Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 112 – Psalm 114
PSAL. CXII.
PRaiſe ye the Lord] See Pſal. 111. verſ. 1. Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord] That obedientially ſeareth him as aforeſaid, Pſal. 111.10. that feareth the Lord, as Abraham did, Gen. 22.12.Midraſh Till… in Pſal. 112. who is the bleſſed man here deſcribed, ſay the Jew-Doctors, becauſe he kept the whole Law from … to Tau (this Pſalm alſo is Alphabetical as the former) wiſh his whole heart, delighting in Gods commandements, and haſtening to fulfil them; as when he left his Countrey, circumciſed his family, ſacrificed his ſon.
That delighteth greatly in his commandements] And thereby ſheweth that his fear of God is filial and amicable, not baſe and ſervile, which ever carrieth tor…ent along with it; and he that ſo ſeareth, is not made perfect in love, I Job. 4.18. cannot but hate him whom he ſo feareth; for Quam metuunt oderunt.
Verſ. 2. His ſeed ſhall be mighty upon earth] As Abrahams was, and beſides, the reward of his humility and fear of the Lord was riches and honour, and life, Prov. 22.4. For godlineſs is profitable to all things, having the promiſes of this life, and of that to come, I Tim. 4.8. as in this Pſalm is fully ſet forth.
The generation of the righteous, &c.] Perſonal goodneſs is profitable to poſterity, and the contrary.
Verſ. 3. Wealth and riches] Wealth enough, as the word Hon ſignifieth a well-contented ſufficiency. His chambers ſhall be filled with all precious and pleaſant riches, Prov. 24.4.
His righteouſneſs endureth for ever] He is not the worſe for his wealth, nor drawn aſide by the deceitfulneſs of riches; which yet is hard and happy.
Ardua res baec eſt opibus non tradere mores:
Et cum tot Craeſos viceris, eſſe Numam.Martial.
Verſ. 4. Ʋnto the upright, there ariſeth light in darkneſs] i.e. Joy in tribulation, as did unto the Martyrs, plenty in penury, at having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things, 2. Cor, 6 10. If they have not an external affluence, yet they have an internal influence of grace and comfort, which is far better and ſweeter, I Tim. 6.6. Some render the words thus, He who is gracious, and full of compaſſion, and righteous (i.e. God) cauſeth light to ariſe in darkneſs upon the upright; who alſo, is, according to his meaſure, and by participation from God, gracious, merciful, and righteous.
Verſ. 5. A good man ſheweth favour and lendeth] A publick-ſpirited man, Rom. 5.7. maketh his moderation to be known to all men, Philip. 4.5. and lendeth, looking for nothing again, Luk. 6.35. Thence it is that to him light ariſeth in darkneſs; the merciful ſhall have mercy, Mat. 5.7. Some render it, Bene vire qui miſeratur, Well is the man, or, Well will it be with the man that pittieth and lendeth. The Hebrew hath it, That is pittying and lending, ever in ſuch actions.
He will guide his affairs with diſcretion] Heb. With judgement; neither illiberal not prodigal, not withered handed when he ſhould give, nor yet ſtretching beyond the ſtaple; for that were to ſpoyl all. Tremellius rendreth it, Moderatur res ſuas, ex officio.
Verſ. 6. Surely be ſhall not be moved for ever] Non nutabit. The world thinketh liberality to be the ready way to beggary: But it is otherwiſe, Iſa. 32.8. The liberal man deviſeth liberal things, and by liberal things he ſhall ſtand. Not getting, but giving is the way to wealth.
The righteous ſhall be in everlaſting remembrance] Namely with the righteous. Demetrius hath good report of all good men, and of the truth it ſelf, 3 Job. 12.Vatab. As for wicked men. Calumnias corum nunqu…m effugit, there is no eſcaping their cavils and calumnies.
Verſ. 7. He ſhall not be afraid of evil tydings] When the miſerly miſcreant is ready to make away himſelf for feat of what evil may follow, this man is undaunted and unappaled. The fear of God ſo ballaſteth his hears, that he floteth ſteadily; and blow what wind it will, he ſaileth ſate to the port. Fides famem non formidat, Faith ſeareth no famine, nor any thing elſe; when as a ſound of ſear is ever in the wicked mans cars, Job. 15.
