Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 116 – Psalm 117
PSAL. CXVI. Didaſcalicus.
THIS Pſalm is gratulatory, for it ſhewes ſome great ſtraits to which David was brought, from which God delivering him, he vowes to be thankful.
The points of this Pſalm are three.
1. David makes profeſſion of his love, and ſhews the Reaſons of it, viz. Gods goodneſs to him in hearing him, when he was in a ſad condition, and helping him, from ver. 1. to 9.
2. He profeſſeth his duty and faith, ver. 9, 10, 11.
3. He vowes to be thankful, and in what manner, from ver. 12. to 19.
1. Deum David diligit.He begins with the expreſſion of his content and love, I have enough, I love the Lord; The firſt part.and preſently ſets down his Reaſons.
1. Ver. 1 Becauſe he hath heard my voyce and my ſupplications; good reaſon then to love him.Ratio prima, That God heard him.
2. Becauſe he hath inclined his ear to me; a certain evidence that he was heard.
Upon which certainty and experience of Audience, Ver. 2 he infers this proteſtation, Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.Secunda Ratio, Amoris auditum in ſuâ anguſtiâ.
2. Another Reaſon that moved him to love God, and acquieſce in him, was, That he heard him in his greateſt need and extremities, which he deſcribes in the next verſe: Neither can there be any greater; for he ſuffered in body and ſoul by the ſenſe of Gods wrath, which, how great they are, thoſe only can tell you, that have had experience of them.
1. The ſorrowes of death compaſſed me; even death it ſelf is the King of fear.Deſcribet anguſtias.
2. The pains of Hell gat hold upon me: He feared the anger of God for his ſin, and the conſequent of that anger.
3. Both theſe brought him into a heavy caſe; many compaſſ'd about with the ſorrowes of death, living in proſperity, they obſerve it not, they conſider it not, and therefore they nor fear, nor grieve: But David was ſenſible of his condition, he found where he was, and therefore in grief and fear he-profeſſeth, I found trouble and ſorrow; but at laſt faith ſeems to conquer them, he deſpairs not.
For he betakes himſelf to his old and ſafe remedy, a remedy that never had failed him.
1. Then, in theſe ſorrowes, theſe pangs, theſe troubles:
2. Invocatio refugium.I called upon the Name of the Lord: Invocation was his ſole Refuge.
3. And he ſets down the very words of his prayer, for our uſe in the like caſe: O Lord, I beſeech thee, deliver my ſoul, i.e. from the ſorrowes of death, and dangers of hell.
And then, Oſtendit quibus fundament is nixus ad Deum fugit, oravit. viz.that he might ſhew that he prayed to God in faith and hope, he acquaints us upon what ground he did it, viz. thoſe Attributes of God, of which every one that happens to be in his caſe, hath eſpecial uſe, or elſe he is not like to find comfort; for then, no talking of merits of predeſtination, of Enthuſiaſms, in ſuch a caſe, theſe are no Cordials to a ſoul under the ſenſe of Gods wrath: That which will then comfort any man, is to remember and believe, what David doth here.
1. That God is gracious; he inſpires prayer and repentance into a man, and freely remits ſin, Dei Attribut is.and receives to favour all ſuch as by a lively faith flie to him.
2. And righteous and juſt, that will perform what he hath promiſed, and grant an induigence upon thoſe terms that he hath promiſed.
3. Yea, our God is merciful; he mingles mercy with his juſtice, and though he ſcourgeth every ſon that he receives, yet 'tis with a fathers hand, which is more prone to forgive, than to puniſh.
4. The Lord preſerves the ſimple; i. e. Men, ſine plicis, ſuch ſimple men as Job was, theſe being without counſel or help, he keeps, he ſaves.
Of which David gives an inſtance in himſelf: I was brought low, and he helped me: And the like favour others may find, that call upon him on thoſe grounds that I did, relying on him, becauſe he is gracious, righteous, and merciful, and preſerves the ſimple.
