Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 3 · Psalm 89
PSAL. LXXXIX.
IN this Pſalm the Prophet praiſeth God, and ſets forth his goodneſs and faithfulneſs, particularly, that he made an everlaſting Covenant with David and his ſeed. In which the ſtability and perpetuity of Chriſts Kingdom, of which the Kingdom of David was but a Type, is excellently deſcribed and foretold.
The parts of this Pſalm, are theſe.
1. The Sum, Pith, and Argument of the whole Pſalm, viz. the Loving-kindneſs and truth of God, verſ. 1, 2.
2. The particular inſtance of Gods goodneſs and truth in making a Covenant with David, verſ. 3, 4.
3. A Doxology, containing the praiſe of God for his wonders, faithfulneſs, power, providence, juſtice, judgement, mercy, truth, from verſ. 5. to 15.
4. The Happy eſtate of Gods people, from verſ. 15. to 19.
5. A ſpecial example of Gods goodneſs toward his Church, exemplified in David, but truly verified in Chriſt, from verſ. 19. to 28.
6. How Davids poſterity ſhould be dealt with upon their diſobedience, from verſ. 28. to 38.
7. A Complaint, or Expoſtulation upon the contrary events, where he doth deplore the torne eſtate of the Judaical Kingdom, from verſ. 38. to 47.
8. A Petition for mercy and reſtauration, from verſ. 47. to 51.
9. An Epiphonematical concluſion, verſ. 52. bleſſing God for the hope he hath in his favour and help in all eſtates.
1. The Breviary of the Pſalm is ſet down in the firſt verſe, and amplified by the reaſon in the ſecond. The firſt part. The Sum of the Pſalm, Gods Mercies.Thus he begins.
1. I will ſing. Chant, ſet forth in a Song. The fitteſt way to expreſs our joy for any thing: ſo beſt inculcated, ſo beſt remembred, ſo beſt deliver'd to others to remember. Vers. 1
2. Of which David will ſing.Of the mercies, plurally, for they are many. And his Song ſhould be of all.
3. For ever. Intentionally, though not actually: for as a wicked man, could he live alwayes, would alwayes ſin: ſo a good man, could he live alwayes, would alwayes ſing the mercies of the Lord. 2. Or if ever be join'd to Mercies, it is his everlaſting Mercies.
4. With my mouth I will make known thy faithfulneſs from generation to generation. With my mouth, while I have a being, I will make known; and when I have no being, I will commit them to writing, Ut ſciat haec aetas, poſteritaſ que legat.
His reaſon for it, is, becauſe Gods mercy is everlaſting, Becauſe his mercy is everlaſting.and therefore fit to be the ſubject of an everlaſting Song.
1. For I have ſaid. Set down this for a certain poſition, Vers. 2 an undoubted truth.
2. Mercy ſhall be built up for ever. 'Tis not exhauſted in one age, but as a houſe built on a ſtrong foundation, it ſhall ſtand firm, and be perceiv'd age after age.
3. Thy faithfulneſs ſhalt thou eſtabliſh in the very heavens. As is thy mercy, ſo is thy faithfulneſs, perpetual, as the heavens, in which is found no change.
2. And for the proof of Gods goodneſs and truth, The ſecond part. The inſtance, the Covenant.he produceth an inſtance in his Covenant made with David: Where, by a Proſopopeia, he brings in God ſpeaking.
1. I have made a Covenant with my choſen. It was not Merit then, Vers. 3 it was free Election.
2. I have ſworne. Faelices nos, quorum cauſâ Deus jurat. To David my ſervant. And the Covenant and Oath is extant, 2 Sam. 7.11.
3. And the tenour of the Covenant, is, Thy ſeed will I eſtabliſh for ever, and build up thy Throne to all generations. Thy ſeed, ſignally, which is true of Chriſt only, who was of the ſeed of David, to whom the Lord gave the Throne of his father David, Luke 1.32, 33.who was to reign over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there ſhall be no end. The words then are not to be underſtood of Davids temporal Kingdom, but of the ſeed of David; that is, Chriſts ſpiritual Kingdom, for that was to be eſtabliſhed for ever.
