Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 · Psalm 96
PSAL. XCVI. foreign.
ALthough this Pſalm was compoſed by David at the bringing back of the Ark, 1 Chr. 16.23.yet with one voyce all Chriſtian Expoſitors acknowledge it a Propheſie of Chriſts Kingdom and Church to be enlarged by the acceſs of all Nations, and of his coming to judgment.
Two parts of the Pſalm.
1. A general Exhortation both to Jewes and Gentiles to praiſe God.
2. A Propheſie of Chriſts Kingdom, deſcribed by the Greatneſs, ver. 4, 5. the Honour and Majeſty, verſe 6. of the Majeſty of the King, verſe 6, 7, 8.
2. The amplitude of it, ver. 10.
3. His judicature in it, from ver. 10. to the end.
1. The firſt part. An invitation to praiſe God.The firſt three verſes contain a general Exhortation to ſet forth Gods praiſes for the benefits exhibited to the whole earth by Chriſt.
1. Firſt, That the praiſe be full, he thrice repeats, Cantate; O ſing, ſing, ſing to the honour of the Trinity, Ver. 1 ſaith Bellarmine, obſcurely inſinuated in the Old, but plainly to be preached in the New Teſtament.
2. Ver. 2 Shew forth, Benedicite, i. e. Cantando laudate, or gratias agite.
3. Ver. 3 Declare, Haſhern. foreign, carry good news, a fit word for the Goſpel, Ver. 1 which is Evangelium, glad-tydings.
2. The Song that was to be ſung, was to be a new Song; Sing unto the Lord a new Song; New, for a new benefit; New, to be ſung by a new people.
3. It was to be ſung by the whole Earth; by new men, and all men, all the World over; for God was not now to be known in Judaea only, but to all Nations. Ver. 2
4. It muſt be continually ſung, from day to day, without ceſſation, or intermiſſion; for as one day ſucceeds another, ſo ſhould there be a continual ſucceſſion in this praiſe.
After he expreſſeth the benefit or matter that all the earth is to praiſe him for, For the redemption of the World by his Son.which in one word, is the Redemption of the World by his Son.
1. Shew forth his ſalvation, which he hath conferred on Mankind by Chriſt. Ver. 2
2. Ver. 3 Declare his glory among the Heathen, his wonders among all people: His glory and wonders, which is the ſelf-ſame with ſalvation, which was a glorious work, and full of wonders; and this now was to be Evangelized, as before to the Jewes by the Prophets, ſo now to all people by the Apoſtles.
2. The ſecond part. To this end he preſents God as a great King.And that his Exhortation might ſeem more reaſonable, he preſents God as a King, and ſets down the Greatneſs, the Amplitude, and Equity of his Kingdom.
1. Sing to the Lord all the Earth, for he is Lord of the whole Earth.
1. The Lord is great; great in power, great in wiſdom, great in goodneſs, great in mercy, great in dominion and riches, great every way, that any thing can be great.
2. 2Worthy of all praiſe.He is greatly to be praiſed, or worthy of all praiſe, for his innumerable benefits he beſtows, ſpiritual, temporal, his Creation, Redemption, Preſervation of the world. What can be found praiſe worthy in any King, may be found ſuperlatively in him.3To be feared above all gods. Moller. Quaſi foreign Non dii. Bellarm. Muſcul. Supreme, not ſo any of thoſe gods. They Deaſtri.
3. He is to be feared above all gods. For he can caſt body and ſoul into hell. They, though call'd gods, can do nor good, nor hurt. The devils that ſet them up, do believe him to be above them, and tremble, Jam. 2. Sing to him then, and not to them, for the Supremacy is his. He is Super omnes Deos. Gods did I call them, alas, they are nothing leſs, they are all of them Elilim. Deiculi, petite gods, or Deastri, ridiculous gods: or Elilim, Vanities, Idols, no gods. If they be Gods, ſhew their works, produce the heavens they made, or the earth they framed, whereas, our God made the heavens, and all things that …e in it, and under it; Ver. 5 He then to be feared, and not they.
