Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 102
PSAL. CII. The Title of this Pſalm, is, A Prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before God. It is by the Church choſen for one of the Penitentials.
IT ſeems to me to be compoſed by the Prophet to be a form of prayer to be uſed by the faithful Jews in the time of their Captivity at Babylon. For in it is expreſſed the ſad condition they were then in, in the perſon of an afflicted man, the preſent ſtate of Religion, under the deſolation of the Temple, which the Prophet laments; and yet again comforts himſelf and his people, upon the conſideration of Gods Eternity and Immutability, and that therefore he will perform his promiſe, have mercy on Sion, build again the Temple, reſtore them again to their own Land, in which they ſhould quietly and happily dwell.
This, no queſtion, is the literal ſenſe of the Pſalm, but it cannot be doubted, but the Prophet had a farther intent in it. For the faithful among the Jews knew, that the Reſtitution of Solomons Templ…, was but a Type of that Temple, which the Meſſiah would build up of living ſtones, and inhabit by his Spirit. This then they prayed for, and for the erection of it, when they prayed for the re-edification of the other, as appears by very many paſſages in this Pſalm.
Two General parts there are of this Pſalm.
1. A deſcription of the Calamity of the Church under the perſon of an afflicted man, from verſ. 1. to 12.
2. The comfort yet ſhe took in theſe Calamities, and the ground of it, from verſ. 12. to 28.
1. The whole is formed into a prayer, A Prayer. The firſt part.which is propoſed in the two firſt verſes, and an earneſt motion made for audience.
1. Ver. 1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.
2. Hide not thy face from me in the day, when I am in trouble, encline thine ear to me, In which he complains, and ſhewes his ſad condition.in the day when I call, anſwer me ſpeedily.
2. And he preſſeth his prayer by way of complaint, ſhewing many wayes, what a heavy caſe he was in.
1. Ver. 3 By a conſumption of his ſtrength. 1. My dayes are conſumed as ſmoke, In many reſpects.which though it ſwells into the air in a great thick body, yet it is ſuddenly diſperſed, and vaniſheth. 2. And my bones, which are, as it were, the pillars of this houſe, my body, are burnt and dryed up, 1A Conſumption.as it were an hearth, or the ſtones of the hearth, which the fire by continuance burns out. 3. My heart is ſmitten, and withered like graſs; that either cut down, withers to hay; or ſtanding, is burnt up by the ſcorching heat of the Sun. 4. To this paſs I am come, that I can take no ſuſtenance, I forget to eat my bread.
2. From his continual weeping and pining away. By reaſon of the voice of my groaning, 2Grief.my bones cleave to my skin.
3. From his Solitude. He was deſerted of his friends. Clauſa fides miſeris. 3Solitude.I am become like a Pellican in the Wilderneſs, I am become like an Owle in the Deſert. Solitary Birds.
4. 4Watching.From his continual watchings. I watch, and am as a ſparrow alone on the houſe top. As Moller obſerves this kind of bird, impatientiſſime viduitatem ferunt.
5. 5Reproach.From the reproach of them, who had been his friends, but were now his enemies, for a wicked man thinks himſelf reproached by a good mans honeſt converſation, Wiſd. 5. Mine enemies reproach me all the day long, and they are mad againſt me, are ſworn againſt me: have conſpited by an Oath to undo me.
6. And that which made them ſo mad and ſwe…r, was my repentance, which I teſtified by aſhes on my head, 6Sadneſs.and tears in my eyes. I have caten aſhes like bread, my dayly food; and mingled my drink with weeping, I drank tears with my wine: that is, I was fed with bitterneſs, and ſuſtain'd with tears, which they derided.
And now behold the reaſon why every true penitent is thus humbled, All theſe increaſed by the ſenſe of Gods anger.it is not for want, nor yet for want of wit, but it is out of a true ſenſe of Gods anger, which he hopes to pacifie by his ſorrow and humiliation.
