Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 50
PSAL. L.
A Pſalm of Aſaph] Who was both a Muſick-maſter, 1 Chron. 25.2. and a Pſalm-compoſer, 2 Chron. 29.30. The moſt are of opinion, that this Pſalm was made by David, and committed to Aſaph to be ſung, after that Iſrael had been afflicted with three years Famine, and three days Peſtilence, and the Angel had appeared to David, Jun.and ſet out the place where the Temple ſhould be built, 2 Sam. 21. & 24. 1 Chron. 21.18. & 22.4.
Verſ. 1.R. Nahum ap. Nebien. The mighty God, even the Lord] Heb. The God of gods, whether they be ſo deputed, as Angels, Magiſtrates; or reputed only, as Heathen-deities, 1 Cor. 8.9. Jehovah, or Eſſentiator is Gods proper Name. Some ſay God is here thrice named, to note the Trinity in Ʋnity.
Hath ſpoken] ſc. By the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been ſince the world began; Henoch the ſeventh from Adam ſpoke much like, Jude 14. The Rabbines ſay, that this Pſalm is, De die judecii futuro, of the Day of Judgement. Others, that it is the Lords judging of his Church, drawn according to the model of the great and laſt Judgement, whereunto it ſerveth as a preparation, or a warning-peece.
And called the earth from the riſing, &c.] The habitable part of Gods earth; the ſons of men, Prov. 8.31. with Mal. 1.11. Theſe are all called to atteſt the equity of Gods proceedings againſt an hypocriticall Nation; Children that were corrupters. For God hath thus farre inſtructed all men, that He is to be honoured of all, with all manner of obſervance, Rom. 1.20. Let this be preſſed upon all ſorts, ſaid Zalencm the Locrian Law-giver, in the preface to his Laws, 1. That there is a God. 2. That this God is to be duely worſhiped.
Verſ. 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty] Heb. The whole Perfection, Perfectiſſim… pulchritudini… locus. Tre…or the Univerſality of beauty; becauſe there eſpecially was Gods glory ſet forth in his holy ordinances, and more clearly manifeſted than in all his handy-work beſides. See Pſal. 48.2.
God hath ſhined] Like the Sun in his ſtrength, ſometimes for the comfort of his people, as Pſal. 80.1. ſometimes for the terrour of evill-doers, as Pſal. 94.1. and here. But evermore God is terrible out of his holy places, Pſal. 68.35. & 89.7.
Verſ. 3. Our God ſhall come, and ſhall not keep ſilence] He doth daily come and ſit upon the tribunall in his Church by the Miniſtery of his Servants, Mat. 18.17. who muſt reprove ſinners with all authority, and ſhew themſelves ſons of thunder, that they may ſave ſome at leaſt with fear, ſnatching them out of the fire, Jude 23. as Peter, Act. 2.40. and Paul, 2 Cor. 5.11. but eſpecially when, to work upon the Proconſul Paulus Sergius, he ſet his eyes upon Elymas the ſorcerer, as if he would have looked thorough him: After which lightening, followed that terrible thunder crack, O thou full of all ſubtlety, and all miſchief, thou child of the Devill, thou enemy of all Righteouſneſs, wilt thou not ceaſe to pervert the ſtreight wayes of the Lord? Act. 13.9, 10.
A fire ſhall devour before him] As he gave his law in fire, ſo in fire ſhall he require it.
And it ſhall bee very tempeſtuous round about him] Not before him only, but round about him; leſt the Wicked ſhould hope to eſcape by creeping behind him. That was a terrible tempeſt, that befell Alexander the great,Curtius lib. 8. ex Dioder. and his army marching into the Country of Gabaza; when by reaſon of continuall thundering and lightening, with hailſtones and light-bolts, the army was diſ-ranked and wandred any way; many durſt not ſtirre out of the place, &c. Tremellius rendreth it wiſh-wiſe, but in a parentheſis, Les our Lord come, and let him not be ſilent. The Saints know that they ſhall bee ſafe, when others ſhall ſmoak for it; becauſe God is their God.
Verſ. 4. Hee ſhall call to the Heavens from above, and to the earth] That theſe dumbCreatures may be as ſo many ſpeaking evidences againſt an unworthy people, and witneſſes of Gods righteous dealings againſt them. See Deut. 32.1. Iſa. 1.2. Mic. 6.2. The Chaldee thus paraphraſeth, He will call the high Angels from above; and the juſt of the earth from beneath.
