Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 147
PSAL. CXLVII.
VErſ. 1 It is good to fing praiſes] For 1 Hereby wee glorifie God, Pſal. ….23. and ſo do him right; for hee is the proper object of praiſes, worthy only to bee praiſed, Pſal. 18.3.2 Hereby wee do good to our ſelves, ſecure former favours, which elſe wee forfeit, and procure further bleſſings, which elſe wee foreſtall. Hereby alſo were make things good in themſelves, to become good to us.
For it is pleaſant] A very foretaſte of eternall life; hence ſo many of Davids Pſalms are euchariſticall.
And praiſe is comely] No fairer ſight than to ſee Gods Altar covered with the calves of our lips, and our ſelves in our Prieſtly robes, giving thanks to his name, Heb. 13.15. profeſſing our no-deſerts, and whole-dependence upon him. As on the contrary, an unthankfull man is an ugly il-favoured Spectacle.
Verſ. 2 The Lord doth build up Jeruſalem] Hee is the only Architect of his Church. Hee layeth the foundation of it in election (ſaith a good Expoſitour) and buildeth it progreſſively by faith and ſanctification; and finiſheth his work of grace, and his peoples happineſs, in glorification.
Hee gathereth together the out-caſts of Iſrael] Hee will ſurely bring home his baniſhed; yea, becauſe they called thee an out-caſt, ſaying, This is Zion, whom no man ſeeketh after, therefore I will reſtore health unto thee, &c. Jer. 30.17. Qui nil ſperare poteſt, deſperet nihil.
Verſ. 3 Hee healeth the broken in heart] Pouring the oil of his grace into none but thoſe broken veſſels.
And bindeth up their wounds] As a good Shepheard, Zech. 34.4. that good Samaritan, Luk. 10.34. and as a good Surgion dealeth by his patient. But let no man ever think that God will lap up his ſores before they bee ſearcht, or ſcarf his bones before they bee ſet.
Verſ. 4. Hee telleth the number of the ſtars] Which to man is impoſſible, 1322. Alſted. Encyclop.as Ariſtotle maintaineth againſt thoſe Aſtronomers, that tell us they are a thouſand and ſome hundreds. But Abraham was a great Aſtronomer; yet hee could never do it, Magir. Phyſ. lib. 2. cap. 5.Gen. 15.5. and the wiſer ſort of Aſtrologers have rightly diſtinguiſhed the ſtars into numerable and innumerable, as to men.
Hee calleth them all by their names] As knowing exactly their nature; and authoritatively commanding every of them to do his pleaſure. How much more can God cull together his out-caſts, and cauſe them to return; eſpecially ſince hee calleth thoſe things that are not as if they were, Rom. 4?
Verſ. 5 His underſtanding is infinite] Heb. Of his underſtanding there is no number; for hee knows not only the kinds and ſorts of things, but even the particulars, though they exceed all number. Sic ſpectat univerſes quaſi ſingulos; ſic ſingulos, quaſi ſolos. That Philoſopher did not ſay nothing, who being in danger of Shipwrack in a light ſtarry night, ſaid, Surely I ſhall not periſh, there are ſo many eyes of providence over mee.
Verſ. 6 The Lord lifteth up the meek] This truth was well known to the very Heathens, who have ſaid the ſame thing; as Herodotus in Poly…nia, Euripides in Hera, and Eſop being asked by Chil… (one of the ſeven wiſe men of Greece) what God was doing? anſwered, Hee is humbling the haughty, foreign.and exalting the lowly.
Verſ. 7 Sing unto the Lord] Heb. Anſwer, that is, ſing by turnes, as Hoſ. 2.15. Deut. 31.21. Or, anſwer Gods goodneſs by thankfullneſs and obedience.
Verſ. 8 Who covereth the Heaven with clouds] as 1 King. 18.45. and ſtill, as there is need. It is not by nature, or hap-hazard, as men are apt to dream, and are therefore ſo often told this truth, and admoniſhed, that the ſecond cauſes do but ſerve the divine providence, in theſe common occurrents.
Who prepareth rain for the earth] Rain (which is nothing elſe but the flux of a moiſt cloud, out of the middle Region of the air) as it commeth by a decree of God, Job 28.26. ſo it is wholly at his diſpoſe when and where it ſhall fall even to a drop, Amos 4.7.
Verſ. 8 Hee giveth to the beaſt his food] See Job 39.3. Pſal. 104.27, 28. with the Notes.
And to the young Ravens which cry] By ſending flyes into their mouths as they cry, ſay the Rabbines: or by a certain moiſt air, as Euthymius: or by ſmall worms put into their mouths, mag… providentia ſymbol…, though they bee ſuch contemptible creatures and very carnivorous, by reaſon of the vehemency of naturall heat in them, ſo that a little will not ſatisfie them, yet God feedeth them. See more on
Verſ. 10 Hee delighteth not in the ſtrength of … horſe] Plutarch in Nu… ſaith the … foreign, God …areth … for horſes, or any ſuch helps as wherein carnal people confide, as if they had no heed o… God. Ori… obſerveth that in the conqueſt or Canaan, the enemies had horſes and Char…ets, but Iſrael had none. And it is expreſly cautioned that the King of Iſrael ſhall not multiply horſes to himſelf, nor cauſe the people to return to Egypt, to the end that hee ſhould multiply horſes, Deut. 17.16. leaſt they ſhould occaſion him, or his people to trade with that Idolatrous people 1 King. 10.26.28. or to truſt in the number and ſtrength of that warlike creature, an horſe, Prov. 11.31.
