Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 · Psalm 94
PSAL. CXIV. foreign.
IN this Pſalm our Prophet prayes, complains, inveighs againſt wicked men, Oppreſſors of the innocent; reproves their Atheiſm, and informs them of Gods Omniſcience: Comforts the godly, and encourages the juſt to put their truſt in God; aſſuring them that God will reward the wicked, and defend the righteous. In this Pſalm then,
The parts are,
1. A Petition for vengeance upon the wicked, verſ. 1, 2.
2. A pitiful complaint, with the cauſes of it, which were two.
1. The delay of Gods judgements on them, verſ. 3, 4.
2. Their inſolence, oppreſſion of the poor, blaſphemy againſt God, to 7.
3. A ſharp reprehenſion of their blaſphemy and Atheiſm, and the refutation of it, from verſ. 8. to 12.
4. A conſolation to all good men, that God will reward the wicked, and defend the righteous, from verſ. 12. to the end. Which is confirmed
1. From Gods faithfulneſs, who hath promiſed, and will perform it, verſ. 14.
2. From Davids own experience, from verſ. 16. to 20.
3. From Gods hatred of injuſtice, tyranny, oppreſſion, verſ. 20, 21.
1. Which will cauſe him to be a Rock and defence to his people, verſ. 22.
2. A ſevere Revenger to the Oppreſſors, verſ. 23.
1. He begins with a Petition, The firſt part. He petitions for vengeance on the wicked.that God would take vengeance of the Oppreſſors of his people, which that he might the eaſier perſwade, he makes choice of an Attribute, and to ſhew the ardour of his prayer, ingeminates it, which is peculiar to God, for mihi vindicta, ego retribuam. O Lord God, Vers. 1 to whom vengeance belongs, to whom vengeance belongs: As if he had ſaid, Thou art the moſt powerful Lord, a God of power and juſtice, and haſt vengeance into thy own hand. Therefore now
1. Shew thy ſelf, appear, ſhine forth, evidently and apparently ſhew thy juſtice, verſ. 1.
2. Lift up thy ſelf, thou Judge of the earth: Do thy Office of Judicature, Vers. 2 aſcend thy Throne, and Tribunal, as Judges uſe to do, when they give judgement.
3. Render a reward to the proud. For the proud humble not themſelves to thee, they repent not, pronounce therefore the ſentence of condemnation againſt them.
2. And now the Prophet begins to Complain, The ſecond part. He complains that it is delayed: by whichthat by the delay of Gods vengeance, wicked men were hardned in their impiety, and gloryed in their villany.
1. How long? how long? This thy forbearance ſeems tedious to us, eſpecially ſince the wicked grow worſe and worſe by it, and inſult over us the more.
2. For they triumph of their ſtrength, they glory in their proſperity, Vers. 3 and in their wickedneſs.The wicked are encouraged in miſchief.
3. They utter and ſpeak hard things, boldly, raſhly, Vers. 4 proudly they threaten ruine to thy Church, they breath nothing but blood, and everſion of Kingdoms, and Cities, freely, and without fear they talk of nothing elſe, but what they have done, and what they will do.
4. They are workers of iniquity, and they boast themſelves. 'Tis not ſufficient for them to do ill, but they boaſt of it. Of their ſtrength they boaſt, of their power they boaſt, of their ſucceſs they boaſt, as if nothing were able to withſtand their counſel, their ſword, their wiſdom.Eſpecially to inſult over, and oppreſs the Church and poor.
Now to what end do they make uſe of all theſe? (for of that I muſt complain alſo) the conſequence is lamentable, the event ſad, the effects are lamentable, for in their fury and injuſtice,
1. Vers. 5 They break in pieces thy people, O Lord. The people elect, ſeperate, dedicated to thee.
2. They afflict thine heritage. The people, that thou haſt choſen for thy poſſeſſion.
3. Vers. 6 They ſlay the widow, deſtitute of the comfort of an Husband. 2. And the stranger, a man far from his Friends and Countrey. 3. And murder the fatherleſs, all which thou haſt taken into thy protection, and commanded that they be not wrong'd, Exod. 22. Deut. 24. Yet ſuch is their fury, that they ſpare not Sex, nor age, nor any condition of men.