1. Ver. 10 Becauſe of thine indignation, and thy wrath, for my former ſin.
2. Which I collect thus. Thou haſt formerly lifted me up, then ſure I was in thy fovour; but hast now caſt me down, whence I may well conclude, that I am in disfavour with thee.
3. And the effect plainly ſhews it. For my dayes are as a ſhadow that declines, and am withered like grace. Become mortal, flying, fading from thy wrath, raiſed by my own default.
2. The ſecond part. He yet comforts himſelf in Gods promiſes.Hitherto the Prophet hath petition'd and complain'd. His caſe was lamentable, yet he is notſwallow'd up of ſorrow. Heart he begins to take, and comfort he promiſeth himſelf in the Eternity and Immutability of God, and his love to his Church. Hence he conceives hope of reconciliation, and being moved by the Spirit of God, foretells the reſtauration of Zion and Jeruſalem, and typically the ſtate of Chriſts Church.
1. To his Church, on which he will have mercy, and had, when he reſtored them.True, I wither away as graſs, and ſo ſhall all Individual men. But
1. Thou, O Lord, ſhalt endure for ever: and therefore thy Church, and promiſes to thy Church.
2. And thy Remembrance from generation to generation. The Covenant which thou haſt made, ſhall be remembred from father to ſon, Ver. 13 till the worlds end.
2. Thou ſeemeſt now to ſleep. But thou ſhalt ariſe.
1. Thou ſhalt have mercy on Zion, and ſave thy people.
2. For the time to favour her, yea the ſet time is come; Literally, the ſeventy years of the Captivity were neer expired. Typically, by the Spirit, the Prophet foreſaw, and conceiv'd the Redemption of the Church in the future, as a thing preſent. And both he calls a time of favour; for from the favour and mercy of God, both proceeded.
3. And this Conſideration wrought a double effect.This wrought a double effect.
1. One upon Gods people for the preſent, viz. an earneſt deſire to have it ſo. Ver. 14 Earneſt they were that Jeruſalem ſhould again be built, the Church ſet up. For thy ſervants take pleaſure in her ſtones, 1A deſire to have it ſo.and favour the duſt thereof. Ver. 15
2. The other upon the Heathen. 2Another on the Heathen; viz. Compaſſion, ConverſionSo the Heathen ſhall fear thy name; which began when Darius and Cyrus ſaw and acknowledged the Propheſies, and obeyed them. 2. And all the Kings of the earth thy glory; which was truly fulfill'd, in the converſion of Constantine, &c. to the Faith.
And he adds the cauſe why Kings and Nations ſhould be ſo ſtrangely converted, becauſe he had beyond all belief and expectation of man, Ver. 16 ſo ſtrangely delivered his people from Captivity, and ſo miraculouſly ſet up his Kingdom in his Church. This ſhall be done, When, or becauſe the Lord ſhall build up Zion, he ſhall appear in glory. Before, he caſt his people into the grave, as it were, without any hope of life, or reſtitution; but when he ſhall bring them from thence, he ſhall make his glory and honour manifeſt.
And that which moved him to it, was the prayers of his people. Ver. 17 He will regard the prayer of the deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayer.Which effects followed on their prayer. Of this mercy a Record to be kept.
Now leſt the Jews ſhould conceive, that what was done for them, did concern them only, and not their Children, or to ſpeak more properly, the whole people of God in all ages to come; God would have a Record kept of it.
1. This ſhall be written for the generation to come.
2. And the people, which ſhall be created, ſhall praiſe the Lord, Ver. 18 Cum viderint impleta quae praedicta.
And of this he aſſigns two reaſons, even the ſelf-ſame ſet down at the 16. and 17. Ʋerſes.
1. For be hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary, Ver. 19 from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth.
2. To hear the groans of the priſoners, Ver. 20 to looſe thoſe that are appointed to death.That the glory be returned to God.