His heart is fixed] viz. Upon the promiſes of God, and hence he … a ſpiritual ſecurity, a bleſſed Sabbath of Spirit; he is freed, if not from the common deſtruction, yet from the common diſtraction; for he knoweth whom he hath truſted. Praeclara eſt equabilitas in omni vita,In offic. & idem ſemper vnitus, eademque frons, ſaith Cicero, It is a brave thing to have a well-compoſed ſpirit in all changes, and to look alike however the world goeth.… lib. 9. The heathens tell us that C. Lalius was ſuch an one, and Archimedes, and Socrates, who are ſaid to have been far above all fear of, or grief at, any diſaſter. But that could not be, becauſe their hearts were not fixed, truſting in the Lord. And how Socrates (the beſt of them) ſtaggered and faultered when he came to dye, appeareth by his laſt ſpeech, as it is related both by Plato and Cicero.
Verſ. 8. His heart is eſtabliſhed] Heb. Ʋnderpropt, ſhored up.
He ſhall not be afraid] Of any adverſe power, Pſal. 3. & 27.
Ʋntil he ſee his deſire] Which his faith will once work out.
Verſ. 9. He hath diſperſed] Or, made a ſcatter, yet with diſcretion, giving liberally, but moſt of all where is moſt need, and with a ſpecialty of reſpect to the family of ſaith, Gal. 6.
His righteouſneſs endureth for ever] The reward of his charity is laſting, or his charity is never at an end;Sic vocat ele… moſynas. Aben-Ezr. he giveth after that he hath given, as a ſpring runneth after it hath run, as the Sun ſhineth after it hath ſhone. See a Cor. 8.
His horn ſhall be exalted] i.e. His head, as 1 Sam. 2.1, 10.
Verſ. 10. The wicked ſhall ſee it] Vir improbus & reprobus; The covetous Caitiff who ſate a brood upon his bags, and befool'd the bountiful man, ſhall himſelf come to beggery, which he ſo much feared, and be ready to eat his own nayis through envy at the others proſperity; and becauſe he cannot come at his heart, he ſeeds upon his own, yea puts himſelf into an hell above ground, both for pain of loſs, and pain of ſenſe, as here.
PSAL. CXIII.
VErſ. 1. Hallelujah] See Pſal. 111.1.
Praiſe, Oye ſervants of the Lord] None but ſuch can do it, or are fit for it; and for ſuch, praiſe is comely, Pſal. 147.1. as unthankfulneſs is an ugly ſin, but eſpecially in Miniſters, thoſe ſervants of the Lord, by a ſpecialty.
Praiſe the name of the Lord] Ter repetit, Trinitatem ſubindicando, ſaith One; Others note that by this threefold Praiſe ye, the Pſalmiſt taxeth mens dulneſs, and exciteth their diligence to this divine duty.
Verſ. 2. Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord] Praiſe him with utmoſt intenſion and extenſion of ſpirit and of ſpeech. God is therefore called by an appellative proper, The bleſſed One Baruc-bu, Mark. 14.61. Luke 1.68.
From this time, &c.] A nunc & uſque.
Verſ. 3. From the riſing of the Sun] i. e. All the world over, in all places and at all times. North and South are not mentioned (but included) becauſe not ſo well peopled.
Verſ. 4.Aug. The Lord is high, &c.] He looketh on the earth as on a Ant-hillock. All Nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket, Iſa. 40. Quantilla ergo es in istius gu…ae particula?
And his glory above the heavens] Theſe are as far beneath him in glory, as in ſituation. Angels underſtand him not fully.
Verſ. 5. Who is like, &c] See Pſal. 89.6. He Is imparallel.
Who dwelleth on high] Heb. Who exaheth to dwell. Oh that we could flye, a pitch any way proportionable by exalting his Name together, Pſal. 34.3.
