Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, 4 [i.e. 5] (cont.) · Psalm 148
PSAL. CXLVIII. A Hymn. Or Hallelujah.
THE Prophet in this Pſalm calls upon the whole Creation to be inſtrumental in the praiſes of God. By which he ſhews,David calls upon all creatures to praiſe God.
1. His ardent deſire that God be praiſed in that, as if Creatures endued with reaſon, were too few to praiſe God, he calls even to inanimate things, that they would join with him, and be foreign. Naz.
2. His intention, what he would have done, then what could be done.
3. That what could be, ſhould be done: that they by our mouths praiſe God; That is, we ſeeing in them God power, wiſdom, goodneſs, be ready to praiſe.
4. That in their kinds they really do praiſe him, becauſe being made in a wonderful beauty and order, which they tranſgreſs, proclaim to the world, and teſtifie of God even without a voice, that he muſt needs be a wiſe, intelligent underſtanding, that ſo made them.
The Pſalm is diſpoſed by an excellent Diſtribution.
1. He calls to the celeſtial creatures in General. 2. In ſpecial.
1. The Angels. Praiſe ye the Lord. 1. 1The Angels.Praiſe ye the Lord from the heavens; Ye. Of the celeſtial Order. Or ut caeles, i. e. Ver. 1 de habitaculo veſtro; and this is no command, … exhortation, as if the Angels were negligent in their duty, but an invitation to continue in doing what they do already. 2. Praiſe him in the heights, i. e. the heavens above. 3. And yet more plainly. For the ſecond verſe is but an foreign, or declaration of the firſt. 1. Praiſe him all his Angels. 2. Praiſe him all his hoſts. Which in St. Luke are Militia caeli. Ver. 2
2. The Sun and Moon, Stars. Praiſe ye him Sun and Moon. 2Sun, Moon, ſtars.Praiſe him all ye Stars of light. Though not with voice, which ye want, yet praiſe him by your greatneſs, motion, beauty, light, efficacy. Ver. 3
3. He comes to the body of the heaven, the Orbs.3The Orbs.
1. Praiſe him ye heaven of heavens, that is, the Coelum Empyraum. Ver. 4
2. And ye waters that be above the heavens, that is, all the Orbs above the aire, which in the Scripture is called heaven; as volucres coeli nubes coeli, &c.For he eſtabliſhed them.
And in the two next verſes he gives the reaſon, why the heavens praiſe God.
1. He commanded, and they were created. They are his creatures; Ver. 5 therefore,
2. He hath eſtabliſhed them for ever, Ver. 6 he hath made a decree which ſhall not paſs. They are incorruptible, they muſt keep the Order he made.
2. From heaven he deſcends to the earth, and all ſublunary bodies, as the earth, 4All ſublunary Bodies.Air, water, and creatures that live in theſe, or are in theſe. Praiſe the Lord from the earth. All that are from the earth, Ver. 7 all made of an elementary ſubſtance. As,
1. Ye Dragons. Ye Whales. Muſe. Greater fiſhes. Bellar.
2. All Deeps. All kind of waters. Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Seas.
3. Fire and hail, ſnow and vapours, ſtormy wind fulfilling his word. Meteors.
4. Mountains and all hills. Campi patentes & Ʋalles.
5. Fruitful trees and all Cedars. All trees fit to build with.
6. Beaſts and all Cattle, both wild and tame.
7. Greeping things. Worms, Serpents.
8. And all flying fowls.
3. 5All mankind.In the laſt place he cites all mankind to praiſe God.
1. 1Of all degrees.The Higheſt Kings and all people. They who command, who obey.
2. 2Sexes.Princes and all Judges of the earth. All inferiour Magiſtrates.
3. 3Ages.Of all Sexes. Both young men and maidens.
4. Of all Ages. Old men and children.
Let them praiſe the Name of the Lord. For which he gives this reaſon,
1. 1For his Name is excellent.For his Name is excellent alone. There is no Name ſo ſublime, ſo high, and worthy of all praiſe. For all created things, although great, if compared to Gods greatneſs, are nothing, for what excellency ſoever they have, they have from him, whoſe Name is alone excellent.
2. 2His glory above.His Glory is above the earth and heaven. Their glory being from him.
4. He concludes the Pſalm with his goodneſs to his Church; which is another reaſon.
1. He alſo exalts the horn, that is, the power and glory of his people.
2. 3He is good to his Church.He is the Praiſe of his Saints. The Pride of Iſrael, viz.
3. Even of the children of Iſrael, a people near to him, a people dedicated, conſecrated to God. And near unto him in true knowledge, faith, true worſhip, adoration, Truſt, and filial love.
All which is to be underſtood not of Iſrael according to the fleſh, but of Iſrael according to the Spirit. For all are not Iſrael, that are of Iſrael, Rom. 9. There were among them Generations of Vipers, Mat. 3. and ſuch as reſiſted the … …hoſt, Act. 7.
Now thoſe that are true Iſraelites, And therefore praiſe him.and thoſe eſpecially he excites to ſing Hallelujah. Praiſe ye the Lord.
The Prayer out of the one hundred and forty eighth Pſalm.
O Omnipotent Lord, Ver. 1 thy wonderful bounty, admirable power and wiſdom hath ſufficiently declared thy Majeſty in all thoſe things which for mans ſake thou haſt created. For which all thy creatures in heaven above, and in earth beneath, ſing praiſes to thy Name. The Angels land thée, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, magnifie thée, the heaven of heavens exalt thée. There is not a creature on the earth, in the air or water, that doth not ſet forth thy glory. By thy command they were created, by thy word eſtabliſhed as they are, and they obſerve ſtrictly the Law thou haſt made, and tranſgreſs not in the leaſt that decrée thou haſt appointed for them.
All which when we conſider, we muſt néeds lament our own backwardneſs in ſetting forth thy glory. Lamentable it is to think that man alone, for whom all theſe things were made, ſhould be the ungrateful creature. This we confeſs, this we bewail. Henceforth therefore we of all ſorts, of all ſexes, of all ages will fly to thée, and praiſe thy Name alone, becauſe thy Name is excellent, and thy glory above heaven and earth.
O Lord, we humbly beſéeth thée, exalt the horn, the power and glory of thy people, thoſe whom thou haſt taken near unto thee, and who worſhip thee in Spirit and Truth, let not the gares of hell ever prevail againſt them, and though Satan ſift them like wheat, yet let it be the praiſe of all thy Saints, that ſtill they adhere unto thee, and come nearer unto thée, by the merits of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.