Now this Mercy from God, calls upon us for our Duty: for the proper end of it was, and the effect that it ſhould work upon us, is, that we ſhould be thankful. Therefore he looked down, therefore he heard the groans of the priſoners, &c. That being freed,
1. They ſhould declare the name of the Lord in Zion, Ver. 21 and his praiſe in Jeruſalem.
2. And this praiſe ſhould be compleated, Ver. 22 When the people are gathered ſimul, or in unum, united together, and the Kingdoms to ſerve the Lord. The Gentiles join with the Jews in it.
And here methinks I hear the Prophet breaking off his comfort, The Prophet laments he ſhal not live to ſee it.and breaking out in the midſt of his prophecy, with Balaam. As if he had ſaid, I am aſſured all this ſhall come to paſs, and be done for Gods people, but alas, who ſhall live, when God doth this? Whoſoever ſhall, I ſhall not certainly. For he weakned my ſtrength in the way, and hath ſhortned my dayes. Ver. 23
Yet my deſire is, it might be otherwiſe; Yet he deſires he might.and in this my deſire is but the ſame with many Kings and Prophets that have gone before me, all which long and deſired to ſee the flouriſhing eſtate of the Church under the Meſſiah, and therefore, Ver. 24 I ſaid, O my God, take me not away in the midſt of my age; But ſuffer me to draw out my life to ſee that, that all good men have aſpired to ſee, to wit, that I may behold Chriſt promiſed in the fleſh, and be a partaker of the glory of his Kingdom.
Which Petition, And preſſeth that he might. Perſwading God to it, upon 24. The conſideration of Gods eternity and immutability.that it might be the eaſier granted, he preſſeth it by a Collation of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his own life. As if he ſhould ſay, Spare me a little before I go hence, and be no more ſeen, for I am nothing unto thee.
Thy years are throughout all generations, and therefore 'tis but equal that thou indulge an ample ſpace of life to thy image, that he may attain eternal happineſs.
And he proves God to be Eternal, becauſe he is Immutable, not ſo the earth, not ſo the heavens.
1. Not ſo other creatures, all they change, corrupt.Not the earth, for it had a beginning, and that from thee, Of old, though long ago, yet a beginning it, and thou placed it not upon a foundation already laid, but laidſt the very foundation thereof, broughtſt it out of nothing to what it is, and placed it in the midſt of the World, as now it is. Ponderibus librataſuis.
2. Not the heavens. For they are the work of thy hands, i. e. thy Wiſdom and Power. Heaven then, and all Creatures in it; Earth, and all below cannot be Eternal. They began.
3. Neither ſhall they continue. They ſhall periſh; be either annihilated, or alter'd from their preſent condition. They ſhall not be, what they are now, no not heaven, nor earth. As then they are not Eternal, ſo neither are they Immutable.
Now in oppoſition to theſe, he puts the Almighty God. But thou ſhalt endure. And yet more fully he expreſſeth this Truth in the following words.
1. Yea, all of them ſhall wax old like a garment, make a farther ſtep and acceſs to a final period, in regard of their duration. 2. As doth a garment, their uſe ſhall ceaſe together with man, as doth the uſe of a garment with him that uſeth it, Iſa. 34.4. 1 Pet. 3.10.
2. And as a vesture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed, as the Curtains and Carpets, and Hangings, are folded up, when the Family removes.
3. However, they ſhall not wax old by the courſe of Nature, but by the mighty power of the God of Nature. Thou ſhalt change them, and they ſhall be changed.
Well, But God always the ſame.be this ſo, as is moſt true, and muſt be granted, yet it is not ſo with thee, O God.
But thou art the ſame, Vers. 27 and thy years ſhall have no end. Thou art Immutable, Eternal; and becauſe Immutable, Eternal. Now the reaſon why God cannot ſuffer any change, is evident, for every thing that is mutable, is endued with a power to attain to ſomething by that change, which it had not before. But God is actus puriſſimus, and an Eſſence of infinite perfection, and therefore when he wants nothing, nothing can be added to him, and conſequently, he is Immutable.