3. And now what the Prophet undertook in the firſt verſe, he performs; The third part. Of this all good men will ſing.for at the fifth verſe his Doxology begins. The perſon is only chang'd; and that to advantage. For there he ſpoke of himſelf, I will ſing. Here he ſaith it ſhall be done by others, The heavens ſhall praiſe. Vers. 5
1. Some, by the heavens, underſtand the Church, and the Preachers in the Church.Heavens, Angels.
2. Others, the Angels, and bleſsed ſpirits in heaven. Both are true, and of both it may be well affirm'd. O Lord, the heavens ſhall praiſe thy wondrous works. Thy faithfulneſs alſo in the Congregation of Saints.
2. The Subject of the Heavens, and the Angels, and Saints praiſe, are,The Subject of their Song.
1. Gods wondrous works, and his Truth. In general, Vers. 5 all his miracles, but in particular, this wondrous work: viz. his making a Covenant with David, in taking an Oath to perform it, 1His Works, his Truth.and his faithfulneſs in keeping it. For it is a wonder, that ſo great a Majeſty ſhould ſo far condeſcend.
And now he ſings praiſe to this Majeſty, ſetting forth the power of it, 2His Majeſty, to whom none to be compared,and that in three reſpects.
1.
By way of compariſon, in the 6, 7, 8, verſes, viz. That there is nor Angel in heaven, nor Monarch in earth his Peere. For who in the heaven can be compared to thee, O Lord? Vers. 6 who among the ſons of the Mighty, i.e. Celeſtial Spirits, can be likened to the Lord?
Which is ſo true, that the very Angels fear and reverence his Majeſty, and ought to do it. Vers. 7 God is greatly to be feared in the aſſembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
And becauſe this ſhould be alwayes fix'd in our memory, he comes over it again, Vers. 8 verſ. 8. O Lord God of hoſts, who is ſtrong like unto thee? or to thy faithfulneſs round about thee?
2. 2No ſuch Agent or Governor.By his Agency in governing the world, as for example, Firſt, The Sea.
1. Thou ruleſt the raging of the Sea, when the waves thereof ariſe, thou ſtilleſt them. Thou brokeſt Rahab, i. e. the Egyptian Pharaoh in pieces, as one that is ſlain. Thou haſt ſcatter'd thine enemies with a ſtrong arm, viz. in the Red Sea.
2. Heaven and earth. The heavens are thine, the earth alſo is thine.
3.3No Creator, but he alone.
By his Creation of all things. As for the world and fulneſs thereof, thou haſt founded it. The North and South, thou haſt created them. Tabor and Hermon, i. e. Eaſt and Weſt ſhall rejoice in thy name.
And then he concludes this part of the Majeſty and Power of God, with this Epiphonema. Thou haſt a mighty arm, ſtrong is thy hand, and high is thy right-hand.
2. 2The Subject of their praiſe, is alſo his Attributes.The other part of the praiſe, which both the Prophet and the Angels ſing to Gods honour, is taken from his Attributes ſumm'd up in the 14. verſe. Juſtice and judgement are the habitation of his throne, mercy and truth ſhall go before his face. He preſents God as a great King ſitting in his Throne; 1. The Baſis of which is Juſtice and Judgement. 2. The Attendants, Mercy and Truth.
1. Juſtice, which defends his Subjects, and does every one right.
2. Judgement, which reſtrains Rebels, and keeps off injuries.
3. Mercy, which ſhews compaſſion, pardons, ſupports the weak.
4. Truth, that performs whatſoever he promiſeth.
4. The fourth part.And in regard that God is powerful, juſt, merciful, faithful, he takes an occaſion to ſet out the happy condition of Gods people, that live under this King.