In which foreign, the Prophet doth elegantly deride the heatheniſh gods, Eſpecially the gods of the heathen.and the heathen for fearing ſuch gods. 1. For the multitude of them. For they were many: which is contrary to the nature of God, who muſt be but one, in reaſon there can be but one Supreme. 2. For their diviſion, one of the Ammonites, another of the Moabites, one of the Philiſtines, many of the Aſſyrians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romanes, according to the number of the Cities, were there gods, three hundred Jupiters, thirty thouſand of theſe Deities. 3. They were Elilim, petite gods, Moloch had the rule of the Sun, Aſtarte of the Moon, Ceres over Corn, Pluto his dominion in heaven, Neptune in the Sea, &c. Their power was not univerſal, as the power of God ought to be. 4. For their Vanity, they could not help. If Baal be a god, let him plead for himſelf, Judg. 6. Bell boweth down, Nebo ſtoops, &c. they could not deliver the burden, they themſelves are gone into captivity, Iſa. 46.1, 2. For an Idol is nothing in nothing in the world, 1 Cor. 8.
4. Laſtly, in the oppoſition, They Dii. facti, he Factor.which lively ſhews the difference betwixt God and Idols. It was man that firſt made them gods, and made Idols for them. They then are at beſt but works of mens hands. But our God is Factor, a Maker, a Creator. He made the Heavens, thoſe great and beautiful bodies, and all that is contain'd in and under thoſe Orbs. He then is terrible, he to be feared, and not thoſe diminutive, thoſe vain, thoſe unprofitable gods of the Nations, and their Idols.
2. And ſo having removed out of his way all the gods of the Nations, he returns to the deſcription of our God and King. He ſaid he was great; greatly to be praiſed, to be feared above all gods; and now he adds that which makes farther for his honour. For he preſents God under the perſon of a mighty King, in whoſe Palace, all things, that may ſet forth his Majeſty, To be praiſed alſo for his Honour, Majeſty, &c.are preſented to the eye of the Subject and Strangers. Honour, Majesty, Strength, Beauty. So ſaith our Prophet.
Honour and Majesty are before him, Vers. 6 Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary.
God is indeed inviſible, but his Honour and Majeſty, his Strength and Beauty may eaſily be ſeen in his ordering, governing, and preſerving the whole world, and his Church, both which may not be unfitly call'd His Sanctuary, and the laſt His Holy Palace.Which he moves all Subjects to give their King.
3. God he hath proved to be an univerſal King, and now he perſwades all his Subjects, that is, all kindreds of the people, or the Families of the Nations to return unto their King his tribute, his due, their debt, to wit, his due honour and worſhip, which he comprehends in theſe words, Give, bring an offering, Vers. 7 worſhip, fear, proclaim him to be King.
1. Give unto the Lord, and again, 1To give him freely Glory and Strength.Give unto the Lord Glory and Strength. Give freely to him, and ſolely attribute to him the glory of your being and well-being, that he made and redeem'd you, and that by the ſtrength of his right-hand, foreign, he hath pluck'd you out of the hands of your enemies; This was the glorious Work of Mercy and Power. Sing for this with the Angels, Glory be to God on high.
2. Give unto the Lord the honour due to his Name. Remember 'tis a debt, Vers. 8 and a debt in equity muſt be paid. And the honour due to his Name, 2The Honour due to his Name.is, To acknowledge him to be Holy, True, Juſt, Powerful, The Lord, the faithful God, good, merciful, long-ſuffering, &c. all that was proclaim'd before him, Exod. 34.5, 6, 7. Defraud not his Name of the leaſt Honour.
3. 3To bring him Offerings.Bring an offering, and come into his Courts. Appear not before the Lord empty, as the Jews were commanded, to which out Prophet alludes: They had their Sacrifices, and we alſo have our ſpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt, to bring, 1 Pet. 2.5. And theſe are the Sacrifices of a contrite heart, Confeſſion of ſin, Mortification, Prayer, Faſting, Alms. Bring theſe when ye come into his Courts, into his preſence, and into his Houſe of Prayer.
4. Vers. 9 O worſhip the Lord in the Beauty of Holineſs. They that come into the preſence of a King, 4To Adore him.preſently fall on their knees, in token of their ſubmiſſion and homage, when you come into the preſence of your King, do the like: Adore. 2. And remember to do it in the Beauty of Holineſs, which if referr'd to the material Temple, conſider that it is by relation a Holy place, 5In the Beauty of Holineſs.and ſhould not then be profaned; a Beautiful place, and ſhould not then be defaced, but kept beautiful. But if to be referr'd to the Spiritual Temple, the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, that alſo is to be beautified with Holineſs. A holy life, holy vertues.
