Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 2 · Psalm 66
PSAL. LXVI. foreign.
THE occaſion of this Pſalm, was ſome great deliverance which God ſhew'd to his people, for which, David invites the Church to give thanks, and propoſeth himſelf for an example of Gratitude.
The parts are.
1. An Invitation.
1. To praiſe God, from ver. 1. to 5.
2. To conſider his works, from ver. 5. to 8.
2. A Repetition of the Invitation, ver. 8. for the benefit and deliverance lately received, from ver. 9. to 12.
3. A Proteſtation and Vow for his own particular to ſerve God, ver. 13, 14, 15.
4. A Declaration of Gods goodneſs to himſelf, from ver. 16. to 20.
5. His Doxology, ver. 20.
1. An invitation to praiſe God. The firſt part.He invites all men to praiſe God, and to do it affectionately and heartily.
1. Ver. 1 Make a joyful ſong unto God, all ye Lands.
2. Ver. 2 Sing forth the honour of his Name.
3. Make his praiſe glorious.
4. Say unto God, where he preſcribes a Form to be uſed in Thankſgiving, How, terrible art thou in thy works; viz. in redeeming and delivering thy people with a ſtrong and powerful hand.2To conſider his works. The effect.
Of which conſideration he ſhews a double effect, one upon Gods enemies: 2. The other upon his people.
1. 1On enemies a feigned obedience.Upon his enemies, a feigned obedience, a ſervice done indeed perforce, as the conquered do the Conquerors, done with lying lips, and an unwilling mind: Through the greatneſs of thy power ſhall thy enemies ſubmit themſelves, 2On his people willing ſervice.or yield feigned obedience unto thee.
2. Upon his people, who willingly ſhould magnifie him for his terrible works: All the earth ſhall worſhip thee, and ſhall ſing unto thee, they ſhall ſing to thy Name: Selah.
2. He calls again to conſider them, eſpecially inAt the fifth verſe begins the other part of his Invitation, in which he exhorts men to conſider Gods wayes, as if the cauſe of their ingratitude were, as it is indeed, their inconſideration; this idle careleſneſs he would have ſhaken off, Come and ſee the Works of God; not ite, but venite, Come and conſider with me. Ver. 5
2. delivering his people.Then not his works at large, but his terrible Works, his Wonders, his ſtrange doings in the deliverance of his people; of which he gives two inſtances.
1. 1At the red Sea.The diviſion of the red Sea; when Pharoah purſued the Iſraelites, he turned the Sea into dry land.
2. The other, the diviſion of Jordan, Joſh. 3. that Iſrael might paſs through, They went through the flood on foot,2At Jordan.
Which he cloſeth with this Acclamation, There did we rejoyce in him; thoſe miracles done for our Fathers, concerned us their children, we, even we, are the better for them; and therefore in their loyns we did, and we will ever rejoyce for it.
But being not ſatisfied with theſe inſtances, as being particular, 3The … inſtance of his providence, more general. In which appears,and concerning one people only, he calls us to come and ſee, and conſider Gods Power, Providence, Juſtice over the world. His Power in ruling, his Providence in beholding the Nations: his Juſtice in puniſhing the rebellious.
1. He rules by his power for ever. The Kingdom is his, and for ever his, and he will adminiſter it to the comfort of his people, Vers. 7 to the confuſion of his enemies.1His power.
2. His eyes behold the Nations. 'Tis true, 2His inſpection.that by a peculiar care he beholds the Jews, but yet ſo, that he neglects not other Nations, for by his providence their Cities ſtand, their policies are upheld, they are provided of neceſſary food and rayment.
3. Let not the Rebellious exalt themſelves. 3His juſtice.They ſhall not proſper as they deſire: Nor their endeavours ſucceed to their minds. His juſtice will overtake them.
2. And now again he renews his Invitation to praiſe God, O bleſs our God ye people, and make the voice of his praiſe to be heard, verſ. 8. The ſecond part. He again invites to praiſe God.He exact no obſcure, ſecret, or vulgar praiſe, but publick, manifeſt, ſuch as when the Noble deeds of ſome excellent man is ſet forth in Verſe.
And that he move them to this the more willingly, he makes mention of a peculiar mercy, then well known to them, though now hid to us. Of which, Vers. 8 that he might make them the more ſenſible, And that for ſome ſpecial Mercy. Till which came, their condition lamentable.he recounts in what condition they then were, and the reaſon of it, That it was for their trial and probation, yet very ſharp.
