Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 2
PSAL. II.
Verſ. 1 VVHy do the Heathen rage?] Why? or for what? The Pſalm beginneth abruptly, with an angry interrogation, q.d. What? are they mad to attempt ſuch things, as whereof they can neither give any good reaſon, nor expect any good effect? The Lord Chriſt of whom David was both a Father and a Figure, (as here appeareth) ſhall ſurely reign, maugre all the rage and reſiſtance of his enemies, who may ſeem to be ambitious of their own deſtruction, and are therefore in this Pſalm ſchooled, and counſelled to deſiſt. Nothing is more irrational than irreligion; Why do the Heathen tumultuouſly rage, or hurtle together, Fremunt & ferociunt? When the Philiſtines heard that David was made King in Hebron, they came up to ſeek him, and to unking him, 2 Sam. 5.17. ſo the Heathen and People, that is, Gentiles and Jews would have dealt by Chriſt, Acts 4.25, 26. The Devil ever ſince hee was caſt out of Heaven, tumultuateth, and keepeth ado; ſo do unruly ſpirits acted and agitated by him. Dan. 6.15. Then thoſe men kept a ſtir with the King againſt Daniel; it is the ſame Hebrew word that is here, and poſſibly Daniels ſpirit might think of Davids terms. John 11.33. Jeſus troubled himſelf, but after another manner than theſe his enemies; his paſſions were without mud, as clear water in a Chryſtal Glaſs; what was an act of power in Chriſt, is an act of weakneſs, if not of wickedneſs, in others.foreign Acts 4.25. The Apoſtles Greek word for this in the text denoteth rage, pride, and fierceneſs, as of Horſes that Neigh, and ruſh into the Battel.
And the people imagine] Heb. meditate, or mutter a vain thing, an empty deſign, that ſhall come to noting.
Niteris incaſſum Chriſti ſubmergere puppem:
Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illaratis.
Dipt may the Churches Ship be, but not drown'd;
Chriſt will not fail her enemies to confound.
Some think that by this, muttering people are meant, ſuch as act not open outrages againſt Chriſt; but yet in words murmur and mutiny, whiſpering Treaſon.
Verſ. 2. The Kings of the earth ſet themſelves] Or, ſtand up, as if they would do the deed, and bear down all before them. The many had acted their part, verſ. 1. and now the mighties ſhew themſelves, but go off again with ſhame enough. The Spaniſh Frier uſed to ſay, there were but few Princes in Hell; and why? becauſe there were but few in all. It was a poor comfort to our Henry 8. to bee told upon his Death-bed, That he was now going to the place of Kings. Some ſuch there have been as proved nurſing Fathers to the Church, and propagated the Kingdom of Chriſt in their Generations, Eſa. 49.33. but what a vain vaunt was that of thoſe bloudy Tyrants in the Primitive times, who ſounded the Triumph before-hand, and thus engraved the Victory upon pillars of Marble, Nomine Chriſtianorum deleto qui Remp. evertebant? What was all this, but a blaze before their laſt Light went out? or like ſome bulging wall that was ſwoln immediatly before it fell? have any ever yet waxed fierce againſt Chriſt and proſpered? Job 9.4.
And the Rulers take counſel together] Or, have laid their foundation: for counſel is to action,Syncretiſm…m incunt, & quaſi ſe funda…t conſiliis ſuis, &c. ſaith Aben-Ezra here, the ſame that the foundation is to a building. The Chaldee hath it, they conſociate to rebel before the Lord, and to fight againſt his Annoynted. But with what ſucceſs, ſee Iſa. 8.9, 10. Immanuel will over-match them.
Verſ. 3. Let us break their bands aſunder, &c.) Here theſe Rebels are brought in, proclaming their treaſonable Decrees againſt Chriſt, and his adherents, who ſeek to promote his Kingdom. Reſolved they were to run riot, as lawleſs and awleſs, and therefore they ſlander the ſweet Laws of Chriſts Kingdom, as bonds and thick cords (thoſe ſigns of ſlavery, Jer. 27.2, 6, 7.) as burdens, and grievances.Melch. Adam in vit. Bucer. So the Popiſh Clergy of Collen told their good Arch-Biſhop Albert (who had made uſe of Bucer and Melancthon to bring things into better order) that they had rather live under the Turkiſh Government, than under ſuch a Reformation. But what ſaith our Saviour? My yoke is eaſie, and my burthen light: No more burthen it is to a regenerate perſon, than the wings are to the Bird. He delighteth in the Law of God after the inward man, Rom. 7. It is not to him now, as once, bands and cords, but as Girdles and Garters, which gird up his loyns, and expedite his courſe the better. It confineth him to live in that element where he would live; as if one ſhould be confined to Paradiſe, where he would be, though there were no ſuch Law.