5. 6And to do it in fear and reverence.Fear before him all the earth. Join fear to your Worſhip, for a man may be too bold and ſaucy in the preſence of this King. Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice with reverence. There is a fear that ariſeth out of the apprehenſion of greatneſs and excellency in the perſon, together with our dependance on, and our ſubjection to him, which both in body and mind makes us ſtep back, and keep a diſtance: And this kind of fear cauſeth and produceth all Acts of Reverence and Adoration; and this is it which the Prophet here calls for.
6. Vers. 10 Say among the Heathen, The Lord reigns: Or as ſome point it, Say, 7Proclaim him to be King.The Lord reigns among the Heathen. Be, as it were, Heraulds, and proclaim as with ſound of Trumpet, God is King. Chriſtus Regnat. Vive le Roy. Hoſannah.
Now here the Prophet begins to ſet forth the Amplitude of Chriſts Kingdom.The Amplitude of Chriſts Kingdom.
1. Before it was confin'd to Judaea, but now it is enlarg'd. All Nations are become his Subjects, he reigns among the Heathen.
2. The Stability of it.The ſtability of it. The world ſhall be eſtabliſhed, that it ſhall not be moved, the Laws of this Kingdom not to be alter'd, as were thoſe given to and by Moſes, but fix'd, and to laſt for ever. The Goſpel is to be an eternal Goſpel, a ſtanding Law.
3. The Equity in it.The equity to be obſerv'd in it. He ſhall judge the people righteouſly, for he ſhall give to thoſe who obſerve his Laws, great rewards, but to ſuch as contemn them, break them, and ſay, Nolumus hunc regnare, a condign puniſhment.
4. The Prophet having deſcribed the King, and the ſtate of his Kingdom, exulting in ſpirit at it, Vers. 11, 12. as if he had ſeen him coming to ſit upon the Throne, he calls, not the Gentiles only, whom it did very nearly concern, but all creatures to rejoice with him: heaven, earth, the Sea, the fields, the trees, the woods. And he calls all creatures to rejoice at it.Although there be that by heaven underſtand the Angels, by the earth, men, by the Sea, troubleſome and reſtleſs ſpirits, by the trees, fields, and woods, the Gentiles who were to believe. But this needs not, becauſe ſuch Proſopopeia's are frequent in Scripture. The meaning is, that as the Salvation was Univerſal, ſo he would have the joy for it to be Univerſal; To the words then,
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the Sea roare, Vers. 11 and the fulneſs thereof. Vers. 12
Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein, then ſhall the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord.
He incites all Creatures to rejoice for Chriſts coming, both for the firſt, And for his comingand the ſecond; for the firſt, in which he conſecrated all things; for the ſecond, at which he will free all things from corruption, Rom. 8. from verſ. 19. to 22.
1. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth. To judge the earthWhich firſt part of the verſe, the Fathers refer to his firſt coming, Vers. 13 when he was incarnate, and came to Redeem the world by his Death: And was to the end to judge; that is, to Rule and Govern the world by his Word, Ordinances, and Spirit.
2. And again, He ſhall come to judge the world with righteouſneſs, With Equity and Truth.and the people with his Truth: Which coming, though terrible to the wicked, yet will be joyful and comfortable to the righteous. For ſaith our Saviour, Lift up your heads, for your Redemption draws near. And to comfort them, and terrifie the wicked: He tells them,
That he will judge in equity, that is, justice, and in Truth, according to his Word and Promiſe.
He will accept no mans perſon, but render to every man according to his works.
The Prayer collected out of the ninty ſixth Pſalm.
O Merciful Lord, ſo déep is the Sea of thy mercies which hath from everlaſting flow'd over unto us, and thy dayly favours, Vers. 1, 2. that thou doeſt conter upon us, that, except we will be ungrateful, we muſt ſing unto thee a new Song for new bleſſings, and bleſs thy name for freſh gifts and graces. Vers. 5 What is man, that thou ſhouldſt be ſo mindful of him? or the ſon of man, that thou ſhouldſt regard him? Thou who madeſt the heaven, Vers. 4 createdſt him after thy own image, but he defaced it: Vers. 5 Thou who wert to be feared far above all gods, gaveſt him a command to worſhip and honour thee, but he made to himſelf other gods, which indéed were no gods, Vers. 4 but petty and ridiculous Deities, and caſt by thée the great God of heaven and earth, a God greatly to be praiſed, a God to be feared above all gods, and worſhipped the inventions of his own brain, and the works of his own hands.