Now the Eternity and Immutability of God being confirm'd, Vers. 28 the Prophet draws hence a comfortable Concluſion for the ſervants of God, His Church and ſervants ſhall therefore continue alſo.and for their children, viz. ſuch as imitate their piety, for they ſhall be partakers of eternity alſo. So is the Covenant, Gen. 17.7.
1. The children of thy ſervants ſhall continue. That is, The Apoſtles with the Patriarchs their Parents, ſhall dwell in thy Kingdom, in the heavenly Jeruſalem.
2. And their ſeed, and as many as they have begotten by the Goſpel, if they remain in the faith, which works by love, they ſhall be establiſhed, perſevere, remain, continue before thee, live in thy preſence for ever. As thou art Eternal, ſo ſhall they be Eternal.
The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and ſecond Pſalm.
O Almighty God, great Lord of heaven and earth, we miſerable ſinners, with fear and ſhame caſt down our ſelves before thee, Ver. 1 humbly confeſſing, that for our ſelves, we are unworthy that our prayers ſhould have acceſs to thee, ſince we have broken all thy righteous Laws and Commandments, and walked unworthy of thy Goſpel, and our Chriſtian vocation. But, O Lord, of thy mercy and clemency make us ſo worthy to pray, Ver. 2 that thou mayeſt hear our prayers; and let the cry of thy Spirit in our hearts be ſo vehement, that it faint not in the way, but approach thy Throne of grace. Though we be foul and filthy ſinners, that have defaced thy image, yet do not thou in diſpleaſure turn away thy face from us. It troubles us, that we are thus foul, and this is the day of our trouble for it, oh thou who haſt promiſed to accept the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart, now, when we are in trouble, encline thine ear unto us; in this day when we call upon thee our heavenly Phyſician, hear us, and anſwer us, and that with ſpeed, Ver. 3 left if thou prolong the time, thou ſhalt not be able to find whom to heal and ſave.
For, O Lord, we are in a very lamentable condition, for the dayes of our life and proſperity are conſumed as ſmoke, that vaniſheth in the air, and the pillars of our bodies, our bones, Ver. 4 are burnt up as a hearth that the fire wears away. Our heart is ſmitten out of the ſenſe of thy wrath, and pineth and withereth away as graſs ſcorched by the heat of the Sun; ſo great is our miſery, ſo preſſing our calamity, that we forget to take our dayly repaſt, to eat our bread, which nature it ſelf requires of us. We lived in delights, Ver. 5 but now by the voice of our groaning, by the continual ſorrows, and expreſſions of thoſe ſorrows that are upon us, our fleſh is conſumed, and our bodies brought to ſuch a leanneſs, that our bones will ſcarce cleave to our ſkin. For very grief we fly the ſoriety of men, and ſeek out places that are fit for mourners; Ver. 6 We are like a Pellican, a bird that delights to live alone in the Wilderneſs; and like an Owl, which flying the company of other birds, the light, and ſight of men, dwells in a ſecret, dark, and retired place, where ſhe ſings a ſad tune, and we a heavy ſong. Ver. 7 Our nights we ſpend in continual watchings, very grief ſuffering us not to cloſe our eyes, and at break of day we breath forth our ſighs unto thee, as the Sparrow that ſits alone, and laments the loſs of her mate, upon the houſe top.
And in theſe our diſtreſſes, we find no comforter, Ver. 8 all our friends have forſaken us, and our enemies making their advantage of it, have gathered themſelves together againſt us, they reproach and revile us all the day long, and being mad againſt us, and ſet upon miſchief, they have enter'd into a conſpiracy, and bound themſelves by an Oath to undo us. Ver. 9 For this cauſe we eat no pleaſant bread, neither came any wine in our mouths, but ſuch as was kneaded with penitential aſhes, and mingled with the ſalt of tears and weeping. And what ſoul that was ever under the ſenſe of Gods disfavour, can blame us for this, ſince, Thy wrathful diſpleaſure goes over us, Ver. 10 thy indignation purſues us? Thou, who in mercy didſt lift us vp, haſt in judgement caſt us down. The ſad conſideration whereof, doth, beyond all that man can do, afflict us.