3. Another Reaſon he had to love God, was the great reſt, quiet, Tertia Ratio, Amoris acquieſcentia animi, orta ex reconciliatione.peace and tranquility he found in his ſoul, after this ſtorm was over; and therefore after he had deſcribed the Tempeſt, and the means he uſed for his deliverance out of it, viz. Faith and Invocation, and found them effectual: By an Apoſtrophe, he ſpeaks thus to himſelf.
Return unto thy rest, O my ſoul: Ver. 7 Hitherto thou haſt been toſt up and down among the waves and various winds of ſorrowes, doubts and deſpair, and for a long time thou couldſt find no Port or Haven wherein to be ſecure: Now becauſe thoſe Tempeſts are over, and Faith hath opened to thee a Harbour, where thou mayeſt be ſafe, be merry and joyful, turn in, or rather return to that Haven, where thou haſt heretofore found reſt: Return to thy reſt, O my ſoul.
1. For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; Ver. 8 he hath retributed to thee good for evil; and as thou find'ſt by experience, out of his immenſe goodneſs been preſent with thee, and deliver'd thee from the ſorrowes of death and hell.
2. And then he turns his ſpeech to God, attributing to him the whole work.
1. Thou hast delivered my ſoul from death. The face of death and damnation was before me, but thou haſt removed, and preſented me with life.
2. Thou haſt delivered mine eyes from tears, turned my heavineſs into joy, and wiped all tears from my eyes.
3. Thou haſt delivered my feet from falling. When my infirmity is great, and the Devil thruſts ſore at me, that I might fall, Thou haſt ſetled my feet, that I may ſtand faſt, fight, reſiſt, and not fall.
And this God doth for thoſe who call on him, and truſt to him; he frees them from the ſorrowes of death, and raiſeth them to life; he delivers from all ſorrow and grief, and will at laſt wipe all tears from their eyes, Revel. 21. And will give them not only a happy life, but alſo ſecure, that they never ſhall fall, David expreſſeth upon the favour.or be deprived of it; they ſhall be poſſeſſed of joy, reſt, eternal peace and quietneſs.
2. David having expreſſed his ſorrowes, The ſecond part.and Gods goodneſs unto him in delivering him from them, now profeſſeth how ready he would be to do his Duty ever after.
1. By his obedience.
2. By a faithful confeſſion of his miſtake, and future confidence.
1. Careful he would be ever after to pleaſe God; 1His obedience.I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. This life is both the Region of death, and a land of the living; there be thoſe that are dead, Ver. 9 who are yet alive, viz. which live after the fleſh; they in this truly live, which live after the Spirit. David profeſſeth that he would be one of theſe, live the life of grace, and ſerve his God in righteouſneſs and holineſs all the dayes of his life; walk with God, coram Domino, as in the preſence and eye of God, as did Henoch and Noah.
2. 2His faith and confidenceHe profeſſeth his faith whereon he did rely, when he was humbled, whereon he will rely, if humbled again.
1. Ver. 10 I believed, and therefore have I spoken, the Lord is gracious, &c. ver. 5. Such a confidence came from the Spirit of faith, not from any humane demonſtration, 2 Cor. 4.13.
2. I was greatly afflicted; that is, I therefore believed, becauſe I relied not upon mine own thoughts, but ſhewed my ſelf very humble and docile to the Spirit of God, that reveals ſuch things to Babes, Mat. 11.
Or elſe David again comes over the ſtruglings and doubtings he found in his ſoul, 3Luctam.when he was in his agony betwixt faith and deſpair; thoſe ſorrowes were not eaſily and ſuddenly quieted: I was greatly afflicted, even then when I ſpoke, and proteſted that I did apprehend the promiſes, Ver. 11 and call'd upon God, retaining but ſome ſparks of faith: For I ſaid in my haſte, all men are lyars; which clauſe is diverſly expreſſed.
1. Moller.For ſome make it an amplification of his former grief; I was ſo amazed and overwhelmed with ſorrow, that when I found no help, I was ready to deſpair, and if any man went about to comfort me with Gods promiſes, I ſaid in my haſte, all men are lyars; as if he ſhould have ſaid, Let them ſay what they will, I will not believe them, God hath no care of me, I am caſt out of the ſight of his eyes.
