Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 118
PSAL. CXVIII.
VErſ. 1. O give thanks, &c.] See Pſal. 106.1.
Verſ. 2. Let Iſrael now ſay] All the Iſrael of God, for only ſuch are fit to praiſe God: excellent words become not a fool; the Lepers lips are to bee covered.
Verſ. 3. Let the houſe of Aaron now ſay] Miniſters are Chieftains, Heb. 13.7, 17. and ſhould be as the chief Chanters in Gods praiſes.
Verſ. 4. Let them now that fear the Lord ſay] See Pſal. 115.11. and obſerve, that the Pſalmiſt beateth upon the foreign (as doth alſo the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.….) Now, now, now, ſaith he; becauſe, for ought we know, tis now or never, to day or not at all; the dead praiſe thee not, Pſal. 6.6.
That his mercy, &c.] This is the fourth time in four verſes, as Pſal. 136. in every one of thoſe twenty ſix verſes, like as a Bird that having gotten a Note recordeth it over and over.
Verſ. 5 I called upon the Lord in diſtreſs] Heb. out of diſtreſs, q. d. I celebrate not God mercy of courſe, but out of experience.
The Lord anſwered me] Heb. Jah anſwered me with a large r…th. See Pſa. 4.2
Verſ. 6. I will not fear, &c.] See Pſal. 36.4, 11.
Verſ. 7. The Lord taketh my part with them that help me] Not only as one of my helpers, but inſtead of all, and more than all. How many reckon yee me at? ſaid that General to his Souldiers, who were afraid of their enemies numbers; Cui adhaereo praeſt, He whom I take part with muſt needs prevail.
Verſ. 8. It is better to truſt in the Lord, &c.] Luther on this text calleth it, Artem artium, & mirificam, ac ſuam artem, non fidere hominibus, that is, the Art of Arts, and that which he had well ſtudied, not to put confidence in man; as for truſt in God, he calleth it, Sacrificium omnium gratiſſimum & ſuaviſſimum, & cultum omnium pulcherrimum, the moſt pleaſant and ſweeteſt of all Sacrifices, the beſt of all ſervices we perform to God.
Than to put confidence in man] Quia mutatur aut fortuna, aut voluntas, aut vita, ſaith Genebrard, becauſe either men may dye, or their affections may dye, or their wealth decay.
Verſ. 9. Than to put confidence in Princes] In ingenuis. Great mens words, ſaith one, are like dead mens ſhooes; he may go bare-foot that waiteth for them. Surely men of high degree are a lye, Pſal. 62.9.
Verſ. 10. All Nations compaſſed me about] This is ſtill the condition of Chriſts Church in this evil world, to be hated of all, and ſet againſt with utmoſt might and malice. Haud perinde crimine incendii quam odio humani generis convicti ſunt, ſaith Tacitus of thoſe Chriſtians at Rome put to cruel deaths by Nero, who having for his pleaſure fired the City fathered it upon them, as people hated of all men.
But in the name of the Lord] i.e. by faith in Gods power and promiſes. Wee might alſo do great exploits againſt our Spiritual enemies, did we but ſet upon them with Gods arms, and with his armour; did we but obſerve the Apoſtles rule, Whatſoever yee do in word, or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jeſus, &c. Col. 3.17.
Verſ. 11. They compaſſed me about, yea &c.] They thought to make ſure work of me indeed, as Saul and his men, when they hemmed him in at M…on, 1 Sam. 23.26. as the Churches enemies, when they had gotten her, as a Bird into the ſ…a… of the Fowler, Pſal. 124.7. as when the adverſaries ſaid, They ſhall not know, neither ſee, till we come in the midd…ſt among them, and ſtay them Ne…. 4.11.
But in the name of the Lord I will deſtroy them] E…rva…, …eid…, The word ſignifieth, Non … dormi…uti …i…g…r… vict…ri…, ſed …rtami & pr…l…a…i, Moller. Plat. in Syl.that hee foiled not his foes without pains and peril. Towns were ſaid to come into Th… th…us his toyls whiles he ſlept: but that was but a fiction of thoſe that … him.
