Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 122 – Psalm 125
PSAL. CXXII.
VErſ. 1 I was glad when they … ] The flouriſh is the chief joy of the good Chriſtian. Hence the Evangelicall among the Proteſtant party. Gregory Nazianzon writeth that his Father being an Heathen, and often beſought by his wife to become a Chriſtian, had this verſe ſuggeſted unto him in a dream, and was much wrought upon thereby. … Dutch Martyr in Lu…ing, hearing the ſentence of his condemnation to the fire,Act. & Mon. fol. 807. … Pſalm, &c.
Let us go into the houſe of the Lord] I will go alſo, (as Zech. 8.21.) ſaid holy David; who was much a cheered at his peoples forwardneſſe in Gods ſervice, and became their Captain.
Verſ. 2 Our feet ſhall ſtand within thy gates] Where the Ark (whil…om tranſportative) was now fixed: this was their great joy, ſo ſhould it bee ours, that the true religion is now ſetled amongſt us, and that wee are at a certainty.Reſponſ. ad Staphyl. Time was when good Melancthon groaned out, Qu…s fugiamus, habemus; qu…s ſequamur non intelligimus, Wee know whom wee ſhould flye, (viz. the Papiſts) but whom to follow wee yet know not.
Verſ. 3. Jeruſalem is builded as a City, &c.] None ſuch for uniformity of buildings, or unanimity of Citizens. There is no ſuch …neſſe in all the World, as amongſt true Chriſtians; and this the very Heathens obſerved, and commended. As the curtains of the Tabernacle were joyned by loops; ſo were they by love. And as they ſtones of they Temple were ſo cloſe cemented together that they ſeemed to bee all but one ſtone, ſo was it among the primitive Saints.
Verſ. 4. Whither the Tribes go up] Thrice a year all the Males appeared before the Lord in Sion; the females alſo as many … would (as … the Virgin Mary &c.) but they were not bound. At which times there was ſuch a generall meeting, as no City could ſhew the like a type of that great Panegyri…, Heb. 12.22, 23.
Unto the Teſtimony of Iſrael] The Ark was ſo called, in regard of the Tables of the Covenant kept therein, as two letters of contract betwixt God and men, ſaith A…en-Ezra. Exod. 25.16. thoſe two tables are called the Teſtimony.
Verſ 5. For there are … ] Theſe are the two chief praiſes of any place. 1 The exerciſe or Gods ſincere ſervice. 2 The adminiſtration, and execution of publick juſtice.
Verſ. 6. Pray for the peace of Jeruſalem] Peace is a voluminous mercy, and muſt therefore be prayed for, peace both of conſcience and of Country. It is well with Bees, when they make a noiſe in the Ha… but with men when they are at quiet in Church and ſtate. Among the Perſian… her that offered Sacrifice prayed not only for himſelf, but for all his Country men and eſpecially for the King,Herodot lib. 1
They ſhall … that love … And out of love, pitty and p…ay for thee.
Verſ. 7. Peace bee wit… … had no ſooner admoniſhed others of their duty, but himſelf ….
Verſ 8. For my Brethren and companions ſakes] David was not all for himſelf (as the ma… is in th…ſ… … ſpirit, hee did
…
Verſ. … Where Davids heart was and wherein … unto him was Gods … …ee into likeneſs of … heavenly …
…
PSAL. CXXIII.
VNtoUnto thee life I up mine eyes] Praying by them rather than by words, mine afflictions having ſwoln my heart too bigge for my mouth. See the … Pſal. 121.1.
Verſ. 2. Behold as the eyes of ſervants] For direction, defence, maintenance, mercy in time of correction, help when the ſervice is over-hard, &c. ſo do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, viz. for direction, and benediction.
Verſ. 3. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy] This is prece… fundere, calum tundere, miſericerdiem exterquert, as Tertulli…n hath it: to wring mercy out of Gods holy hands, by out utmoſt importunity.
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt] We are made the very ſc… and ſcorn of our proud imperious enemies. This the nature of man is very impatient of, and can hardly brook: for there is none ſo mean but holdeth himſelf worthy of ſome regard; and a reproachful ſcorn ſheweth an utter diſ-reſpect, which iſſueth from the very ſuperfluity of malice.
Verſ. 4. Our ſoul is exceedingly filled with the ſcorn of thoſe that are at eaſe] And there-hence inſolent, and unſufferable, foreign, fulneſs breedeth forgetfulneſs, yea it maketh men ſcornful, and wrongful to others.
PSAL. CXXIV.
VErſ. 1. If it had not been the Lord, &c.] God may farre better ſay than our Hen. 8, Cui adhare…, praeſt. He whoſe part I take is ſure to prevail. But Chriſt hath ever been the Churches Champion, and hence ſhe is inſuperable. The Captain of the Lords H…aſts is Captain of our ſalvation, Joſh. 5.14. Heb. 2.10.
Verſ. 2. When men roſe] Monſters rather but ſuch as think themſelves the only men alive; and us, the only ſlaves and Zanies.
