Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 121
PSAL. CXXI.
A Song of degrees] Or, of aſcenſions, in ſinging whereof there ſhould be aſcenſions in our hearts, See Pſal. 120.1.
Verſ. 1. I will life up … unto the hills] Not to your … Pſal. 11.1. human helps, and carnal combinations, Jer. 3.23. much leſs to thoſe mountains, In quibus gentes idela ſua cell…, wherein the Heathens ſet and ſerve their Idols, Deut. 12.2. but to Sion and M…riah, where Gods Sanctuary is, Pſal. 87.1. or rather to heaven, Pſal. 18.8. with 2 Sam. 22.8. where God himſelf is: and ſo it followeth.
Verſ. 2. My help cometh from the Lord] To whom therefore alone I muſt look for help.Bodin. theat. Naturae. 413. Surſu… corda, ſurſu… etiam capita. Nauraliſts tell us, that of thoſe twenty eight Muſcles whereby the head is moved, twelve lift up the head behind, and two only before let it downward; to teach us to contemplate Heaven more, and Earth leſs.Columb. de re … l. 5. c 9. Others advertiſe us, that it is one main end why God hath ſet in mans eye a fifth Muſcle; whereas other Creatures have but four: one to turn downward, another to hold forwards, a third to turn the eye to the right hand, a fourth to the left hand; but no unreaſonable Creature can turn the eye upward, as Man can; that he may look up to God.
Which made heaven and earth] And will rather unmake both again, than his people ſhall want ſeaſonable help.
Verſ. 3. He will not ſuffer thy foot to be moved] Not greatly moved, Pſal. 62.2. an utter pr…lapſion.
He that keepeth thee will not ſ…umber] And if King Philip could ſay, that he could ſleep ſecurely becauſe his friend Antipater watched by him: may not we be much more confident, who have God to keep us?
Verſ. 4. Behold, he that keepeth &c.] He repeateth that ſweeteſt promiſe (that we may roll it as ſugar under our tongues, that wee may ſuck, and bee ſatisfied, Iſa, 66.11.) and ſetteth it forth with a Behold, q. d. mark it, and kn…w than it for thy … Job. 5.27.
Shall neither ſ…umber nor … ] Shall not fetch one win… of ſleep. …, wee ſlumber before wee ſleep; but God ſhall do neither. His ſeven eyes (Z…ch. 3.9.) a…ever open, yea they … and … through the whole earth, Zech. 4.10. ſcil. … Howbeit, hee looketh with ſpeciall care and complacency on the godly, Iſa. 66.2.
Verſ.foreign Phil. 4.7. 5 The Lord is thy … ] His peace within thee and his po…e… without thee ſhall ſafeguard thee to his heavenly Kingdome.
The Lord is thy ſhade upon thy right hand] To … and ſhield thee from all annoyances, as the pillar of cloud did the Iſraeli…s in the wilderneſſe: as the … that Paris overmatcht by Me…la… in a duell, … in a cloud and carried off.
Verſ. 6 The … ] So choice and … is God of his children, that … or pinching cold by … and all … of the … the Moon (as the … day, nor the Moon by … Pope, and …
Verſ. 7. … puniſhment; from the hurt, it not form the ſmart thereof.
Hee ſhall preſerve thy ſoul] Which is oft untoucht, when the body is in durance. A ſick ſervant of Chriſt being asked how hee did? anſwered, my body is ſick, my ſoul is well.
Verſ. 8 The Lord ſhall preſerve thy going one, &c.] Thou ſhalt have his ſafe … publick faith for thy defence, in … enterprizes … and … together with good ſucceſs in all thine affairs and actions, Prov. 3.6.