Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 96
PSAL. XCVI.
VErſ. 1. O ſing unto the Lord a new ſong] For this new mercy of the Ark now brought into Jeruſalem from the houſe of Obed-Edom, I Chron. 16.23. but eſpecially of Chriſt (typified by the Ark) who ſhould bee preached unto the Gentiles, beleeved on in the World, received up to glory.I Tim. 3.16…
Sing unto the Lord all the earth] Which they could not do aright, till they had heard, beleeved, and were ſealed, Epheſ. 1.13. Unbeleevers can have no true notion of God, but as of an enemy; and therefore all their verball praiſes are but a black ſanct is, ſuitable to ſuch Saints.
Verſ. 2. Sing unto the Lord, &c.] David was at this time full of affection, and exultation of Sprit (inſomuch as Michal mocked him for it, 1 Chron. 15.29.) and thence this heap of holy expreſſions to the ſame purpoſe. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh.
Shew forth his ſalvation] Evangelize, Preach the Goſpel of ſalvation by Chriſt; ſee Pſal. 40.10. 2 Sam. 18.18. Iſa. 61.1. where the ſame word is uſed.
Form day to day] Other news delights us only at firſt hearing; but the good news of our redemption is ſweet from day to day, ac ſi in eodem die redemptio fuiſſet operata, ſaith Kimchi here, as if it were done but to day. Tam recens mihi nunc Chriſtus est, ſaith Luther, ac ſi hac horâ fudiſſet ſanguinem, Chriſt is now as freſh unto mee as if he had ſhed his blood but this very hour.
Verſ. 3. Declare his glory] Hob. S…pher it up in the particulars; that God be no loſer by you.
His wonders among all people] There is a world of wonders in the work of mans redemption by Chriſt; and all other mercies meet in this, as the lines in the center, ſtreams in the fountain.
Verſ. 4. For the Lord is great] Vere magnus eſt Chriſtianorum Deus, ſaid Calocerius an Heathen; he is omni laude major, & merito mituendus, ſaith David here, and elſewhere often. Sound out therefore and ſend abroad his worthy praiſes, the others may hear and fear.
Verſ. 5. For all the Gods, &c.] Deunculi, deaſtri, Thoſe petty Gods, thoſe dunghill-deities of the Heathens, are nullities; indeed they are Devils, and thoſe Idolls were their receptacles, and as it were their bodies, from whence in ſome places they gave oracles; but were ſilenced at Chriſts comming in the fleſh, to the great amazement of their ſuperſtitious worſhipers.
But the Lord made the Heavens] With ſingular artifice, Heb. 11.10.Clem. Ale… Paid. l. 1. c. … uſing foreign every engine of wiſdome.
Verſ. 6. Honour and Majeſty are before him] Theſe are his Harbingers, and they go often coupled, as Pſal. 21.45.111.145. Job 40. &c. By the former ſeemeth to be meant outward port and ſplendour; by the latter, inward reverence and reſpect following thereupon.
Strength and beauty are in his ſanctuary] Gods glory ſhineth more in his Church, than in all the World beſides.
Verſ. 7. Give unto the Lord] See Pſal. 29.1, 2. One rendreth it Tribuite ponderoſe, unde foreign onus, pondus portate: to ſhew, that our praiſes of God ſhould bee ponderous and ſubſtantiall.
Verſ. 8. Give unto the lord the glory, &c.] It was hard for the Heathens to forgo their ſuperſtitions (Tully reſolved he would never do it, &c.) therefore they are here ſo preſſed to it. See …ev. 14.6, 7. With the Notes there. One Expoſitor geiveth this note here, Ternarius numerus eſt ſacer …b myſterium Triadis; ideo enim co ſcriptura gaudet. The Scripture oft preſſeth or expreſieth things thrice over, in reference to the myſtery of the holy Trinity.
Bring an offering] Reaſonable ſervice,Geneb. Rom. 12.1. ſpirituall ſacrifices acceptable by Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.5.
Verſ. 9. O worſhip the Lord, &c.] Supplicate proni, fall flat on your faces. See Pſal. 95.6.
In the beauty of holineſſe] i.e. In his courts, as verſe 8. or in holy beauty, as ſome render it; that is, in true faith, and with good affections.
Fear before him] Rejoyce before him with trembling, Pſal. 2.
Verſ. 10. Say among the Heathen] Proclamate undi que praecones, &c. Make proclamation every where, that now the Lord Chriſt reigneth; and that there ſhall bee a generall Jubilee.
The World alſo ſhall be eſtabliſhed] There is no true ſtability, but where Chriſt reigneth; he will ſettle peace and good order, which the Devil, that turbulent ſpirit, and his agents, deſire to diſturb, and to ſet all on an hurry-comb.
Verſ. 11. Let the Heavens rejoyce, &c.] Let there be a general joy for the general renovation by the comming of Chriſt, Rom. 8.22. after which the whole creation groaneth alſo. Baſil and others by Heaven, Earth, &c. underſtand Angels, men of all ſorts, an Iſlanders, ſeamen, fieldmen, woodlanders, &c. Vel eſt ſimil…tudo ad denotandam in mundo pacem, ſaith Kimchi, Or it is a ſimilitude to note peace all over the World. And ſurely when Chriſt came there was an univerſal aut pax aut paectio (ſaith Florus) peace or truce under the government of Auguſtus.
Let the Sea roar] Heb. Thunder; Externo fragore & bombo teſtetur internam animi laetitiam; let it teſtify its joy, perſtrependo & reboando by roaring its utmoſt.
Verſ. 12. Let the field be joyfull, &c.] And ſo give check to the hardneſſe of mans heart, not at all affected with thoſe benefit by Chriſt, wherein they are far more concerned than theſe inſenſible creatures; which yet have lain bed-ridden as it were, ever ſince mans fall, and earneſtly wait for the manifeſtation of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.19.
Verſ. 13. Before the Lord, for he commeth, for he commeth] Certainly, ſuddainly, happily, &c. for this is the ſumme of all the good news in the World, that Chriſt commeth and commeth; that is ſaith Baſil, once to ſhew the World how they ſhall be ſaved; and a ſecond time to judge the World, for neglecting ſo great ſalvation, &c.