2. Bellarmine.Others refer theſe words to that clauſe before, the land of the living; of which, many ſpeak great matters: They talk of happineſs and felicity in this life, but whatſoever they ſpeak of it, there is no truth in their words; every man is but a lyar, that placeth felicity in theſe decaying and mortal things; for true happineſs is not to be found, but in the land of the living after this life; in exceſſu mentis, in an extaſie, or a heavenly rapture, I ſaid this.
3. Muſculus.Some refer the words to Abſolon, that deceived David by his Vow at Hebron, or to Achitophel, that revolted from him; or to Ziba, that brought him a lye of Mephiboſheth; of whom he might ſay truly that they were lyars.
4. Tremellius. Junius.Some conceive, that in theſe words, he taxeth even Samuel himſelf, that he ſpoke not by Gods Spirit, but came of his own head, and was ſway'd by humane paſſion, when he anointed him King over Iſrael, of which being perſecuted by Saul, he ſaw ſo little hopes, and that for his pains, he was but a lyar: But the firſt ſenſe is moſt coherent with the words.
Now for the truth of the Axiom, All men are lyars. It is not ſo to be underſtood, as if no man could ever ſpeak truth; for even a lyar may ſometimes ſpeak that which is true: But that all men are obnoxious to lying, and may poſſibly erte, if they ſpeak of themſelves, and mov'd by humane affections; whereas God cannot lye, nor any that are moved to ſpeak by his Spirit.
3. The third part.Henceforth to the end of the Pſalm, is ſet down Davids gratitude, or his thankfulneſs.
What ſhall I render to the Lord, Ver. 12 for all his benefits toward me? As if he had ſaid, I acknowledge the benefits that God hath beſtowed upon me are many and great; Gratitudo Davidis.he hath deliver'd my ſoul from the ſorrowes of death and hell, 1De modo agendi deliberat. Fig. foreign.he hath redeem'd me from my iniquity, he hath quieted my heart, and hath made good his promiſes to me; neither is there a deſire to ſhew my ſelf thankful wanting in me, but how now ſhall I do it? what ſhall I return unto him? And when he had caſt about, and found that he had nothing that was fit to give, he profeſſeth only that he would give thanks, this only he could, and theſe he would return, which he knew to God was the beſt payment.
1. I will take the Cup of ſalvation. Here Interpreters vary, Ver. 13 what is to be underſtood by the Cup of ſalvation: He would bring foreign.2 Definit & ſtatuit quid acturus eſt foreign.
1. The moſt refer it to the Euchariſtical Sacrifices of the old Law, in which, when any man offe'd foreign, that is, a Sacrifice to God out of thankfulneſs for ſo…e deliverance, he made a Feaſt to the people, 1Oblat…um foreign.as did David, 1 Chron. 16.1, 2, 3. where he dealt to every one of the people a loaf of bread, a good piece of fleſh, and a flagon of wine; in the receiving of which, with a joyful voyce, they ſang praiſe to God for his benefits. This then, they ſay, David here promiſed, and he calls it the Cup of ſalvation, becauſe it was to be offer'd in thankfulneſs of the ſalvation obtain'd.
2. But Bollarmine caſts this off as too light, and with the Fathers, 2Pati, & Crucem ferre.underſtands it of the Cup of patience and affliction, and tribulation, which is often in Scriptures call'd a Cup, Matth. 20.22. Pſal. 75.8, &c. and may well be call'd the …up …f tribulation, becauſe through many tribulations, we muſt enter into the Kingdom of God. This then is it, that David ſaith, When I have nothing more excellent to offer to God for his many benefits, I will drink with a willing mind the Cup of the Lord, though it be a bitter Cup, full of tribulations and afflictions; for I am aſſured, that it will be a Cup of ſalvation unto me; and therefore,
2. I will call upon the Name of the Lord, 3Invocare.that he would ſtrengthen me to drink of it, whenſoever it pleaſeth him to adminiſter it to me. Or if we follow the firſt Interpretation, I will call on the Name of the Lord, offer unto him an Euchariſtical Sacrifice for my deliverance.