Bleſsed are the people, In which rejoicing, his people are happy divers wayes.that know the joyful Sound: do know that God is preſent with them, and his Kingly Majeſty is at hand to protect them. The phraſe is taken from Moſes. For the Law was given by ſound of Trumpet. The calling of the Feaſts, by ſound of Trumpet. At that ſound they removed. At that ſound they aſſembled. Balaam ſaid, Clangor Regis, The ſound of a King is among them. Happy then are the people, that know the joyful ſound, God preſent, their King ſpeaking, ruling, defending, pardoning them.
That they are Happy, the effects do evince: which are,
1. They ſhall walk in the light of thy countenance, i. e. Though beſet with troubles, yet they ſhall walk confidently, being aſſured of Gods favour.
2. In thy name ſhall they rejoice all the day long. Their joy is firm.
3. In thy righteouſneſs ſhall they be exalted. They ſhall get a name, ſtrength. In their Union and Communion with God they ſhall be happy.
Confident then, joyful, and ſtrong they are in all temptations, which yet they have not from themſelves. All is from God, For
Thou art the glory of their ſtrength, and in thy favour our horn ſhall be exalted. Vers. 17
For the Lord is our defence, the Holy One of Iſrael is our King.
5. The Doxology being now ended, The fifth part. The Prophet enlarges himſelf on the Covenant made with David.and the happineſs of Gods people expreſſed and proved, the Prophet now enlarges himſelf upon the Covenant formerly mentioned, verſ. 4, & 5. exemplified in David, but truly verified in Chriſt. Which he continues to the 30: verſ.
1. Then, i. e. when David was choſen to be King, and inveſted with the Regal Robe. Vers. 19
2. Thou spakeſt in Ʋiſion to thy Holy One. To Samuel for his anointing. And ſaidſt.
3. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one choſen out of the people. That is, David in Type, but Chriſt in the Antitype. So explain'd, I have found David my ſervant, with my holy Oyle have I anointed him.
To which there follows the promiſes made to him.
The particulars of it.1. For his eſtabliſhment and confirmation in the Throne. With whom my hand ſhall be eſtabliſhed, mine arm alſo ſhall ſtrengthen him.
2. For protection againſt his enemies. The enemy ſhall not exact upon him, nor the ſon of wickedneſs afflict him.
3. A Conqueſt over his enemies. And will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
4. And that there be no doubt of the performance of theſe ample promiſes, nor yet thoſe that follow, the Prophet interſerts the cauſe, viz. The Faithfulneſs and Mercy of God. In Mercy he ſaid it, and it ſhould ſo come to paſs. But my Faithfulneſs and Mercy ſhall be with him. And now he goes on.
5. His Horn ſhall be exalted. He ſhall have, as it were, the ſtrength of an Unicorn.
And this his exaltation appears,
1. In the dilatation of his Empire. I will ſet his hand alſo in the Sea, and his right hand in the rivers, i. e. From the Sea to Euphrates, 2 Sam. 8.
2. In the Honour done him, to call God, Father, his God, his Rock. He ſhall call me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my ſalvation.
3. Then that God aſſerts and fixes this Prerogative upon him, acknowledging him to be his Son: his firſt-born Son: Alſo I will make him my firſt-born, higher than the Kings of the earth.
4. In the perpetuity of his Kingdom, which is rightly attributed to Gods mercy: as verſ. 25. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him.
5. In the promiſe made to his ſeed. His ſeed alſo will I make to endure for ev er, and his Throne as the dayes of heaven.
6. And next the Prophet puts a Caſe, and anſwers it. The ſixth part. Object. But what if Davids ſeed prove rebellious?But what if Davids ſeed tranſgreſs Gods Covenant, break his Laws, violate his Statutes, become rebels, and diſobedient, will God then keep Covenant with them? ſhall his ſeed endure for ever? and his Throne as the dayes of heaven? To this doubt God anſwers, from verſ. 30. to 38. ſhewing us how Davids ſeed, if they tranſgreſs, ſhall be dealt with.
1. If his children forſake my Law. That is, my whole doctrine of Worſhip, Religion, Faith, &c.
2. And walk not in my judgements, i. e. in thoſe Laws, which ſet out rewards and puniſhments.
3. If they break my Statutes. Thoſe Statutes I have ſet down for my ſervice, the Rites, Ceremonies, New Moons, Sabbaths, Sacrifice, Circumciſion, Paſch, &c.