Nay, And to blaſpheme God himſelf.it were yet tolerable, if their rage would ſtay here, it were but againſt Man, but they add one wickedneſs to another; to their injuſtice and cruelty, they add impiety, and blaſphemy. And of that I complain next.
Yet they ſay, Vers. 7 The Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it. That he nor hears, nor ſees, nor regards what they do.What tell you us of the Lord, what do you talk to us of the God of Jacob, that God of revenge, tuſh, he hath nor eyes, nor eares, or if he hath, he is far removed, and cares not for theſe things below, he ſhall nor ſee, nor hear, nor underſtand, nor conſider, nor examine, what we do in this world. This is their impiety, this their b aſphemy. This the true cauſe of all their injuſtice, tyranny, cruelty, oppreſſion.
Now our Prophet ſets himſelf ſeriouſly to reprehend and confute this; The third part. Whom David reprehends for their Atheiſm, confutes, and derides.By an Apoſtrophe he turns to them, and calls them fools, and proves by a manifeſt Argument, that they are fools, demonſtrating that God is nor deaf, nor blind, as they preſumed and conceived, from the cauſe to the effect: and urgeth them Emphatically foreign.
1. Vers. 8 Ʋnderſtand, ye bruitiſh among the people. Oh ye fools, when will ye be wiſe? Shews that God 1. Underſtands.what will you be bruitiſh alwayes? will you never have common ſenſe in your heads?
2. Verſ. 9 He planted the ear, cauſed you to hear, and ſhall not he then hear?2Hears.
3. 3Sees.He formed the eye with all the tunicles, and put into it a viſive faculty, by which you ſee, and ſhall not he ſee? Nil dat quod non habet. To ſay the contrary, is as if you ſhould affirm, the fountain that ſends forth the ſtream, had no water in it, or the Sun that enlightens the world, had no light, or the fire that warms, had no heat. Are theſe affirmations fit for wiſe men? Neither is it, that the God of Jacob doth nor hear, nor ſee.
Farther yet. Vers. 10 4. He chastiſeth the heathen, as Sodom, Gomorrah, &c. 4Chaſtiſeth.or he chaſtiſes them by the checks of their own conſcience, the Syndereſis being ſet in their ſouls to that purpoſe, their thoughts accuſing them, or excuſing; and ſhall not he then correct you, who go under the name of his people? and yet ſo impiouſly blaſpheme?
5. 5Knows the vain thoughts of man.He that teacheth man knowledge, hath endued him with a reaſonable ſoul, and made him capable of all Arts and Sciences, is he ſtupid? is he without underſtanding? Shall not he know? Nay, nay, ſay or think what you will, it is not ſo; ſo far he is from being deaf, that he cannot hear your words, or blind, that he cannot ſee your actions, that he looks into your hearts, and knows your thoughts, counſels, and judgeth them all vain. Vers. 11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but vanity. With which foreign he concludes his reprehenſion.
4. And ſo from them, he comes to the Good man, The fourth part. David ſhews the happinneſs of good men, who are Bleſſed.and ſhews his happineſs, whom he labours to comfort in his extremities, whom he pronounceth Bleſſed. Bleſſed is the man; and his bleſſing lies in theſe things.
1. In his ſufferings; becauſe when he is puniſhed, he is but chaſtiſed, and his chaſtiſements are from the Lord. Bleſſed is the man, whom thou chaſteneſt. Vers. 12
2. In his teaching; that when he is chaſtiſed, 1In his ſufferings, in that taught thereby Obedience.he is but taught obedience to the Law of God, taught by book, taught out of thy Law, which becauſe he hath not well kept, therefore he is whipt, and by it taught to heed it, to love it, to affect the obſervation better hereafter.