Verſ. 12. They …poſſed me about like Bees] Like ſo many ſwarms of Bees, which being angred
— Ven…m
Morſibus inſpirant, & ſpicula caca relinqnunt
Affixa venis, animaſ que in … p…t.Virgil.
Bees to be revenged loſe their ſtings,Ariſt…t. and therewith their lives, or at leaſt they become drones ever after. Wicked men are no leſs ſpiteful; they care not to undoe themſelves, ſo they may wrong the Saints; yea they are not unlike the Scorpion, of which Pliny ſaith, that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the ſting.
They are quenched (or kindled) a… the fire of thorns] Which is quickly kindled, and as quickly quenched,Ex ſpinis non …un: exbones …. leaving no coals behind it. See Eccleſ. 7.6. The enemies of the Church may make a blaze, but they are but a blaſt.
Verſ. 13. Thou haſt thruſt ſore at me] Thou, O Saul, or thou Iſhbibenob, 2 Sam. 21.16. or thou, O Satan, ſetting ſuch a work.
But the Lord helped mee] Hee ſent from heaven and ſaved mee: hee came in the nick of time, as it were out of an Engine.
Verſ. 14. The Lord is my ſtrength and ſong] i.e. The matter of my ſong, and mean of my joy. Truſt in God ſhall once triumph.
Verſ. 15. The voice of rejoycing, &c.] q.d. Though themſelves are but travellers, and their habitations tabernacles or tents; yet are they not without the joy of their ſalvation, which is unſpeakable, and full of glory; ſo that they go merrily on their way feeding on this hony-comb (as once Sampſon) and Gods Statutes are their ſongs in the houſe of their Pilgrimage, Pſal. 119.54.
The right hand of the Lord, &c.] This and that which followeth is the righteous mans ditty which hee ſingeth unceſſantly. See on verſ. 4.
Verſ.Haec eſt vox Epini…il. 16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted] By right hand here ſome underſtand the humanity of Chriſt, Gods hand and our handle, whereby wee come to take hold of God.
The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly] Thrice hee celebrateth Gods right hand; to ſet forth his earneſt deſire to ſay the utmoſt; or in reference to the ſacred Trinity, as ſome will have it.
Verſ. 17 I ſhall not dye, but live] This hee was well aſſured of by Faith: as was alſo the Church in Habbakkuk, chap. 1.12. Art not thou from everlaſting, O Lord my God, mine boly One? wee ſhall not dye. Learned Keckerman lying on his death bed, and deſirous (if it had ſo pleaſed God) to have lived a while longer for the finiſhing of thoſe excellent peeces hee had in hand, made uſe of theſe words of the Pſalmiſt, I ſhall not dye, but live, and declare the works of the Lord (hee was then upon his ſyſtem of naturall Philoſophy) but God had otherwiſe appointed it, and hee ſubmitted.
Verſ. 18. The Lord hath chaſtened mee ſore] Corripuit me ſeria & ſevera caſtigatione; and yet David was his darling.
But hee hath not given mee ever to death] It might have been worſe may the afflicted Saint ſay; and it will yet bee better: It is in mercy, and in meaſure that God chaſtiſeth his Children. It is his care that the Spirit fail not before him, nor the ſoules which hee hath made, Iſa. 57.16. If his Child ſwounds in the whipping, God lets fall the rod, and falls a kiſſing it, to fetch life into it again.
Verſ. 19 Open to mee the gates of Righteouſneſſe] So the gates of the Sanctuary are called, becauſe holineſſe becommeth Gods houſe for ever: to keep out the prophane, Porters were appointed. See 2 Chron, 23.19. and ſuch were the Oſtiarii in the primitive Church; their word was Canes for as, Dogs out of doces. See Reve. 22.15.Proſper.