4. Vers. 31 And keep not my Commandments, i. e. The Decalogue, and Moral Law. In a word, if they become vitious in their Morals, and profane, and Rebels in my Worſhip, and Religion.
This then ſhall happen unto them, Reſp. They ſhall ſmart for it.eſcape they ſhall not, but ſhall ſoundly ſmart for it, they ſhall feel, 1. Ʋirgam. 2. And Verbera. The Rod, the Whip. Then
1. I will viſit, i. e. puniſh their tranſgreſſion with the Rod.
2. And their iniquity with stripes. Which was often done. By the Babylon: Antiochus, &c.
And yet in judgement I will remember mercy. But in judgement God will remember mercy.I will remember my Covenant, my Promiſe, my Word, my Oath, and will make that good, totally I will not caſt off Davids ſeed, which I mean not after the fleſh, for that is long ſince caſt off, but after the Spirit. Christ which was of the ſeed of David, and thoſe which are his ſeed, viz. the Church, ſhall enjoy the benefit of my Covenant and Oath for ever.
Nevertheleſs my loving-kindneſs will I not utterly take from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail.
My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing gone out of my lips.
And that there be no doubt of this, For the Covenant is immutable.he brings in God repeating his Oath and Covenant.
1. His Oath. Once have I ſworn by my holineſs; that is, by my ſelf, who am Holy.
2. His Covenant. That I will not lye unto David. For
His ſeed ſhall endure for ever, and his Throne as the Sun before me.
It ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witneſs in heaven.
As the Sun and Moon are not obnoxious to mutations, no more is this Covenant; they muſt endure to the end of the world, and ſo muſt this Covenant. They are faithful Witneſſes in heaven, and ſo we are to ſeek for the performance of this Covenant in heaven, not in earth, the Covenant being about a heavenly Kingdom, not an earthly. It being evident, that the Kingdom of David on earth, hath failed many ages ſince. But that of Chriſt ſhall never fail.
7. The ſeventh part. And that God did puniſh Davids ſeed for their rebellion, is evident. So that he was tempted to charge God for breach of promiſe.Now that Davids Kingdom did fail, or at leaſt was brought to a low ebb, is the complaint in the following words, which fleſh and blood conſidering, gave a wrong judgement upon it, as if God did nothing leſs than perform his Oath and Covenant. This is it which the Prophet layes to Gods charge.
But thou haſt caſt off, and abhorred, thou haſt been wroth with thy anointed: Both King and people are caſt aſide. Than which nothing ſeems more contrary to thy Covenant.
Thou hast made void the Covenant of thy ſervant, thou hast profaned his Crown.
Of which there be many lamentable conſequences.
1. His Crown is caſt to the ground. The glory of his Kingdom trampled upon.
2. The inſtances in which they ſuffered.His hedges broken down, his ſtrong holds brought to ruine.
3. All that paſs by the way, ſpoile him. Expoſed he is to all Rapine and Plunder.
4. He is a reproach to his neighbours. Expoſed to all contumely and diſgrace.
5. Thou, haſt ſet up the right-hand of his enemies, and made all his adverſaries to rejoice. Thou ſeemeſt to take part with the enemy againſt him, and makeſt him exult and rejoice in oppreſſing him.
6. Thou haſt alſo turn'd the edge of his ſword, blunted his ſword, that was wont to ſlay, and haſt not made him to ſtand in the battle, but to fly, and turn his back. Vers. 44
7. Thou hast made his glory: The glory, dignity, authority of his Kingdom, to ceaſe, and caſt his Crown to the ground.
8. The dayes of his youth thou haſt ſhortned, cut him off in the prime and ſtrength of his years. Thou haſt covered him with ſhame, made his opulent, glorious Kingdom, ignominious; which was true in divers of Davids poſterity, eſpecially Jehoiakim.