Verſ. 4. He that ſitteth in the Heavens ſhall laugh at them] Videt, ridet: He ſeeth and ſmileth, he looketh and laugheth at theſe Giants. Hee ſitteth in Heaven far above their reach; neither doth he much trouble himſelf about the matter. No more ſhould we; but truſt in him, and know that there is a Council in Heaven that will daſh the mould of all contrary Counſels upon Earth; as the ſtone cut out of the Mountain did the Four great Monarchies, Dan. 2.34. See an inſtance hereof in latter times. Luther, that Heroical Reformer was Excommunicated by the Pope, proſcribed by the Emperour, hated and curſed all Chriſtendom over almoſt, yet he proſpered, and the Work of Chriſt went on in his hands. And when the Elector of Saxony (his only Patron) was much afraid what would become of him, and of the buſineſs of Religion, Luther out of his Pathmus (as he called it) where he lay hid, writeth him a rouſing Letter, wherein is read this among many other brave paſſages; Sciat Celſitudo tua & nihil dubitet longè alitèr in coelo quàm Noribergae de hoc negotio concluſum eſt, Let your Highneſs reſt well aſſured of this, that things are far otherwiſe carried, and concluded of in Heaven, than they are at the Imperial Diet held at Norinberg. After this, in the year of Grace, one thouſand five hundred twenty ſix, there conſpired againſt the Goſpel, and the Profeſſors thereof, the Emperour and his Priſoner in Spain, the French King, the Princes alſo, and Biſhops in Germany, ſtirred up by the Pope. The French King was ſet at liberty, upon condition to joyn with the Emperour to root out Lutheraniſm, that is, true Religion. This was the agreement, but God brake it, for the French King was no ſooner come home, but he made a League with the Pope, and the Venetians, againſt the Emperour. The Pope excuſeth his falling off from Caeſar by a petulant and malapert Epiſtle. Caeſar by another Letter …ays open to the World the Popes perfidy, exhorting him to peace, and concluding, that they had more need to unite their Forces for the extirpation of Lutheran Hereſie, &c. By this means the Church had an happy Halcyon, whiles theſe great ones were out, and at it.
The Lord will have them in deriſion] Adonai, that is, the ſuſtainer and upholder of all. Chriſt is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Rev. 19.16. Lords and Loſels are all his vaſſals and underlings, as Conſtantine, Theodoſius, and Valentine, thoſe great Emperours called themſelves. This Name or Stile Chriſt hath written on his Veſture, that all may ſee it, and on his Thigh, where hangs his Sword, to ſhew his abſolute Dominion, his illimited Empire, got and held out of the hands of his enemies, with his Sword, and with his Bow, as Gen. 48.22. And when he is ſaid to deride them, this is more than to laugh at them, as the following effects ſhew.
Verſ. 5. Then ſhall he ſpeak unto them, &c.] Hep. He ſhall tell them, viz. a peece of his minde, to their ſmall comfort. As a great Prince ſitting on a lofty Throne, rateth his Rebels when once he hath brought them before him, and pronounceth ſentence upon them in fierce wrath. See Jer. 52.9. ſo will the King of Heaven do by his ſturdy refractories. Whether he will ſpeak unto them by his words, or by his rods, Job 33.14, 19, 20, 21. and when he will do it, he hath reſerved in his own power and pleaſure, Acts 1.7. but ſooner or later he will not fail to do it; and Poena venit gravior, quò magè ſeravenit.
And vex them] Or trouble them, as he did the Babel-builders, Pharaoh, Sennacherib, others: Either by horror of Conſcience, or corporal Plagues, one way or other he will have his penny-worths of them, as he had of the old and late Perſecutors of his people.
Verſ. 6. Yet have I ſet my King] Heb. And I have ſet, Heb. I have anointed; where the ſign of his inauguration, or entrance into his Kingdom, is put for the poſſeſſion and injoying thereof. David was anointed by Gods appointment. Chriſt was alſo anho…ted and appointed by his Father, to the Office and work of a Mediator; and is therefore here called his King. And, is here a ſign of indignation ſtirred.