1. To deaths door they were brought, but unexpectedly ſaved, and gifted with life. Thou uphold'ſt our ſoul in life.
2. At the dangers we were like to fall away. Vers. 9 But thou ſufferedſt not our feet to ſlip. We murmur'd not, but were patient under thy …and.But God in thi…
3. For we knew, that our afflictions came from thee. Thou didſt it.
4. And we knew alſo for what end we ſuffer'd, it was for our probation, 1Upheld them 2. Was the Author.not deſtruction. For thou, O God, haſt proved us, thou haſt tryed us. Vers. 10
5. Although that the trial was very ſharp, 3The end, to try and prove them.which he illuſtrates by five Similitudes.
1. From ſilver. Tryed us as ſilver is tryed, which is purged and refined in the fire.4Which tryal was ſharp.
2. From a Net. Incloſed we were, impriſoned; Vers. 11 without any hope of eſcape.
3. From a burden. In priſon we were loaden with fetters. Trouble upon our loines.
4. From bondage and ſlavery. Thou haſt cauſed men to ride over our heads. That is, men did contumeliouſly and cruelly inſult over us, and ſet their feet upon our necks.
5. From fire and water. Mercileſs elements, all kind of calamities we have undergone. The fiery trial: 5But the iſſue was good.and the waters have come to our ſoul.
But thou, O God, with the temptation haſt given the iſſue. Thou haſt brought us out into a wealthy place. 1. Thou haſt proved, and thou haſt brought. 2. Thou laidſt the trouble, and thou tookeſt it off; yea, and haſt made us an ample recompence, for thou haſt brought us to a moyſt, pleaſant, a mene, fertile, rich place, a happy condition, a flouriſhing condition of things, ſo that thou haſt made us to forget all our trouble. And for this Mercy it is eſpecially, that David exhorts the people to praiſe God. Which if they ſhould be ſo wretched as not to do, yet he would not; and ſo he deſcends to his own particular, and ſets them a fair example to follow.
3. Where he propoſeth an evidence of a grateful heart acknowledging the favour he had receiv'd, for which before-hand he had vow'd thanks, The third part. For this he gives thanks.and here he payes it.
1. Vers. 13 I will go into thy houſe with burnt-offerings. Empty he would not appear before his God, but with his gift in his hand, as was commanded in the Law.
2. I will pay thee my vows. His offerings were not ſo much a gift, as a debt, due upon vow. Vow'd with his lips, and ſpoken by his mouth, when he was in trouble.
3. This his vow ſhould be paid of the beſt and the fatteſt, liberally, and freely. I will offer unto thee burnt Sacrifices of marrow or fatlings, with the incenſe of Rammes, I will offer Bullocks with Goats.
4. The fourth part. And alſo becauſe God had been good to him.And that he do it, there was good reaſon, for God had been very good to him; which, in the next verſes, he declares: and calls to others to come and hear that too.
1. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my ſoul. To thoſe that fear God, he calls to come, for they were moſt likely to regard it. Vers. 16 And he calls them not to confider, what Sacrifices, how many, how bountiful he offered. Not what he had done to God, but what God had done to him.
2. And this was that God had done for him. I cryed unto him with my mouth, and extoll'd him with my tongue, and God heard me, and attended to the voice of my prayer, verſ. 17, 19.
3. Yea, but then he would have notice taken, what kind of perſon he was, when he cryed, and prayed. No impious perſon, no impenitent ſinner; conſcious enough of infirmities, but no way indulgent to his ſin. For if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. God hears not ſinners.
5. The fifth part. A Doxology.Laſtly, He cloſeth the Pſalm with a Doxology, bleſſing God, that out of mercy, not of any merit, he would hear and grant his requeſts. Bleſſed be God, which hath not turn'd away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
The Thankſgiving and Prayer out of the ſixty ſixth Pſalm.
O All ye that dwell in the earth, Vers. 1 make a joyful noiſe unto God, ſet a Pſalm to the honour of his name, obſcure not his glory, darken not his honour, but in a glorious and magnificent faſhion make it known, that praiſe and honour are his due. Say even before God, O Lord, how wonderful and admirable are thy wayes, and thy works paſt finding out? how terrible are thy doings, even among thy very enemies? ſo that not only they which love and ſerve thée with an honeſt heart, ſhall ſubmit unto thée, but even thoſe whom thou haſt conquered by thy power, and ſubdued by thy mighty arm. Thoſe willingly, theſe againſt their wills, ſhall adore, and worſhip, and ſing praiſe to thy name, which is great, wonderful, and holy.