Verſ. 5. Gather my Saints together unto mee] This ſeemeth to be ſpoken to the Angels, thoſe active Inſtruments and executioners of Gods Judgements. By Saints here, underſtand profeſſors at large, all that live in the boſome of the Church viſible, and partake of the externall priviledges only; ſuch as are in the Vine, but bear no fruit, Joh. 15.2. have a name to live, but are dead, Rev. 3. ſuch as whoſe ſanctity conſiſteth only in covenanting by ſacrifice. Baſil ſaith, that ſuch are called Saints to aggravate their ſins; as a man that hath an honourable title, but hath done wickedly; and is therefore the rather to be condemned. When one pleaded once with a Judge for his life, that he might not be hanged, becauſe he was a Gentleman; hee told him that therefore he ſhould have the Gallows made higher for him.
Thoſe that have made a Covenant with mee by Sacrifice] But were never brought by mee into the bond of the Covenant; for then the rebels would have been purged out from among them, as it is, Ezek. 20.37, 38.
Verſ. 6. And the Heavens ſhall declare his Righteouſneſſe] Thoſe Catholick Preachers, whoſe voice goeth out aloud to the end of the World, Pſal. 19.4. See verſ. 4.
For God is Judge himſelf] And front him is no appeal; every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience, from him ſhall receive a juſt recompence of reward, Heb. 2.2. even thoſe corruptions that are moſt inward, and lye up in the heart of the Country, as it were; thoſe pollutions not of fleſh only (i.e. worldly luſts, and groſſe evills) but of ſpirit alſo, 2 Cor. 7.1. more ſpirituall luſts, as pride, preſumption, formality, ſelfflattery, carnall confidence in externall legall worſhips, the ſin principally taxed in this Jewiſh people here in the next verſes.
Verſ. 7. Hear, O my people, and I will ſpeak, &c.] What ſweet and winning language is here for a preface! Gods proceedings againſt ſinners, whom he might confound with his terrours, is with meekneſſe and much mildneſſe. Gen. 3.9.11. & 4.9. Mat. 26.50. & 22.11. Be we herein followers of God as dear Children, Joſh. 7.19. Gal. 6.1. 2 Tim. 2.29.
O Iſrael, I will teſtifie againſt thee] i.e. I will expoſtulate with thee, and convince thee. This is a mercy which the Lord vouchſafed our firſt Parents when they had finned; the Serpent he would not ſo much as examine, but doomed him preſently.
I am God] And ſhould therefore have been better obeyed.
Even thy God] And therefore thou of all others ſhouldeſt have had more care, and not have deſpited mee with ſeeming honours, by preſenting mee with out-ſide ſervices.
Verſ. 8. I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices] i.e. For thy neglect of them, but for thy reſting in them, ſticking in the bark, bringing mee the bare ſhell without the kernel, not referring thy Sacrifices to the right end and uſe; but ſatisfying thy ſelf in the work done. This was afterwards the ſin of the Phariſees, is ſtill of the Papiſts, and of too many carnall Goſpellers, who think they have ſerved God. for they have been at Church, done their devoir, for they have ſaid their prayers, &c. Yea many of the better ſort amongſt us hold only a certain ſtint of daily duties, as Malt-horſes their pace, or Mill-horſes their round (that move much, remove little) out of cuſtome, or form. Yea the beſt find it hard enough to be in duty in reſpect of performance, and out of duty in reſpect of dependance; to do all Righteouſneſs, and yet to reſt in none but Chriſts.
Or thy burnt-offerings to have been continually before mee] Heb. Thy burnt-offerings have been continually before mee; ſo that I am ſated with the very ſight of them, Iſa. 1. there, God complained that all his ſenſes were wearied, and his ſoul vexed, by the abundance of their outward ceremonies, but want of morrall ſervice.
Verſ. 9. I will take no Bullock out of thy houſe, &c.] q.d. Keep them to thy ſelf, I need them not; thou ſetteſtan high price upon them, and thinkeſt to ingratiate with mee by them, I value them not, nay I loath them. Sordit in conſpectu Judicis quodfulget in comſpectu operantis. That which is highly eſteemed amongſt men, is abomination in the ſight of God, Luk. 16.15. Diſpleaſing ſervice is double diſhonour.
Verſ. 10. For every Beaſt of the Foreſt is mine] God is the great Proprietary; and all is his by primitive right. It is but of his own therefore that any man giveth him ought; as David freely acknowledgeth, 1 Chron. 29.14. and that great Emperor, who dedicating his rich Communion-table to Jeſus Chriſt, wrote upon it foreign.Juſtinian apud Ce…ren. Thine own, and of thine own Lord preſent we unto thee, &c. And yet vain man is aptto conceit that God is obliged unto him, when he offereth unto God any part of his goods.