3. I will pay my vowes unto the Lord, in the preſence of all his people. It was uſual for Gods ſervants in their extremities to make vowes; it is likely David did ſo, 4Selvere vot…, & ea ratione quia mor… ſanctorum precioſaeand here he promiſeth to pay them, and that not privately, but publickly, in the preſence of all the people. Bellarmine refers the words to his open confeſſion of his God, and his readineſs to drink the Cup, although it were to Martyrdom.
And in the next words, he renders a reaſon why he was ſo ready to pay his vowes, or to confeſs his Name in the open Aſſembly; becauſe he had learned, that pious men are under Gods protection, that even in death it ſelf they are his care.
Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints. An excellent Epiphonema. The lervants of God do trouble themſelves in vain, and doubt to no purpoſe whether they be a care to him or no while they live, for even their very death is precious unto him, or they are precious to him in their death, then he takes care of them, as a man would do of the moſt precious Diamonds.
4. David yet waxeth not proud upon this, nor upon any of Gods favours, Non ſuperbie David ſed profiretur ſe ſervum.but in all humility, though he were a King, yet he was not too great to be a ſervant to his God, a ſon of his Handmaid, the Church; which paſſionately he expreſſes.
1. Oh Lord, truly I am thy ſervant, I am thy ſervant, and the ſon of thy handmaid.
2. And yet no ſlave, but a voluntary ſervant: Thou haſt loofed my bonds, taken from my neck the bonds of fear, and fallen upon me with the yoke of love, Mat. 11.30. Thou haſt freed me from the ſlavery of the Law, Eumque honeſtum.and wouldſt have me to be thy ſervant out of love; Cur ſervire reguare eſt.
3. And therefore I will do what thy ſervants ought, and ſo he takes an occaſion to ſay over again, what he ſaid before.
I will offer unto thee the Sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call on the Name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes unto the Lord, now in the preſence of all his people. In the Courts of Gods houſe, in the midſt of thee, O Jeruſalem, praiſe the Lord. Within the Church he would do his ſervice, what is without, is nothing worth.
The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and ſixteenth Pſalm.
O God moſt merciful, moſt gracious in making, and moſt righteous in performing thy promiſes, Ver. 5 who forgiveſt iniquity and ſins, and Ver. 6 preſerveſt the ſouls of them that walk with a ſimple and ſincere heart before thée, Ver. 1 becauſe thou haſt heard my voyce, and my ſupplications, becauſe thou haſt inclined thine ear unto me.
The ſorrowes of death compaſſed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I tound trouv'e and ſorrow, I was brought very low; then I call'd upon the Name of the Lord; then I cryed, O Lord, I beſeech thee deliver my ſoul, Ver. 8 and thou waſt ready at hand to help me: Thou haſt deliver'd my ſoul from ceath, Ver. 2 mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Thou haſt dealt very bountifully with me, in pardoning my ſin, hearing my petitions, and reſtoring me to the comforts of thy Spirit; therefore I will call upon thee as long as I live; therefore I will walk before thee in righteouſneſs and holineſs as long as I have a Being.
I was greatly afflicted, Ver. 10 and all the comforts that I could receive from the lips of man were but vain; they all proved miſerable, miſerable comforters unto me; In my baſte, I ſaid they were all lyars, till thou by thy holy Spirit didſt ſecure me, that thou wert, and wouldſt be unto me a merciful Father, and ſealeſt unto me an unexpected pardon. This by the power of thy Spirit I have, and do believe, Ver. 10 and in it I acquieſce. I expect no more, I have enough; Return then unto thy reſt, Ver. 7 O my troubled ſoul, for the Lord hath dealt very bountifully with thee.
And now, Ver. 12 What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I find by experience, that the death and afflictions of his Saints, are as precious Iewels in his fight; theſe, for his ſake, I am content, if it be his Will, to undergo; of this Cup, if it ſéem good to him, I am content to drink. Oh Lord, I am thy ſervant, truly I am thy ſervant, and the ſon of thy Hand-maid. A patient ſon of my mother, the Church; and if it pleaſe thée to poure out to me a full draught of this red wine, Thy Will, not mine be done.