Theſe were the ſad complaints, which the Prophet poures out, as deſpairing, ſo far as ſenſe and reaſon could direct him of the performance of what God had promiſed.But he recovers, and prayes. The eighth part.
But he quickly recovers, and recalls his thoughts, and that he may move God to help, he falls to prayer, which is very pathetical.
8. He conſiders the nature of God, as kind, loving, merciful, ſlow to anger, and asks,
1. Uſ que quo? How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy ſelf, for ever? Hide thy favour?
2. Shall thy wrath burn like fire? An element that hath no mercy.Pathetically moves God to pity.
Then he uſeth other Arguments pathetically expreſſed to move God to pity.
1. Drawn from the brevity of mans life. Remember how ſhort my time is.Upon divers Arguments.
2. From the end that man was created, not in vain, but to be an object of Gods goodneſs and favour, which if he enjoins not, he ſhall ſeem to be born to no purpoſe, therefore he asks, Wherefore haſt thou made all men in vain?
3. From the weakneſs and diſability of man. His life is ſhort: and can he lengthen it? What man is he that liveth, and ſhall not ſee death? Yea, though he live long, yet he is a mortal creature. Shall he deliver his ſoul from the grave?
4. From the Covenant, of which he puts God in mind. Lord, where are thy former loving-kindneſſes, which thou ſwareſt to David in thy Truth?
5. From the ignominy, ſcorns, ſarcaſms by enemies caſt upon them, which he deſires God to look upon.
1. Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy ſervant.
2. And how I do bear in my boſome, not ſpoken afar off, but in my hearing, and to my face, as if poured and emptyed into my boſome, the rebukes, not of this, or that man, but many people.
6. And laſtly, That theſe reproaches, in effect, fall upon God. For they, who reproach Gods Servants, are his enemies. Remember the reproaches
1. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord.
2. Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed, i. e. Either whatſoever he ſayes or does, Quocun que ſe vertat. 2. Or elſe by footſteps, is to be underſtood the latter end of Davids Kingdom, which was indeed ſubject to reproach. 3. But the Chaldee Paraphraſt, by footſteps, underſtands the coming of the Meſſiah in the fleſh, which becauſe it was long promiſed, and men ſaw not performed, they derided, mocked at, and reproached as vain.
9. The cloſe of this long Pſalm is a Benedictus, by which the Prophet, The laſt part. The Doxology.after his Combate with Fleſh and Blood, about the performance of the Covenant, doth compoſe his troubled ſoul, and acquieſce in God, bleſſing him for whatſoever falls out, no otherwiſe than Job did, breaking forth into this Epiphonema.
1. Vers. 52 Bleſſed be the Lord for evermore. Bleſſed be his Name, who doth, and orders all things for the beſt to his people, although in the midſt of calamities and troubles, he ſeems to deſert them.
2. And that we may know that he did this from his heart, he ſeals it with a double Amen. Amen, Amen. So I wiſh, ſo be it.
The Prayer collected out of the eighty ninth Pſalm.
O God, the Habitation of whoſe Throne is juſtice and equity, and before whoſe face Mercy and Truth are perpetual attendants, we unworthy wretches, yet thy Servants, do beſeech thee, that the effects of theſe thy attributes may be evidently ſéen, in the gathering, féeding, amplifying, protecting, Vers. 1 and preſerving thy Catholique Church. So ſhall we ſing of thy mercies for ever, and with our mouths will we make known thy faithfulneſs to all generations.
Out of mercy thou haſt béen moved to make a Covenant with thy elect, that thou ſet thy Son upon the Throne of his father David, and thou haſt eſtabliſhed with an Oath his ſeed, and built up his Kingdom to all generations. He is that mighty one on whom thou haſt laid help: He is that thy choſen, whom thou haſt exalted. Thou art his Father, and he is thy firſtborn. Let then thy hand eſtabliſh him, with thy arm ſtrengthen him. Exalt the Throne of him, whom thou haſt anointed with thy Holy Oyle, and make him higher than the Kings of the earth. Make his ſeed to endure for ever, and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven. Suffer not the enemy to exact upon him, not the ſon of wickedneſs to afflict him.
