Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 47
PSAL. XLVII.
A Pſalm for the Sons of Korah] Carmen triumphale, ſaith Mollerus; a Panegyrical Oration, ſaith Beza, written by David, when top-full of moſt ardent zeal, and ſung by the Korites in that ſtately ſolemnity, whereat he brought at length the Lords holy Ark into the City of David: which gallant Hiſtory is lively ſet forth, 2 Sam. 6. & 1 Chron. 15. And the uſe that David doth here make of it, viz. concerning Chriſts Kingdom, and the benefits thereby, concerneth us as much, or rather more, than that ancient people. The Rabbins with one conſent ſay, that this Pſalm is to be underſtood De diebus Chriſti, of the days of the Meſſiah, who was prefigured by the Ark, and ſhould be the joy of all Nations.
Verſ. 1. O clap your hands all yee people] As they uſed to do at their Kings Coronation, 2 King. 11.12. ſhew your joy for, and intereſt in Chriſt your King, by manifeſting your righteouſneſs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt. Other joys are mixt, and dear-bought, but this is ſincere and gratuitous, as the Prophet Iſaiah ſetteth forth elegantly, chap. 9.3, 5, 6, 7.
Shout unto God, with the voyce of triumph] Heb. Of ſhrilling. gods praiſes are to be celebrated with all manner of chearfulneſs; and we are to be vexed at the vile dulneſs of our hearts, that are no more affected and enlarged hereunto; ſeeing all cauſes of joy are found eminently in God, and he is ſo well worthy to be praiſed, Pſal. 18.3. Jews and Gentiles are here joyntly called upon, joyfully to praiſe their Redeemer.
Verſ. 2. For the Lord moſt high is tirrible] Amiable to his own, terrible to his rebels. This Son, if not kiſſed, will be angry, Pſal. 2. This Lamb, for a need, can ſhew himſelf a Lion: as he is the Father of Mercies, ſo the God of Recompences, &c. and being moſt high hee can eaſily overtop and ſubdue the ſtouteſt of his enemies.
He is a great King over all the earth] As having taken poſſeſſion by his wonderful Aſcenſion, of the univerſal Kingdom given him by his Father, and gathered himſelfa Church out of all Mankind, which he wonderfully ruleth, and defendeth againſt the rage of Earth, and of Hell.
Verſ. 3. He ſhall ſubdue the people under us] This was typified in the Government of the Iſraelites, then aſcendent in Davids days, but fulfilled when Chriſt rode abroad on his white Horſe, the Apoſtles, Conquering and to conquor, Rev. 6. Quando Britannorum inacceſſa Romanis loca Chriſto patuerint, as Tertullian hath it. Chriſt ſubdued the Britans and others, whom the victorious Romans could never come at. The Chaldee hath it, he ſhall kill the people under us, ſc. with the ſword of the Spirit, the Word; when the Law came, ſin revived, and I dyed, Rem. 7.9. The Hebrew is, He ſhall ſpeak the people under us; that is, he ſhall by the preaching of the Goſpel, powerfully perſwade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9.27. Tremellius rendreth it,Jun. ex Aben-Ezra, & R. Judah. Cogit in caulam populos, he gathereth the people into the fold, viz. that there may be one Sheep-fold, and one Shepherd, as Joh. 10.16. Eph. 2.14.
And the Nations under our feet] Hence the Jews to this day dream (as did alſo the Diſciples, ſowred with their leaven) of an earthly Kingdom, wherein the Meſſiah at his coming ſhall ſubdue the Nations, and diſtribute their Provinces and wealth among his Jews. But Chriſts Kingdom is of another nature, and the Nations are already ſubdued to the Church, which remaineth one and the ſame, although the Jews be as branches broken off, and others ſet in their place, Rom. 11.24. Beſides, by the Nations under the Jews feet is meant (ſay ſome) that the Gentiles ſhould be Scholars, and the Jews School-maſters, as it were, unto them: for ſo fitting under the feet, or at the feet, ſignifieth in Scripture, Acts 22.3. Luke 10.39. 2 King. 2.5. The teacher was called Joſhebh, or Sitter; the Scholar Mithabbek, or one that lieth along in the duſt, in token of his humble ſubjection. And in this ſenſe Seneca ſome where ſaith, that the baſeſt of people (meaning the Jews) gave Laws unto all the world.
Verſ. 4. He ſhall chuſe our inheritance for us] Or, He hath choſen, Of his free grace, he eſpied out the Land of Canaan for his people Iſrael, flowing with Milk; and Honey, and ſuch as was the glory of all Lands, Ezek, 20.6. and as much, yea much more hath he done for the whole Iſrael of God, both of Jews and Gentiles, by electing them to an inheritance immortal, undefiled, reſerved in Heaven for them, 1 Pet. 1.4.
The excellency (or high-glory) of Jacob whom he loved] i.e. All thoſe high and honourable Priviledges wherein Jacob once, and now all the faithful may wellglory and rejoyce. See Rom. 9.4.5. having as great both abundance and aſſurance of Gods grace and goodneſs, as Jacob ever had.