Verſ. 3. Then had they ſwallowed in up quick] As the great Fiſh do the little ones, as hungry Lions,Gualth praef. in Marc. R. Obad. Gaon in Pſal. 124. or Wolves, raven up their prey. Pt…l…mam Lathurus King of Aegypt ſlew thirty thouſand Jews, and compelled the living to ſeed upon the dead. Adrian the Emperour made a Decree, that hee who had not ſlain a Jew, ſhould himſelf be ſlain.
When their wrath was kindled againſt us] Heb. in the flagrancies, or … of their anger.
Verſ. 4. Then the waters … us] At once the red Sea did the Aegyptians, or as the general deluge did the old world.
The ſtream … ] Neither could we have withſtood it, by any Art or induſtry.
Verſ. 5. Then the proud waters, &c. The ſame again, to note the greatneſs both of the danger, and of the deliverance. And it may teach us, not lightly to paſs over Gods great bleſſings, but to make the moſt of them.
Verſ. 6. Bleſſed be the Lord, &c.] …, thanks be to God was much in Auſtins mouth, and ſhould be … deliverance. How was God bleſſed ….
As a prey to the … ] Who meant to have made … and had already devoured us in their hopes, but God … them.
Verſ. 7. Our ſoul is …, &c.] … Gods opportunity. See ….
The …, &c.] God … net is broken.
Verſ. 8. …
… of infinite might and mercy; and ſay as thoſe good ſouls at Ebon-ezra, Hitherto God hath helped us: he hath, and therefore he will, &c.
PSAL. CXXV.
VErſ. 1 They that truſt in the Lord ſhall bee as Mount. Zion] Great is the ſtability of a beleevers felicity. Winds and ſtorms move not a Mountain; an Earthquake may, but not eaſily, remove it. That myſticall Mount Sion the Church, immota manet, is unmoveable; ſo is every member thereof, for the main of his happineſs.
Verſ. 2 As the Mountains are round about Jeruſalem] That is, lay ſome, as the Angels; but wee take it literally; Jeruſalem was ſurrounded with many high Mountains, which were a great ſafeguard to it; yet did not alwayes defend it, as the Lord doth his, by being a wall of fire round about them, Zech. 2.5.
Verſ. 3 For the rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt] Fall upon the lot of the Righteous it may, notwithſtanding that former promiſe of Gods protection; but hee will take care they bee not tempted above that they are able, 1 Cor. 10. hee ſets the time, and appoints the meaſure, Pſal. 30.5. Rev. 2.10.
Leſt the Righteous, &c.] Overcome by impatiency, or drawn aſide by the Worlds either Allurements or Affrightments ſhould yeeld and comply, or ſeek to help themſelves out of trouble by ſiniſter practice. God (ſaith Chry…oſtom) doth like a Lutaniſt, who will not let the ſtrings of his Lute bee too ſlack, leſt it marre the muſick, nor ſuffer them to bee too hard ſtretcht or ſcrued up, leſt they break.
Verſ. 4 Do good, O Lord, unto thoſe that be good] But afflicted by thoſe men of thy hand, Pſal. 17.14. who are the rod in thine hand, Iſa. 10.5. Do good in thy good ple…ſure (for nothing can bee claimed by the very beſt) to ſuch, according to thy promiſe, verſ. 3. which here I put in ſute for them; Let the Lord bee with the good, 2 Chron. 19 11.
And to them that are upright in their hearts] For ſuch only are good indeed, and approved in Chriſt, as was Appelles, Rom. 16 and Nathaniel, Joh. 1. notwithſtanding their infirmities. Hypocriſy imbaſeth the pureſt metal, turneth gold into ruſty Iron; ſincerity doth the contrary by a divine kind of Alchymy.
Verſ. 5 As for ſuch as turn aſide by their crooked wayes] In lubricitates vel tortuoſitates, ſuch as pretend piety to their wordly and wicked deſignes and dealings; diſſemblers, warpers, verſuti & vafri, who would couzen God of Heaven if they could tell how.
The Lord ſhall lead them forth] Quantumvis reluctantes, as cattel led to the ſlaughter; or malefactors to execution. Transfug as arboribus ſuſpendunt, they hand up fugitives, ſaith Tacitus, concerning the Germans; there is martiall law for ſuch, Heb. 10.38, 39. as there is for skellums amongſt us.
With the workers of iniquity] They ſhall to Hell with the reſt of the wicked crue, notwithſtanding their profeſſions and pretences of piety, whereunto they are perfect ſtrangers; Hypocrites are the free-holders of Hell; and other evill perſons are, as it were, Tenants to them; ſhall have their part with them, Mat. 24.51.
But peace ſhall bee upon Iſrael] Peace ſhall bee upon them and mercy, Gal. 6.16. The remnant of Iſrael ſhall not do iniquity, nor ſpeak lyes, neither ſhall a deceitfull Tongue bee found in their mouth; for they ſhall feed and lye down, and none ſhall make them afraid, Zeph. 3.12.