Of this his ſéed, this Kingdom, in which we live, is a principal part, and our King a principal member. Vers. 38 But now thou haſt caſt off and abhorred, thou haſt been wroth with thine Anointed. Thou haſt ſeemed to make void the Covenant which thou haſt made with thy Servant: Thou haſt proſtituted his Diadem, as if it were a profane thing, and caſt his Crown and Royal dignity to the ground, and ſuffered it to be trampled upon by the feet of ſcorners. Thou haſt broken down his Forts, and brought to ruine his ſtrong holds; Thoſe fortifications, which under thy protection, were wont to be a ſafe-guard from the enemy, are ſurprized, demoliſhed, and razed. So that every one that paſſeth by, hath an opportunity to break into thy Vineyard, and riot among the Vines, every one liberty to fill his hand with ſpoile and rapine. His adverſaries are many, and thou haſt ſet up the power of their right-hand againſt him: His enemies are mighty, and thou haſt given them occaſion, from their victories over him, to rejoice. Rejoice and triumph they do, that thou haſt blunted the edge of his ſword, and haſt not given him victory in the battail. It is their glory, that thou-haſt made his glory to ceaſe, and caſt his Throne down to the ground. Theſe Tyrants boaſt, theſe ſons of Belial exult, that thou haſt ſhortned the dayes of his youth, and covered him with diſhonour.
How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy ſelf? ſhall thy wrath burn like fire for ever? We doubt not of thy power, in thy mercy we hope, Merciful God then, raiſe up thy power, and come amongſt us. O Lord God of hoſts, who is a ſtrong Lord like unto thee? or who among the ſons of the mighty, can be compared with thee? Thou ſtilleſt the raging of the Sea, when the waves thereof ariſe. Thou haſt overthrown that proud King of Egypt, Pharaoh, and deſtroyed many other thine enemies with a ſtrong arm. Strong is thy hand, and high is thy right-hand.
Shew then thy ſtrength in our weakneſs, ariſe like a gyant refreſhed with Wine, and ſmite thine enemies in the hinder parts, that their violence prevail no longer againſt us, that they execute not their whole fury and hatred upon us.
To thée, we, who are men but of a ſhort time, call to for life. To thée, Vers. 47 we, who now live, but muſt ſhortly ſée death, earneſtly cry to deliver our ſouls from the grave. Haſt thou made us for naught? haſt thou made all men in vain? ſhall we draw out our ſhort dayes in perpetual miſeries?
Thou art our Father, we are elected to be thy Sons, let then thy faithfulneſs and thy mercy be with us. Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy ſervants, and how we do bear in our boſomes the rebukes of a profane people. Remember, that this reproach is caſt upon thy name, and the footſteps and long-ſuffering of thine Anointed, is thereby ſlandered. Remember, Lord, thy former loving-kindneſs, which thou ſwareſt to the ſeed of David in thy Truth.
Confeſs we do to our own ſhame, that we have forſaken thy Law, and have not walkt in thy Iudgements; that we have broken thy Statutes, and not kept thy Commandments, and therefore we are content, murmur not, that thou viſit our tranſgreſſions with the Rod, and our iniquities with ſtripes; but this is it we beg of thée, that thou wouldſt not utterly take from us thy loving-kindneſs, nor ſuffer thy Truth to fail. Break not thy Covenant, nor alter the thing that is gone out of thy lips. If the irreverſible decrée be not paſt, which we hope is not, againſt this our Church, yet let it ſtand for ever, as the Sun and Moon thoſe faithful Witneſſes in heaven with the Catholique, and never let the gates of hell prevail againſt it.
We know and believe, that thou art a merciful God, long-ſuffering, and of great goodneſs, and therefore in all things we ſuffer, ready we are to ſay with thy ſervant Job, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, Bleſſed be Jehovah. Amen, Amen.
The end of the third book of the Pſalms according to the Hebrews.