Ʋpon mine holy hill of Zion] Davids ſtrong Hold, and a Figure of the Church; Heb. 12.22. Rev. 14.1. Iſa. 60.14. as being the Seat of the Kingdom and Sanctuary. Out of Zion alſo went forth the Law; and the Word of the Lord out of Jeruſalem, Iſa. 2.3. it ſignifieth a Watch-tower: In the Church Chriſt, Angels, Miniſters, common Chriſtians, watch againſt enemies viſible and inviſible.
Verſ. 7. I will declare the decree] that irrevocable decree of the Father, for the ſetting up of his Sons Scepter contra gentes, point blank oppoſite to that decree of theirs, verſ. 3. This Ordinance or Decree of his, Chriſt is ſtill declaring in his Church by the Miniſters of the Goſpel, whoſe Office it is to ſet forth Chriſt to the world in all his Offices and Efficacies, and to bring as many as may be to the obedience of the faith.
Thou art my Son] David was ſo by Adoption, and Acceptation, Pſal. 89.26, 27. But Chriſt, I By eternal generation, Prov. 8. Heb. 1.5. 2 By hypoſtatical union, and ſo God had one only Son (as Abraham had his Iſaac) though otherwiſe he were the Father of many Nations.
This day have I begotten thee] Underſtand it either of the day of Eternity, or elſe of the fulneſs of time wherein God brought his firſt begotten Son into the world, and afterwards mightily declared him to be the Son of God by the Reſurrection from the dead, Rom. 1.3. Acts 13.33. whence he is called the firſt begotten of the dead, Col. 1.18. Rev. 1.5.
Verſ. 8. Ask of me, and I will give thee] All things were conveyed to Chriſt by asking: Shall we think to have any thing without asking? Or, are we not worthily miſerable that will not make our ſelves happy by asking? Now, through Chriſts Paſſion, and Interceſſion, it is but ask and have: Open thy mouth, and I will fill it. If at any time we ask and miſs, it is for moſt part becauſe we ask amiſs, …. 4.2.
The Heathen for thine inheritance] The Kingdom of Grace, (the object whereof are all Nations) Chriſt hath by Donation from his Father: for his Natural Kingdom he hath as God coaequal with his Father from all eternity.
Verſ. 9.Thou ſhalt roughly rule them. Ainſw: Thou ſhalt break them, &c.] ſc. thoſe that will not bend, thou ſhalt thus break. Chriſts gracious Government of his obedient people, though not ſo fully expreſſed here, yet is to be neceſſarily underſtood; and in the laſt words of the Pſalm it is plainly held forth, Bleſſed are all they that truſt in him.
Thou ſhalt daſh them in peeces (or, ſcatter them abroad, being already broken) as a Potters veſſel] i.e. without any hope of repair and recovery. It is a fearful thing to fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God, Heb. 10. He that will not be warned in hearing, ſhall be cruſht to peeces in feeling, ſaid that Martyr, Aut faciendum aut patiendum, God will be obeyed either actively, or paſſively. Look to it.
Verſ. 10. Be wiſe now therefore O yee Kings] Redeem your own ſorrows, by trembling at Gods Judgements, whiles they hang in the threatnings: this is an high point of heavenly wiſdom.
Ergo Dei tandem verbo ſubſoribite reges:
Ne rapiant Stygiae vos Acherontis aqua.
Theſe Kings were not without wit and learning; Julian the Apoſtate for inſtance (who ſaid unto the King Chriſt, Apoſtato) but they wanted godly wiſdom, and are therefore here called upon to behave themſelves prudently, and to play the wiſe men. For as wicked men are fools in print: ſo on the contrary, in our old Engliſh Books, a righteous man is printed a right wiſe man, and righteouſneſs right-wiſeneſs. For it is the only true both Wiſdom, Pſal. 111.10. Prov. 1.7. and Honour, for the righteous are Princes in all Lands, Pſal. 45.16. yea they are Kings. Compare Mat. 13.17. with Luke 10.25. Many righteous, ſaith the one, many Kings, ſaith the other Evangeliſt.
Be inſtructed yee Judges] Be nurtured yee Sages; ſubmit to Chriſts Diſcipline, acknowledge his Prophetical Office here, his Prieſtly, verſ. 11. his Kingly, v. 12. Eſtote ligati, ſo Aben-Ezra rendreth it, Be yee bound, in oppoſition to that evil decree of theirs, verſ. 3. Let us break their bonds, &c. And this they are adviſed to do forth-with, while it is called to day, Now therefore, before God the Father vex you, God the Son bruiſe you, with his Iron mace.