But O the ſtupidity of men! O the dullneſs of our wits! God does terrible things, but they are not regarded; his works are wonderful, but they are not conſidered. Come then and ſée the works of God, and confeſſed it muſt be, that he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men. Who was it that turn'd the red Sea into dry land? was it not thée, O Lord? Who made Jordan to ſtand on a heap, till thy people went through the flood on foot? was it not thy power? Even we, we that were not then born, will rejoyce for it, being aſſured, that thou which didſt theſe wonders for them, wilt do even mighty things for us alſo, in them we were delivered, we were ſaved. In him, I ſay, did they rejoice, and in him will we rejoice, ſince it is the ſame God that rules by his power for ever, the ſame God whoſe eyes of providence beholds all Nations, conſerving Crowns, diſpoſing Scepters, and upholding Cities and civil Societies; in a word, the ſame God that brings down the rebellious, though they exalt themſelves, and ſet their neſts above the clouds.
O God of our ſalvation, thou haſt of late ſhew'd thy people heavy things; Vers. 10 proved us thou haſt by many tribulations, tryed us by a fiery affliction, even as ſilver is melted and tryed in the fire, till it be purified and refined from the droſs, but not conſumed. Thou haſt permitted us to be brought into captivity and ſlavery: Our enemies have encloſed us as with a Net, out of which we had no hope to eſcape, upon our loyns they have laid heavy loads, as if we were no better than beaſts of burden. They have ſet their feet upon our necks, and inſulted and rode over our heads. So many have been our calamities, ſo many our preſſures, that we ſeem'd as men burning in a fiery furnace, or compaſſed round with a vaſt deluge of waters.
And yet, O Lord, we were not conſumed, thou, even thou haſt upheld our ſoul in life, and not ſuffered us for any affliction to fall from thee; preſſed we were, but not oppreſſed; ſing'd, but not burnt; tempted, but not overcome; in mercy thou haſt not ſuffered our feet to ſlip. And to endear and crown this thy mercy the more unto us, after all this trial and trouble, thou haſt brought us into a moiſt, fertile, and wealthy place, where for ſorrow we ſhall have joy, for diſcomfort refreſhment, for barrenneſs fertility, for want plenty; in a word, for our troubles reſt and felicity. Now for this wonderful and unexpected viciſſitude, O bleſs our God ye people, and make the voice of his praiſe to be heard.
This thy goodneſs, O Lord, ſhall never be written in ſand, nor laid up in an ungrateful heart, for this I will go into thy houſe, and fall low before thy foot-ſtool, and offer unto thee a Sacrifice of praiſe, which is better than all burnt-offerings; I will pay thee there thoſe vowed thankſgivings, which my lips have clearly uttered, and my mouth hath diſtinctly ſpoken when I was in trouble. Cheerfully and willingly I will offer unto thee, as a Holocauſt upon the Altar of a penitent heart, the whole man, body, and ſoul, to be a living, holy, and acceptable Sacrifice unto thee.
And indeed I ſhould be very ungrateful, ſhould I offer leſs, for, Come you hither all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my ſoul. In my great diſtreſs and ſorrow of heart I cryed aloud to him for help with my mouth, and as I cryed, my tongue exalted and extolled him, as him alone that was able, and I expected to deliver me, and becauſe I call'd unto him with a clean and ſincere heart, he graciouſly hea… me, and gave attention to my prayer. For of this I am aſſured, that had I ſerved him with a double heart, and called upon him with hypocritical lips, that the Lord had not heard me. For obſtinate, malicious, impenitent ſinners he will not hear, nor ſuch as regard iniguity with their heart.
Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, which hath not turn'd away my prayer; not that I am worthy to be heard, not that I can bring any thing of worth, that may encline his ear. It is his ſole mercy, his love, his goodneſs, that I can plead, and out of his mercy he hath heard, and I am aſſured that he will hear thoſe petitions, which I offer unto him in the name of Jeſus Chriſt his Son, my only Lord and Saviour. Amen.