Hee taketh not pleaſure in the legs of a man] How ſwift ſoever, as Achilles, foreign, or Aſabel, as light of foot as a wilde Roe, 2 Sam. 2.18. None ſooner periſh in the waters, nor oftner, than thoſe that are moſt skilfull in ſwimming and diving; becauſe they do too much truſt to their skill… ſo tis here; for there is no out-running of divine vengeance. Nemo ſoelus gerit in p…ctore qui non idem Nemeſin in tergo; your ſin will finde you out. Here the … is not to the ſ…ift, nor the battel to the ſtrong, Eccleſ. 9.11.
Verſ. 11 The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him] That put themſelves into the hands of Juſtice, in hope of mercy. Theſe are his Hephzibah's, his darlings in whom hee taketh ſingular delight and complacency.
Me…; habere queis bon…m;
Et eſſe …or…lis datum eſt.
Verſ. 12 Praiſe the Lord O Jeruſalem] Whatever the World doth, let not the Church defraud God of his due praiſes: though thou Iſrael play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend, Hoſ. 4.15. Gods bleſſings go round about graceleſs and ungratefull people; and they are no more moved than the earth that hath the circumference carried about it, and it ſelf ſtandeth ſtill: But the Saints muſt bee of another alloy, Col. 3.15. and there is good reaſon for it.
Verſ. 13 For hee hath ſtrengthened the bars, &c.] So that the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt them. God hath promiſed to break in peeces thoſe gates of braſs, and cut in ſunder thoſe bars of Iron (as Sampſon did the gates of Gaza) Iſa. 45.2. to perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen and ſettle his Saints, 1 Pet. 5.10. to bee a wall of fire, round about them, &c.
Hee hath bleſſed thy Children within thee] Making them to bee many, Iſa. 54.1. and all taught of God, verſ. 13. children that will not lye, Iſa. 63.8.
Verſ. 14 Who maketh peace in thy borders] Peace, peace, Iſa. 26.3. peace of Country and of conſcience.
And filleth thee with the fineſt of the Wheat] Heb. With the fat of Wheat called fat of kidneyes of Wheat, Deut. 3….14. See Pſal. 81.16. Judaea was once called and counted Sumen totius terrae. not ſo much for the nature of the Country, as for the bleſſing of God thereupon; for now it is nothing ſo fruitfull. But the Saints have ſtill the bread of Angels, a feaſt of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the Lees well refined, Iſa. 25.6.
Verſ. 15 Hee ſendeth forth his Commandement, &c.] Hee ſpeaketh the word, and it is done immediately: hee can make a nation to conceive and bring forth all at once, Iſa. 66.7, 8. Ahaſh…eroſh had his …oſts to carry abroad his edict: God needeth none ſuch: all creatures are at his beck and check.
Verſ. …ellera nivis …rg. Georg.16 Hee giveth Snow like W… ] For whiteneſs, lightneſs, plenty, ſoftneſs, warmth: for Snow, though it bee very cold, yet by keeping in the vapours and exhalations of the earth, it cauſeth an inward warmth to it, and ſo maketh it very fruitfull, ſay Philoſophers. In which reſpects the Rabbines ſay that one day of Snow doth more good, than five of Rain.
Hee ſcattereth the houre froſt like … ] When blown about by the winde. It heateth alſo and dryeth (as aſhes) the cold and moiſt earth, nippeth the buds of trees, &c. …mis monet …em ſubeſſe …m fovea….Ʋnde … dicitur a …, ſaith ….
Verſ. 17 Hee caſteth out his Ice like morſels] Or, Shivers of bread. It is a … ſaying, of One from this text. The lee is bread, the Rain is drink, the Snow is wool, the Froſt a Fire to the earth, cauſing it inwardly to glow with heat teaching us what to do for Gods poor.
… Who can … it, when and where it is extreme eſpecially; as in Ruſſia, Freeſland, &c.
Verſ. 18. Hee ſendeth out his word and melteth them.] See verſ. 13. Of the force of Gods word of command are given all the former inſtances. Hee can as eaſily melt the hardeſt heart by his word, made effectual to ſuch a purpoſe by his holy Spirit. If that wind do but blow the waters of penitent tears will ſoon flow as in Joſiah, 2 Chron. 34.27. See Zech. 12.10.
Verſ. 19 Hee ſheweth his word unto Jacob] The Jews were Gods library keepers; and unto them (as a ſpeciall favour) were committed thoſe lively and life giving oracles, Rom. 3.2. there is a chiefly ſet upon it: like as Luk. 12.48. to know the Maſters will is the great talent of all other: there is a (much) in that.
His Statutes and his Judgements unto Iſrael] Even right Judgements, true … good Statutes and Commandements, Neh. 9.13. See Rom. 9.4, 5. Proſpers conceit was that Judaei were ſo called, becauſe they received jus Dei, the Law of God.
Verſ. 20 He hath not dealt ſo with any Nation] He had not then; but now, bleſſed be God hee hath dealt ſo with many Nations, in theſe laſt happy days of Reformation, eſpecially; wherein the knowledge of Gods holy Word covereth the earth, as the waters cover the Sea, and of England, it may bee ſaid as once of the Rhodos, ſomper in Sole, ſitu eſt Rhodos, that it hath the Sun ever ſhining upon it. This wee ſhould prize as a precious treaſure, and praiſe the Lord for it, …orde, ore, oper….
And as for his Judgements they have not known them] And therefore lye in deadly darkneſs; wherein though they wander wofully, yet not ſo wide as to miſs of hell.