3. In conſideration of the end; that he ſret not, Vers. 13 but bear more moderately the inſultations, and injuries of the wicked, for the end, And patience, in regard of the end.why God chaſtiſeth, and teacheth thee out of his Law, is, That he may give thee reſt, a quiet and even ſoul from the dayes of adverſity, and that thou ſhouldſt expect with patience, Domc., ſo long, till the pit be digged up for the ungodly. Such a day there is, and the day will come, Hell as ready to receive the ſinner, as a Grave digged up for a dead body: Expect it therefore with a quiet mind. Vers. 14
4. And the reaſon is, That though God for a time ſeem to be angry, Of which the 1. Confirmation is from Gods faithfulneſs and equity.and ſuffer his people to be afflicted, yet he will not utterly neglect, and forſake them. For the Lord will not caſt off his people, neither will he forſake his inheritance.
5. A day of judgement, and execution of juſtice, ſhall come, when judgement ſhall return unto righteouſneſs. Vers. 15 When the Church is in affliction, theſe two ſeem to be ſeperated and divorced, but they ſhall meet again, and kiſs each other. The juſtice of God which ſeems to be only potential and habitual, and, as it were, aſleep, while his choſen do ſuffer, and wicked men oppreſs them, ſhall then be apparent, and actual; ſo that the juſtice of God in the defence and deliverance of his Church, and the judgement of God in the condemnation of the wicked, ſhall be conſpicuous. 2. In which the juſt ſhall ſo fully acquieſce, that all thoſe who are upright in heart, ſhall follow it. Applaud, acknowledge it.
A ſecond confirmation of the comfort he gave to the Church in affliction, 2Confirm'd by his own example. Object.is fetcht from his own experience, from the 16. to the 20. verſe.
Object. Yea, but this time of judgement may be long, in the mean while, 'tis neceſſary to have ſome helper and help againſt the perſecutions and injuries of cruel men. Who will ariſe for me, Vers. 16 and labour to protect me in ſo great a concourſe of devils, or miſchievous men? who will ſtand up for me, and defend me againſt the workers of iniquity?
Resp. Even he that then ſtood up for me. No man, but God alone, Resp.Vers. 17 he did it, and unleſs the Lord had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence. I had been inter ſilentes, laid in the grave among the dead, ſaith David, verſ. 17.
2. If I ſaid, and complain'd to him, that I was in any danger, Vers. 18 My foot ſlips, I was tempted, and ready to fall, Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up, in mercy he lent me his hand, and ſuſtained me.
3. Vers. 19 In the multitude of the thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoul.
1. The thoughts within me, were ſorrows of heart, and many they were, occaſioned from within, from without, a multitude of them: and yet I did not only patiently undergo them, but found comfort in them.
2. Thy comforts delight my ſoul, as were the troubles in the fleſh, ſo were comforts in my ſoul, which did mitigate the ſorrow of my heart, which did ariſe from that which grieved the outward man; ſo that the ſad thoughts of my heart were turned into matter of joy, 2 Cor. 7.4. I am fill'd with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Can then the ſorrowful thoughts of the heart? The prolepſis.can tribulations and afflictions delight any ſoul? Yes, they may the ſoul of a pious and righteous man, while he conſiders, That
1. Apodoſis, ſhewing the true uſe and end of afflictions.Either by them he is purged from the impurity of ſin, that cleaves ſo cloſe to him.
2. Or that he is by them proved and tryed by God, whether he will cleave faſt to him.
3. Or that God doth this to make him conformable in his ſufferings, to his head Chriſt Jeſus.
4. Or that, his reward in heaven for his patience, ſhall be the greater. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. In the multitude of the greateſt ſorrows, theſe are Gods comforts, and they may delight a ſoul.
3. 3Confirm'd from the nature of God, that will revenge injuſtice.His third Reaſon to comfort the Church in affliction, is drawn from the Nature of God, to whom all iniquity, eſpecially committed by thoſe in the ſeats of juſtice, is hateful, of which becauſe thoſe, who are in high places are moſt guilty, for they moſt oppreſs his people, therefore he will be ſure to take the ſevereſt revenge on them. And with this alſo he comforts the people of God under the Croſs.