But all this did not cool thy love, nor retard thy mercy, even when all the kindreds of the Nations did ſerve other gods, thou ſenteſt them Redemption, thou ſenteſt thy Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Iſrael. Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty, juſt and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints, Vers. 2 who ought not to fear thee, and glorifie thy Name? Warm therefore our cold hearts with thy love, that we may ſhew forth thy Salvation from day to day. Vers. 3 Make our flow tongues eloquent and powerful, that we may publiſh this glad-ridings, and declare thy glory unto the heathen, and thy wonders to all people.
So reſplendent is thy Honour and Majeſty, ſo immenſe thy ſtrength, Vers. 6 ſo illuſtrious thy beauty, that we, duſt and aſhes, tremble in our approaches to thee, and were it not for thoſe commands thou haſt laid upon, and invitations and encouragements thou haſt given to penitent and believing ſinners, we durſt not preſume to tender our ſelves and our homage before thee; Vers. 7 But ſince thou haſt call'd for a gift from us, we do fréely give unto thée glory and ſtrength: fluce thou doeſt expect, as a due debt, glory to thy name, we chéerfully give thée glory, and proclaim thy name to the whole world, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin.
Offerings we have none that are worthy of thée, Vers. 8 yet ſuch as we have we bring, we offer unto thée the Sacrifice of a troubled and a contrite ſpirit, we tender unto thée our petitions and thanks upon the Altar of a mortified and broken heart, we confeſs our unworthineſs, and faſt and wéep before thée, we come into thy Courts, and preſent what we are able, two poor mites, ſoul and body. Lord, accept of theſe our offerings for Ieſus Chriſts ſake.
Our deſire is to worſhip thee in the Beauty of Holineſs, to be holy as thou art holy, to be perfect as thou art perfect, but being conſcious to our ſelves of the impurity and imperfections of our own hearts, and ſenſible of thy excellencies, we ſtep back for very fear, and retire for ſhame. Bold and impudent we cannot be in thy preſence, but we worſhip thée with trembling ſpirits, and adore with reverence.
Yet thus much we are and may be bold to proclaim among the heathen, The Lord reigneth; Vers. 10 Jehovah, who is our righteouſneſs, is our King; long let him reign, Vers. 11 for ever let him live, Hoſannah to the ſon of David, and let all things in heaven and earth ſay Amen to it. Let the Angels and Saints in Heaven rejoice at it, Vers. 12 let all men on earth be glad of it, let the wicked who are like the troubled Sea, will they nill they, reare it out, let the fulneſs thereof, the impious ſpirits that move them, bow at the Name of Jeſus. Yea, let the wildeſt tree in the field and wood, be brought at laſt to confeſs, that Jeſus is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
O thou great King of all the world, Vers. 11 to whom all power is given in heaven and earth, rule thy people with thy Word and Spirit, and judge the adverſaries of thy worſhip, and enemies of thy Goſpel; bear rule and dominion among the heathen, that yet have not ſubmitted unto thee, let the whole world be eſtabliſhed by thy Goſpel, and thy Laws take place among them, and never be removed.
Lord, haſten thy Kingdom, and appear in thy glory. Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, Vers. 13 Come quickly; Come to judge the earth, ſeat thy ſelf upon thy Throne, and call all the Nations of the world before thee, and make it known, that thou art not an accepter of any mans perſon, but that thou wilt judge the world with righteouſneſs, and the people with thy Truth, and that thoſe that have done ill, ſhall go into eternal puniſhment, but the righteous into life eternal.
Be thou my King, O ſweet Ieſus, inform me in thy Law, guide and rule me by thy Spirit, cauſe me ſo to worſhip and fear thee, to offer ſuch ſpiritual Sacrifices unto thee, to give what I owe, ſuch glory and honour to thy Name, that at thy coming I may be ſet on thy right-hand, and be one of that number to whom thou wilt ſay, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.