But how long, O Lord, wilt thou break a leaf driven too and fro? Ver. 11 How long wilt thou purſue the dry ſtubble? While thou Writeſt theſe bitter things againſt us, our dayes are like a ſhadow, and decliues, and we are withered as graſs, whoſe beauty and glory fades in a moment.
But why art thou thus vexed, O my ſoul? Ver. 12 and why art thus diſquieted within me? O put thy truſt in God. Call to mind, that he endures for ever, and the remembrance of his Covenant to all generations. 'Tis thy promiſe, O Lord, we look to, 'tis thy Covenant only we hope in, according to thy word, ariſe and have mercy upon Zion, pity thy poor afflicted people, for the time to favour her is now very ſeaſonable, Ver. 13 yea the time is come; For thy ſervants think upon, and take pleaſure in her ſtones, not ſo much thoſe ſtones with which thoſe goodly ſtructures, Ver. 14 in which we were wont to meet and praiſe thee, were built and beautified, as thoſe living ſtones built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Ver. 17 Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief Corner-ſtone, and it pitieth them to ſee her in the duſt. In the duſt, Lord, we favour them, and for theſe we pray, that they may be reſtored to their places in thy Sacred Temple. Ver. 16 O regard the prayer of the poor deſtitute, and deſpiſe not our deſire, for this will tend to thy honour, and enlargement of thy Kingdom, being alſured, Ver. 15 that when the Lord ſhall build up Zion, and when he ſhall appear in glory, that the heathen ſhall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the Kings of the earth thy glory.
Look down then, O Lord, from the height of thy Sanctuary, and from heaven behold the earth. Ver. 19 Hear the groaning of the Priſoners, and looſe thoſe that are appointed to death, Ver. 20 that they may declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praiſe at Jeruſalem. Ver. 21 May we but obtain ſo great a mercy, it ſhall be written for the generations to come, and the people, our children, that ſhall be born, Ver. 18 ſhall praiſe the Lord: They ſhall praiſe thee, and ſing of thy mercy in the great Congregation, even when the people are gathered together, and the Kingdoms to ſerve the Lord.
That thou wilt make an Inquiſition for innocent blood, I am aſſured, that thoſe who have profaned thy dwelling place, ſhall be as a rolling thing before the wind, Ver. 23 I do believe; that they who have ſwallowed down riches, ſhall vomit them up again, I know, for God ſhall caſt them out of their belly. But thou haſt ſo weakned my ſtrength in the way, and ſo ſhortned my dayes, that it is not likely I ſhall lide to ſée it; Lord, might my eyes ſée thy ſalvation, I would willingly ſing with old Simeon, Ver. 24 Now let thy ſervant depart in peace: Yet will I pray, O my God, take me not away in the midſt of my age. I am thy Creature, O Lord, created after thy own image, yet not to live for ever on earth, as thou ſhalt live in heaven, for thy years are throughout all generations. Even the earth, whoſe foundation thou haſt laid, and the heavens which are the work of thy Power and Wiſdom, wax old as a garment, and as a veſture ſhall be wrapt up, they ſhall periſh, and be annihilated, ſpare me a little then, becauſe I am a creature of a ſhort continuance, and can bear no proportion to thy eſernity, for thou art the ſame, and thy years have no end. But I yield my ſelf to thy Will, I ſubmit my ſelf to thy diſpoſe; if I cannot arrive to what I deſire, to ſée Jeruſalem in proſperity, yet grant, that I may ſee my Lord in the Land of the living, for I am aſſured, that the children of thy ſervants ſhall continue, and their ſeed ſhall be eſtabliſhed before thee, and live in thy preſence for evermore. Amen.