Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 150
PSAL. CL.
VErſ. 1 Praiſe yee the Lord] See Pſal. 148.1.
Praiſe God in his Sanctuary] It is probable, ſaith Beza, that h…c Pſalm… mirifici ardoris plen…, by this Pſalm which is ſo full of wonderfull ardour, the holy ſingers of the Sanctuary did mutually ſtir up one another to praiſe the Lord. It hath been noted before, that here wee have in ſix verſes twelve Hallelujahs. Some by Sanctuary underſtand Heaven; Others, the hearts of beleevers.
Praiſe him in the firmament of his power] Or, for the firmament wherein appeareth his power, Pſal. 19.1. Or, for the Church, and the firmament of faith.
Verſ. 2 Praiſe him for his mighty acts] Thoſe wonderfull effects of his creative, and providentiall omnipotencie.
Praiſe him according to his excellent greatneſſe] Or, Greatneſs of greatneſs; which yet can never be done, but muſt be indeavoured. Propound the higheſt pitch and beſt patterns.
Verſ. 3 Praiſe him with the ſound of the trumpet] With all your might and members, with utmoſt joy and jollity in the Lord. Lord I am a muſicall inſtrument, ſaith Nazianzen, Orat. de Baſilio.for thee to touch, that I may ſound forth thy glory and praiſe.
Verſ. 4 Praiſe him with the Timbrel and dance] Or, Pipe. But theſe are antient things (as it is ſaid in another caſe, Juſtin. Ma…tyr. muſices uſum reprehendit qu. 107. ad Orthodox. Sic Theodoret. lib. de ſacrific.1 Chron. 4.22.) and now out of date. When the uſe of theſe muſicall inſtruments crept into the Chriſtian Churches (which was not till alate neither) great abuſes crept in with it: the preaching of the word was changed into ſongs & Anthems, little underſtood by thoſe that ſang them, and that grave and ſimple Pſalmodie or ſinging of Pſalms (ſo much uſed of old, and by this bleſſed Reformation reſtored to the Church) was juſtled out or rather turned in turpiſſimum len…c…ium (as one juſtly complaineth) ſuch as Nebuchadnezzar made before his golden image, Dan. 2. When Ariſtotle was asked what he thought of muſick he anſwered, …, nec cithar… …; thinking it an unprofitable Art to men, that was no more delightfull to God. Plato told the Muſicians who preſſed into his company, that Philoſophers could do well enough without them. There is (no doubt) a lawfull uſe of muſick, and great power it hath to move mens minds one way or another, 2 King. 3.15. 1 Sam. 16.23. But in Gods publick-worſhip it is dangerous to do any thing without his ſpeciall warrant, though we intend never ſo well in ſo doing as wee ſee in Ʋzza. Temple-muſick was part of the Jewiſh pedagogie, of the leviticall-worſhip; and therefore cannot bee retained without injury to Chriſt.
Verſ. … Piſon.5 Praiſe him upon the loud Cymbals] Theſe were, ſaith Cicero, inſtrumenta are…, … in matris … ſacris uſurpata: bells, ſome render it. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of a tinkling Cymbal; And a grave Divine complaineth, that God cannot pleaſe ſome hearers, D. S…ough. … 2 Tim. …1.13. …unleſs hee ſpeak tinkling and tickling words.
Verſ. 6 Let every thing that hath breath praiſe the Lord] Or, Let every breath praiſe the Lord. T… Dei …, ſaith a Father: We have all as much reaſon to praiſe God, as we have need to draw breath; our breath ſhould bee like the ſmoak of the Tabernacle, or thoſe pillars of incenſe therehence aſcending … rendreth it …, Let the very whole ſoul of us praiſe the Lord,
… the Lord] The Pſalmiſt had made an end, and … hath …. When … ſaid … utmoſt for Gods praiſe … muſt reſt ….
End of the text · John Trapp, Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms (1657)