Verſ. 5. God is gone up with a ſhout] The Ark is here called God, as alſo Pſa. 132.5. and the face of God, Pſ. 105.4. becauſe from the Ark, in the midſt of the Cherubims, God ſpake to his people, and they by looking towards it had a ſure ſymbol of the Divine preſence. The bringing of it up with pomp and ſolemnity into Mount Zion, was a type of Chriſts wonderful aſcenſion into Heaven, triumphing over all his and our enemies, Col. 2.15. Eph. 4.8. and joyfully entertained by Saints and Angels in Heaven. The Jews, ever apt to work themſelves (as one ſaith of them) into the foolsparadiſe of a ſublime dotage) underſtand this paſſage of the future reduction of the Ark into the Sanctuary, where it was once: and for the which they moſt earneſtly pray ſtill, as Buxtorf. writeth.
With the ſound of a trumpet] Concrepantibus tubis: and in like ſort he ſhall return;De Syuags Jud. c. 13 Acts 1.11. with 1 Thſ. 4.16.
Verſ. 6. Sing praiſes to God, ſing praiſes] Do it with all alacrity, and aſſiduity, being of that Martyrs mind who ſaid, Should I do nothing elſe all the days of my life, yea as long as the days of Heaven ſhall laſt, but kneel upon my knees, and repeat over Davids Pſalms to the glory and praiſe of God, yet ſhould I fall infinitely ſhort of what is my duty to do.
Verſ. 7. For God is King of all the earth] q. d. Our King, ſaid I? it is too little; he is King of all the earth. A title vainly taken by ſome proud Princes, as Seſoſtris King of Aegypt, who would needs be called foreign, Lord of the whole world. So, a Decree went out from Auguſtus Caſar, that all the World ſhould be taxed, Luk. 2.1. The great Turk Amurath the third ſtiled himſelf,Turk, Hiſt. 91 God of the earth, Governour of the whole world, &c. but theſe were but bubbles of words, as Saint Peter hath it, God is the ſole Monarch of the whole Earth, foreign.
Sing yee praiſes with underſtanding] Non bacchantium more, but prudently, and with a well compoſed minde, ſaith Vatablus, Pſalmo Didaſcalico, ſaith Tremellim, with ſuch a Pſalm or Song, as whereby yee may rightly inform one another concerning his Kingdom, and your own duty. Heb. Sing yee Maſchil, that is,Quotquot ſapientes inrelligentes & petitieſtis pſallend one of the Pſalms that bear that title, as ſome ſenſe it: or, every one of you that hath skill in Songs, as others.
Verſ. 8. God reigneth over the Heathen] This is his univerſal Kingdom, whereof before, verſ. 7. and yet never can too much be ſaid of it.
God ſitteth upon the throne of his holineſs] He is in a ſpecial manner King of his Church (as Ahaſueroſh was of his Heſter) called his throne, Exod. 87.16 (becauſe the hand upon the throne of the Lord, that is, Amalechs hand upon the Church, as ſome interpret it) His throne of glory, Jer. 4.21. and here the shrone of his holineſs, becauſe Chriſt (who is called God ſo many times in this Pſalm) loved the Church, and gave himſelf for it, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſeir, and ſo preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church, Eph. 5.25, 26, 27.
Verſ. 9. The Princes of the people are gathered together) Or, the voluntary of the people: The great ones diſdain not to meet with the meaneſt at the publick Aſſemblies, for performance of holy duties; but thither they fly one with another, as the Doves do to their windows, Iſa. 63.8. glorying in this, that they are Chriſts Vaſſals, as did Conſtantine, Valentinian, and Theodaſius, Socrates.thoſe three great Emperours, caſting their Crowns at his feet, and willing to come under the common yoke of his obedience, with the reſt of the people of the God of Abraham, the common ſort of Chriſtians.
For the Shields of the earth be long to God]. That is, thoſe Princes and Magiſtrates alſo, Hoſ. 4.18. Pſal. 89.18. belong to the covenant of election a though not many mighty not many noble are called, 1 Cor. 1.26. and it was grown to a Proverb, …mnium bonorum Principum imagines in … annulo ſc…lpi poſſe. The Spaniſh Fryer was wont to ſay there were but few Princes in Hell; and why? becauſe there were but few in all. If ſuch ſhall ſhew themſelves ſhields to their people to protect them from wrong; and not ſharks rather to peel them, and pillage them; God will own and honour ſuch. Others thus; the ſhields of the Earth belong to the Lord, that is, the Militia of the World is his; he hath and can quickly raiſe the Poſſe comitatus of all Countries.
He is greatly exalted] How ſhould he be otherwiſe who hath ſogreat a command, and uſeth it for the defence of his people? Eſpecially if the Grandees of the earth become Religious; and draw on others by their example, and liberality? Magnates Magnetes.