But if thou ſhalt take away the Cup from me, or elſe proportion it according to my ſtrength; I will take the Cup of ſalvation with a contented mind, and I will offer the Sacrifice of thankſgiving, and will call upon the Name of the Lord. I have vowed my ſelf to be thy ſervant, though I can be but an unproficable ſervant; yet I will pay my vowes unto the Lord, now in the preſence of all his people: Now, even now, while I remain in the land of the living, I will endeavour, That my light may ſo ſhine before men, that they may glorifie my Father which is in Heaven.
Thy praiſe I will ſound forth, thy Name I will magniffe; confeſs I will, that thou haſt been to me a gracious God, and merciful Father, even in the Courts of the Lords houſe, even in the midſt of thee, O jeruſalem; in which, I know thou wilt alone accept of thanks, and hear and grant the pelitions of thy ſervants, that are offered unto thée through the merits, and in the Name of thy Son Ieſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour.
PSAL. CXVII. A Hymn. foreign.
THIS Pſalm is ſhort and ſweet; it contains a Doxology to God for his mercy and truth; and it is alſo Prophetical, in reference to the calling of the Gentiles, as it appears, Rom. 15.11.
Two parts there are of it.
1. An Exhortation to all Nations to praiſe God, The firſt part. 1. A Doxology.both Gentiles and Jewes.
1. He ſpeaks to the Gentiles, Praiſe the Lord all ye Nations; he means, after they were converted, and made ſons of the Church; For how ſhall they call on him, in whom they have not believe… Rom. 10.
2. He ſpeaks to the converted Jewes, whom he notes under the name of people, as they are call'd, Pſal. 2.1. & Acts 4.25. Praiſe the Lord all ye people. Both now make but one Church, and therefore both now ought to joyn together in the praiſe of God.
2. The foreign, or the Reaſon give for it.The ſecond part.
1. Becauſe his merciful kindneſs is great; nay, confirmed toward us, 2The reaſon,in ſending his Son to be a Saviour both of Jewes and Gentiles. His Church is built on a foundation, againſt which the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail.
2. Neither is his mercy only by this confirmed, but the truth alſo of his promiſes fulfilled; as he promiſed to ſend a Meſſias, ſo he hath performed it; and this his truth endures for ever; for it ſhall never be challenged, there is no other Meſſiah to be expected; now for this, Praiſe ye the Lord.
The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and ſeventeenth Pſalm.
O Omnipotent and gracious God, when all Mankind walked according to the courſe of this World, according to the Prince of the power of the Aire, the ſpirit that works in the children of diſobedience. When they walked according to the luſts of the fleſh, and fulfilled the deſires of the fleſh, and were by nature the children of wrath; Thou, who art rich in mercy, for thy great love wherewith thou haſt loved us, waſt pleaſed to ſend thy only begotten Son Jeſus Chriſt, and to deliver him to death, for the ſalvation of the World.
This thy great mercy, it pleaſed thée to make known to us by thy Apoſtles, and to call us, who were Aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers to the Covenant of Promiſe, to be partakers of thy merciful kindneſs. In Chriſt Jeſus we, who were ſometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt, ſo great hath thy mercy béen even toward us; therefore from us, immortal thanks are due unto thée, who find our ſelves ſaved not for our merits, but by thy ſole goodneſs.
We therefore beſéech thée, that thou wouldſt ſo confirm our hearts by the Spirit of faith, that without any doubt adhering to thy truth, which endures for ever, we may apprehend thoſe good things which thou haſt promiſed, and offereſt fréely to us. O Lord, have mercy upon all Iewes, Turks, Iufidels, and Hereticks, and take from them all ignorance, hardneſs of heart, and contempt of thy Word, and ſo fetch them home, bleſſed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be ſaved among the remnant of thy true Iſraelites; let us all méet in one Fold, and have but one Shepherd, that all Nations may praiſe the Lord, and all people ſing Hallelujah to thy holy Name, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.