolves and removes it. Only by his Word.
1. He ſends out his word and melts them.
2. He cauſeth his wind to blow. His South wind, and the waters flow, Ice and Snow are reſolv'd into water.
But note here that the Prophet calls it His ice, His cold, His word, His wind, that we may know that the conſtipation and reſolution is from him, and therefore we depend upon his providence for out food and raiment, &c.
4. This is an act of Gods providence in common to all Nations, 2The ſpecial Act of his providence to his people.and by it he teacheth all Nations to acknowledge their Creator. But there is a peculiar Act of his providence extended to his people in which other Nations did not, nor do not yet communicate with them, viz. The knowledge of his word, and manifeſtation of his Will, and this is a new argument by which he perſwades them to praiſe God. The knowledge of his word and will.What Iſrael might, that now the Chriſtian Church may ſay, and that with advantage.
1. He ſhews his word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgments unto Iſrael. To them he ſpake by Moſes and the Prophets. To us by his own Son, his Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors.
2. He hath not dealt ſo with any Nation, with none at that time; And now to none, who belong not to the ſpiritual Jeruſalem, which is the Church.
3. For all theſe benefits praiſe the Lord.And as for his judgments. The Evangelical Preceps, and Rules of life, and ſalvation, they have not known them.
Now for all theſe benefits, and for all theſe reaſons. Hallelujah. Praiſe ye the Lord.
The Hymn or Prayer Collected out of the One hundred forty and ſeventh Pſalm.
O Thou great Lord of heaven and earth, Ver. 5 thy power is great, and thy underſtanding infinite, thy goodneſſe is incomprehenſible, and thy mercy above all thy works, when I conſider thy greatneſſe, I tremble; when I look upon thy wiſdom I admire, but as often as I look back upon thy goodneſſe and mercy I am animated to approach thy throne, and to pay that debt of thankfulneſſe unto thee for thy providence over the whole world, and peculiarly thy care and love extended to thy poor Church.
When the thirſty earth gaſps for rain, thou covereſt the heaven with clouds, Ver. 8 and prepareſt to moiſten it, thou clotheſt the mountains with graſs, and bleſſeſt the valleys with plenty. There's not a beaſt to which thou giveſt not food, Ver. 9 nor a bird of the aire, nor a fowle of heaven, no nor a young Raven that thou heareſt not when they cry for want. Ver. 15 Thy command is a Law, and thy word runs very ſwiftly. When thou ſayeſt the word in winter the Snow deſcends like Wooll, and the hoar-froſt covers the earth like aſhes, the waters cake into ice, and the rivers become ſtiff and run not. But thou again no ſooner ſends forth thy word in the Spring, but their hardneſſe is diſſolved, thou cauſeſt thy wind to blow, and the waters flow.
Who, Ver. 1 Lord, can conſider theſe thy wayes without admiration, and admiring, Ver. 7 praiſe, and in praiſing ſing unto thée with thankſgiving. O Lord, make it our work, for it is good; make it our delight, for it is pleaſant; make it our labour, for it is comely; that muſt néeds become us, which becomes thy Angels and Saints in heaven, whoſe joy it is day and night to ſing prayſes to thy holy name, for thy wondrous works of providence, wiſdome, goodneſſe, Ver. 11 and mercy toward the ſons of men, but eſpecially for thy love and protection over that people that fear thée, and hope in thy mercy.
Gracious God conſider their afflictions, and how that at this time a principal member groans under the Croſſe, thy Temples are caſt down, thy houſes of prayer deſtroyed, thy people ſcattered on the mountains as ſhéep that have no ſhepherd. Ver. 2 O then build, reſtore, and confirme once more Jeruſalem, Ver. 3 and gather together unto her the outcaſts of Iſrael. Heal thoſe that are broken in heart, and binde up, as a good Phyſitian the mercileſs wounds they have received; Ver. 4 theſe are ſtars in the firmament of thy Church, let them not wander up and down in ſhéeps skins and goats skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, and tormented for ever, their number thou knoweſt, call them all then by their names, and though now obſcured, yet let them ſhine again in thy Church. Ver. 6 Theſe are méek in heart, and poor in ſpirit, look to them. O Lord, and lift them up; and execute thy juſt wrath againſt their oppreſſors, and caſt the wicked who with a proud hand inſult over them, down even to the ground.
Take pleaſure, Ver. 11 O Lord, in them that fear thee, and tremble at thy word, bring back thy baniſhed, and build them a ſure houſe, provide for them a City to dwell in, and ſtrengthen the bars of the gates thereof, Ver. 13 bleſſe her children within her. Make peace in her borders, and fill her with the fineſt of the wheat.
But above all, ſhew thy word unto Jacob, Ver. 19 and thy ſtatutes and judgments unto Iſrael. And where thou haſt not dealt ſo with other Nations, Ver. 20 to reveal unto them the ſecret Myſteries of thy Goſpel, open to us theſe glad-tydings, and inflame our hearts with the love of them, and give us grace to conform our lives unto them. For ſo ſhall Jeruſalem praiſe thee, Ver. 12 and Zion magnifie thy Name for ever and ever. Hallelujah, Hallelujah. Praiſe the Lord.