1. Vers. 20 Shall the Throne of iniquity have fellowſhip with thee? Thou art a juſt God, Eſpecially in Magiſtrates: who hope to bear it out, 1. By their Throne. 2. By wicked Laws.and wilt thou have any thing to do, any ſociety with thoſe that ſit upon Thrones, and Seats of juſtice, and execute injuſtice? which they hope to bear out by their power.
2. Which frame miſchief by a Law? i. e. Frame wicked Laws, or under the colour of Law and Juſtice, oppreſs the innocent? Summum jus, ſumma injuria, and injuries may and are too often done ex pravâ interpretatione legis. With thoſe who do injuſtice by the ſword of juſtice, God will have no fellowſhip.
3. Vers. 21 And yet there is a third pretence of wicked men to colour their proceedings againſt innocent men. 3By their Council.The firſt was their Throne. 2. The ſecond was the Law. And the third is their Council, and conſultations in them. Theſe they call to that end. Coeunt turmatim. Jagheddu, Congregabuntur, Convenient. They meet by Troops as Thieves, they Aſſemble, they Convene in Synods, they gather themſelves together, and that to a moſt wicked end.
1. Againſt the ſoul of the Righteous. foreign. Septuag. To hunt.
2. To Condemne the Innocent Blood. Their Laws are Dracc's Laws.
Now what ſhall the poor Innocent do in ſuch a caſe? From whom God will defend his people.How ſhall he be comforted? Help he muſt expect none from man, from man it cannot come, it muſt come from Heaven, and therefore let him ſay with David, Let my enemies rage as they liſt, Vers. 22 and exerciſe all cruelties toward me, under a pretence of zeal, piety, and legal juſtice.
1. But the Lord is my defence, that their treachery and plots ſhall not hurt me.
2. My God is the Rock of my refuge, on whom my hope ſhall ſafely relie.
3. I am fully aſſured, for I have his Word and his promiſe engaged for it.
1. That he ſhall bring upon them their own iniquity; that is, Vers. 23 that the iniquity of the wicked man, And puniſh them for their injuſtice.ſhall return upon his own head; As thy Sword hath made women childleſs, ſo ſhall thy mother be childleſs among women, ſaith Samuel to Agag, 1 Sam. 15.33. Judges 1.7.
2. And ſhall cut them off in their own wickedneſs, in malitia eorum: not ſo much for their ſin, as the malice of it.
3. Which, for aſſurance of it, he repeats, and explains who it is that ſhall do it. Yea, the Lord our God ſhall cut them off; the Lord, whoſe providence they derided, our God, the God of Jacob, whom they contemned, verſ. 7.
The Prayer collected out of the ninty fourth Pſalm.
O Omnipotent Lord God, Vers. 6 ſtrange and wonderful is the inſolence of wicked men, for they do not only ſlay the widow and ſtranger, and murder the fatherleſs, Vers. 5 but they are come to that height of pride and madneſs, that they break in pieces thy people, and afflict thine heritage; yea, they ſet their mouths againſt heaven, and blaſpheme thee to thy face, Vers. 7 boldly and preſumptuouſly they ſay, The Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it.
O Lord, how long ſhall the wicked, Vers. 3 how long ſhall the wicked thus triumph? How long ſhall they utter and ſpeak hard things? How long ſhall all the workers of iniquity, boaſt themſelves of their power, their ſtrength, Vers. 1 their armies, their ſucceſs, their wiſdom? To thee, O Lord God, Vers. 2 vengeance belongs, to thee vengeance belongs, evidently and apparently ſhew thy juſtice. Lift up thy ſelf, aſcend into thy Throne and Tribunal, O thou Judge of the whole earth, and reward the proud after their deſerving.