Verſ. 11. Serve the Lord with fear] Timore non ſervili ſed amicali, with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12.28. Say to Chriſt as the people did to Joſhua, chap. 1.16. and as the Rulers and Elders of Iſrael did to John, 2 King. 10.5. We are thy ſervants, and will do all that thou ſhalt bid us.
And rejoyce before him with trembling] A ſtrange mixture of contrary paſſions, (for baſe fear hath torment, 1 Joh. 4.18.) but ſuch as is uſual with Gods Servants, whoſe task it is to work out their ſalvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. Agreeable whereunto is that of Bernard, Laetiſimus ſed non ſecuri: gandentes in Domino ſed caventes à recidivo. Thoſe good women went from Chriſts Sepulcher with fear and great joy. We ſhould come to him in his Ordinances, like affected.
Verſ. 12. Kiſs the Son] That Son of God, verſ. 7. Bar is an Hebrew word alſo; (ſee Prov. 31.2) as R. Abraham confeſſeth, though other Rabbins deny it; and therefore render this text. Oſculamini purè, Kiſs purely, and Oſculamini eum qui ſelectus eſt, Oſculo homagii, as Samuel kiſſed Saul. 1 Sam. 10. … Gen. 41;40. Euſeb. Mortuus eſt Moſes ad os Jehova. Maimonides. foreignKiſs him who is ſelected, or ſet apart: Chriſt is Gods elect, Iſa. 42.1. Mat. 12.14. Him men muſt kiſs with a kiſs of adoration and ſubjection, with a kiſs of faith and love, 1 Pet. 5.14. Kiſs his holy Wounds, as Conſtantine did the Eye of Paphnutius, that was bored out in Maximinus the Tyrants time; ſo ſhall hee kiſs us with the kiſſes of his mouth, Cant. 1.1. and with his kiſſes ſuck out the ſting of death, and take away our ſouls with a kiſs, as the Rabbins from Deut. 34.5. ſay he did Moſes his ſoul. The ancient Patriarks ſaluted Chriſt afar off, and were interchangeably ſaluted by him, Heb. 11.13, for they ſaw by faith him who is inviſible, verſ. 27. O get a Patriarks eye, ſtudy Moſes his Opticks: for here the Northern Proverb is found true, Unkent unkiſt. Men know not the Son of God, and therefore love him not, kiſs him not, unleſs it be Oſculo Iſcariotico, as the Traitor kiſſed him: See a lofty and lively deſcription of him, Heb. 1.2, 3.
Leſt he be angry] For meek though he be as a Lamb, and will not break the bruiſed Reed; yet ſo angry he can be, that the Kings and great ones ſhall be glad to flee from the wrath of this Lamb, Rev. 6. who hath feet like burning braſs, and eyes like flaming fire, Rev. 1. Plato ſaith of the King of Bees, that although he hath no ſting, yet he ruleth and governeth his Common-wealth with great ſeverity and juſtice: So doth the Lord Chriſt; and every good Soul is ready to ſay as the Poet did,
Ut mala nulla feram niſi nudam Caeſaris iram,
Nuda parùm nobis Caeſaris ira mali eſt?Ovid.
And yee periſh form the way] Or, in the way, that is in medio ſtadio, before yee come to your Journies end, to the full accompliſhment of your purpoſes and practices, deſtruction ſhall ſuddenly ſeize you, 1 Theſſ. 5.3.
When his wrath is kindled but a little] It is ſometimes let out in minnums, as Hoſ 5.12. but if timely courſe be not taken it grows to a great matter, as Thunder doth, and as Fire, that at firſt burns a little within upon a few boards, but if not quenched, burſteth out in a moſt terrible flame.
Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him] That is, in Chriſt, Joh. 14.1. Now to truſt in him, is ſo to be unbottom'd of thy ſelf, and of every Creature, and ſo to lean upon Chriſt, that if he fail thee, thou ſinkeſt: it is to relye upon him alone for ſafety here, and Salvation hereafter. This, this is to ſecure a mans title to true Bleſſedneſs; and with this grave ſentence the Prophet ſhutteth up the whole Pſalm, ſhewing the different condition of the godly from the wicked. See the Note on verſ. 9.