Verſ. 6. Who humbleth himſelf] Lo, it is a condeſcention in God to vouchſafe to look one of himſelf upon the Saints and Angels, how much more upon us? Sith fin ſe…teth us …urt her beneath a worm, than a worm is beneath an Angel.
Verſ. 7. He raiſeth up the poor, &c.] David for inſtance, beſides many others; as Agathecles, …, Maximinianus, &c. whom he raiſed from the loweſt ſtair to the very higheſt ſtep of honour and opulency.
Verſ. 8. That he may ſet him with Princes] See 1 Sam. 2.8. Hannabs ſong, where of this ſeemeth to be an abridgement.
Verſ. 9. He … the … we man to keep houſe] Heb. To dwell in an houſe, that is, to have a houſe full of Children, and ſo to build her husbands houſe, Ruth 4.11. This is applyed to the Church (which is the theatre of the World, wherein God ſheweth his ſpeciall providence and power) Iſa. 54, 1. Gal. 4.26, 27.
PSAL. CXIV.
VErſ. 1 When Iſrael went out of Egypt] Emedie gentis, ideſt ex viſcoribus Aegyptiorum, qui …s quaſi deglutiebant, out of the midſt of that Nation,Mid. Tillim. in Pſa. 114. that is, out of the bowels of the Aegpytians, who had as it were devoured them; thus the Jew-doctors gloſſe upon this Text.
From a people of ſtrange language] And yet more eſtranged affections, jearing them, and their Religion, as the word Lognez (which is of affinity with Logneg a ſcoffer) ſeemeth to ſound. Afterwards it was prophecied that five Cities in the land of Egypt ſhould ſpeak the language (or lip) of Canaan, Iſa. 19.18. viz. when the Lord ſhould turn to them, a pure language, Zeph. 3.9.
Verſ. 2. Judah was his ſanctuary] Or Sanctitie, or Sanctification. This was an happy change for them, from their Egyptian Idolatry, Ezek. 23.19. like as it was from their Egyptian ſervitude, when Iſrael became Gods dominions, dominations and ſigniories.
Verſ. 3. The Sea ſaw it and fled] When God will deliver his people, and perform his promiſes unto them, nothing ſhall hinder, but all Creatures ſhall contribute their helps; for they are all his ſervants, Pſal. 119.91.
Verſ. 4. The Mountains skipped like Rams] ſcil. at the giving of the law, Exod. 19.18. which alſo cauſeth heart-quakes in beleevers; but the unjuſt knoweth no ſhame, Zeph. 3.5. is paſt feeling, Epheſ. 4.19.
Verſ. 5 What ailed thee, O thou Sea] Or, what came to thee? can there any naturall reaſon bee given? or was it Gods powerfull preſence only that cauſed you to run retrograde? Atheiſts and unbleevers will ſearch the Devills ſcull to find out ſomething whereby they may elevate Gods great works, and elude his Arguments; as Pharaoh ſat not down under the miracle, but ſent for the Magicians, and hardened his own heart.
Verſ. 6 Yee Mountains that yee skipped, &c.] Theſe two verſes teach us, ſaith One, that wee may many times ask queſtions, and yet neither doubt of the matters, nor bee ignorant in them.
Verſ. 7 Tremble thou Earth, f] Heb. See in pain as a travelling woman; for if the giving of the law had ſuch dreadfull effects, what ſhould the breaking thereof have?
At the preſence of the God of Jacob] Whom Jacob, that is. Gods covenanted people, knoweth and confideth in a midſt all his auſterities, Iſa. 63.16. and can boldly ſay, as Hab. 1.12. Art not thou from everlaſting O Lord my God mine holy one? wee ſhall not dye.
Verſ. 8 Which turned the rock into a ſtanding water] Set the Rock of Rephidi… abroach, and made it not only a ſtanding water (ſtagnum, as here) but a running river; for the Rock followed them; and that Rock was Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.4. with Joh. 4.14. & 7.38.
The Flint into a fountain of Waters] Still God worketh for his people, in oppoſitis mediis (as Luther expreſſeth it) by contrary means, and rather than they ſhall want neceſſaries, hee both can and will work miracles.