Verſ. 20 This gate of the Lord] Some make the former verſe the requeſt of the people, and this to bee Gods anſwer thereunto. Others make that to bee Davids ſpeech to the …, and this their anſwer, q.d. This beautifull gate is fit to bee opened to the Lord alone: if others enter, they muſt bee righteous ones only, and that to praiſe him.
… which the Righteous ſhall … ] ſcil. With Gods good leave and liking. Others may haply thruſt into the Church, but then God will ſay, Friend how cameſt thou in hither? who required theſe things at your hands? who ſent for you? O Generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the wrath to come? The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more when hee bringeth it with a wicked mind? Prov. 21.27.
Verſ. 21 I will praiſe thee, for thou haſt heard mee] Luther rendreth it, becauſe thou haſt humbled and afflicted mee: but withall thou art become my ſalvation.
Verſ. 22 the ſtone which the builders refuſed] David, and the ſon of David were by thoſe, who ſeemed to bee ſomewhat, laid aſide, and ſleighted as abjects and refuſe ones; but wiſdome was ever justified of her Children.
Is become the head-ſtone of the corner] Lap is dratonus ſive frontatus, whereby the Church is ſupported as the ſides and weight of a building are by a Principall binding corner-ſtone, againſt all blaſts.
Verſ. 23 This is the Lords doing] That David ſhould ever come to the Kingdome, that Chriſt ſhould ſo bee raiſed from the loweſt ebbe of humiliation to the higheſt tide of exaltation, this is a wonder of wonders, a matchleſſe miracle.
And it is marvellous in our eyes] As all Gods works are to thoſe that have ſpirituall ſenſes habitually exerciſed: but eſpecially the great work of mans Redemption by Chriſt.
Verſ. 24 This is the day which the Lord hath made] The Queen of dayes, as the Jews call the Sabbath. Arnob…us interpreteth this text, of the Chriſtian Sabbath: others, of the day of ſalvation by Chriſt exalted to bee the head-corner-ſtone; in oppoſition to that diſmall day of mans fall.
Wee will rejoyce] Or, Let us rejoyce. Dull wee are, and heavy to ſpirituall joy: and are therefore excited thereto.
Verſ. 25 Save now I beſeech thee] Hoſanna, as Mat. 21.9 an uſuall acclamation of the people to their new Kings.
Send now proſperity] God will ſend it, but his people muſt pray for it; I came for thy prayers, Dan. 10.
Verſ. 26 Bleſſed bee hee that commeth] Bleſſed bee Chriſt.Scultet. Annal. Vivat Chriſtus ejuſque inſignia, ſaid John Clark of Melda, when for declaring againſt the Popes indulgences hee was burnt in the forehead with a hot Iron.
Wee have bleſſed you out of the houſe of the Lord] Thus ſay the Prieſts to the people. Miniſters muſt bleſſe thoſe that bleſs Chriſt, ſaying, Grace bee with all them that love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity, Epheſ. 6.24. as if any do not, let him bee Anathema Maranatha, 1 Cor. 16.22.
Verſ. 27 God is the Lord who hath ſhewed us light] By giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.6. hee hath brought us out of darkneſs into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9.
Binde the Sacrifice with cords] Make them faſt there, till the Prieſts ſhall have time to offer them. Spare for no coſt in ſhewing your thankfullneſs for Chriſt and his benefits. Some render it Obligate ſolennitates in frondoſis: Auſtin hath it in confrequent at ionibus.
Verſ. 28 Thou art my God, and I will praiſe thee] The people are taught to ſay thus; and the Greek, Arabick, and Latine tranſlations repeat here, verſ. 21. I will praiſe thee, for thou haſt heard mee; and art become my ſalvation. People can never be ſufficiently thankfull for their ſalvation by Chriſt. It is their duty, and ſhould be their deſire.
Verſ. 29 O give thanks unto the Lord, &c.] Repetit proae…i… pro Epiloge. See verſ. 1.