Man, I ſee, being advanced to honour, hath no underſtanding, Vers. 8 and without thy Spirit of wiſdom, is to be compared to the beaſts that periſh; for is it elſe poſſible, that a creature endued with reaſon, ſhould become ſo bruitiſh, as to imagine that he that planted the ear, and gave him power to hear, ſhould not hear: Or ſo fooliſh, as to think, that he who framed that admirable Organ of the eye, and placed in it the viſive faculty, ſhould not ſee himſelf? be deaf, and not liſten to what is proudly ſpoke, againſt him? and blind, and not regard what is maliciouſly done againſt his people? Is it conceivable, that any man ſhould be ſo folliſh and ſtupid, as to ſuppoſe, that he, who hath fallen in fury upon many Nations for their ſins; ſhall not correct him for his tranſgreſſions? that he, who hath taught man knowledge, and ſhewed him by his own conſcience, what is good and evil, and by it reproving him when he does amiſs, and by it taking revenge on him a is it poſſible, I ſay, that he ſhould not know, and revenge it? Yet to this Blaſphemy and Atheiſm ſome have arrived.
O Lord, never let any of thine fall into this bruitiſhneſs, far remove from them this folly, make them wiſe to know, that thy ear of jealouſie hears all things, and that thy eyes run through the world, and tryes the children of men, that thou art preſent in all our wayes, ſeeſt our actions, heareſt our words, nay, ſearcheſt into the ſecrets of our hearts, and the depth of our counſels, and that it is but in vain to offend thee, and think to be hid, to attempt to break in pieces thy heritage, and murder the innocent, and think to eſcape. The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Thou, Lord, at this time haſt ſhewed thy people heavy things, thou haſt given us a Cup of deadly wine to drink. Vers. 20 The enemies of thy Truth have ſet themſelves down in the Throne of iniquity, they have framed miſchief by a Law, they have gathered themſelves together, met in Aſſemblies and Synods againſt the ſoul of the Righteous, and have condemned the Innocent blood. Who ſhall now riſe up for us againſt the evil doers? Or who dare ſtand up for us againſt theſe workers of iniquity? At this their proſperity our feet had well nigh ſlipt, at this their oppreſſion the treadings of many were well nigh gone. Nothing can ſupport us but thy mercy, make us truſt to it; nothing can comfort us in our ſorrows, but thy promiſes; In the multitude of the thoughts that we have in our hearts, ſend down thy comforts, that may delight our ſouls.
Make us know, that thou wilt have no fellowſhip, ſociety, or commeres with the Throne of iniquity, that thou art not in the midſt of their Aſſemblies and Councils to bleſs them, nor doeſt approve their miſchief framed by a Law. Vers. 14 Teach us out of thy Law, that the afflictions of the godly are from thee our Father, and a ſeal of our adoption, and therefore, Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſtneſt, Vers. 13 and inſtructeſt with this Rod. Out of thy Law we learn, That God will not caſt off his people, nor forſake his inheritance, O let this quiet our hearts, and ſet them at reſt in theſe dayes of adverſity.
Laught we are again out of thy Law, Vers. 15 That judgement ſhall return unto righteouſneſs, that thy judgements, which now ſeem to ſleep, will at laſt awake, Vers. 13 and in juſtice overtake the murderers of thy people, aſſured we are, that the pit ſhall be digged up for the ungodly; till that be done, let us wait with patience, Vers. 15 and wiſh an upright and ſincere heart acquieſce in thy promiſes, and follow the wayes of thy juſtice, approving thy wiſdom, knowing the time thou chooſeſt is beſt for us.
In the mean time be thou our help, our defence, our rock, or refuge; our help, Vers. 17 when theſe wolves are ready to devoure us; our defence, when they ſtrike at us; Vers. 22 our rock, when they come as the waves of the Sea about us; and our City of refuge, when they purſue us. But as for them, the time is beſt known to thée, and we ſubmit to it, and when that time is come, bring upon them their own iniquity, cut them off in their own malicious wickedneſs; Vers. 23 yea, cut them off, O Lord our God, to thee be praiſe, glory, and honour, now and ever.