And the Cattel upon a thouſand Hills] Or, Upon the Hills of a thouſand owners.
Verſ. 11. I know all the foules of the Mountaines] i.e. in numerato habeo, ſaith Vatablus, they are alwaies before mee ready at my ſervice.
And the wild Beaſts of the Field] R. Solomon interpreteth it Reptile, the creeping things of the Field; others, copiam volucruns in vallibus, the abundance of birds that are up and down the Fields and Vallies.
Verſ. 12. If I were bungry, I would not tell thee] I would not employ thee to cater or purvey for mee.Homer. Lucian. But it befalls not God to be hungry, as not only Heathens held, and therefore ſaid that their Jove was gone into Aethiopia to be feaſted, &c. but ſome carnal Jews alſo, who conceived that a fat Sacrifice was as acceptable to God as a fat dinner was to themſelves.
For the World i… mine, and the fulneſs thereof] Quicquid avium v…litat, quicquid piſcium matat, quicquid feraruns diſcurrit, as Seneca hath it; all is the Lords, hee made all, maintaineth all, and may therefore at his pleaſure make uſe of any; he needeth not bee beholden; but the truth is, he needeth not any ſuch broken ſupports. See Pſal. 24.7.
Verſ. 13. Will I eat the fleſh of Bulls? &c.] q. d. Are you ſo thick-brained, as to think ſo?
Vervecum in patria, craſſo que ſub asre nati?
No; He that killeth an Oxe (unleſſe he kill his corruptions too) is as if be ſtew a man; he that ſacrificeth a Lamb (unleſſe he ſee his own guilt, and be carried out to the immaculate Lamb of God, who taketh away the ſins of the World) is as if he cut off a dogs neek: He that offereth an oblation (unleſſe therewith he offer up himſelf for a whole burnt Sacrifice, Rom. 12.1.) is as if he offered Swines blood; he that burneth incenſe (unleſſe he lift up holy hands in prayer without wrath, and without doubting, 1 Tim. 2.8.) is as if he bleſſed an Idol, Iſa. 66.3.
Verſ. 14. Offer unto God thankſgiving] That pith of your peace-offerings, that Sacrifice more acceptable to God than an Oxe that hath horns and hoofs, Pſal. 69. 31. Oh cover Gods Altar with the calves of your lips, giving thanks to his name, Heb. 13.15.
And pay thy vows unto the Moſt High] Say not God a thank only, but do him thanks; the life of thankſgiving is the good life of the thankſgiver. Our praiſes ſhould be reall and ſubſtantiall: Vow and perform to the Lord your God, Pſal. 76.11.
Verſ. 15. And call upon mee] Theſe two, praiſing God for what we have, and praying for what we want, do take up the whole duty of man; a holy trade is hereby driven betwixt heaven and earth, and ſweet intercourſe maintained betwixt God and man.
In the day of trouble] At anytime, but then eſpecially; the time of affliction being the time of ſupplication; for then we are fitteſt to call, and then God is readieſt to give anſwer, then we may have any thing, Zech. 13. ult.
I will deliver thee] It is but ask and have; and ſurely he is deſervedly miſerable who will not make himſelf happy by asking. When there was a ſpeech among ſome holy men what was the beſt trade? One anſwered Beggery; D. Preſton.It is the hardeſt and richeſt trade. Common beggery is indeed the eaſieſt and pooreſt trade; but prayer he meant. It is like the Ring given a Noble-man in this Land by Queen Elizabeth, with this promiſe, that if he ſent that Ring to her at any time when he was in diſtreſſe, ſhe would remember and deliver him. He ſent it, but it never came to her hands; but prayer never miſ-carrieth, &c.
And thou ſhalt glorifie mee] Servati ſumus, ut ſerviamus, Luk. 1.74. And yet it is ten to one that any returneth with the Leper, to give God the glory of a deliverance. Pleri que ut necipiant impertuni, donec acceperint inquieti, De Conſid. 1.…ubi acceperiut ingrati, ſaith Bernard truly; Moſt men are importunate, that they may receive good at Gods hands, reſtleffe till they have it, and are careleſſe to return thanks afterward. Out upon ſuch an ingratitude, hatefull even amongſt Hearhens.
Verſ. 16. But unto the Wicked God ſaith] To the fair profeſſor, but foul ſinner, to the Hypocrites in Sion, Iſa. 33.14. to the ſacrificing Sodomites, Iſa. 1.10.11.foreign thoſe that take upon them to be Teachers of others, eſpecially, Rom. 2.20.21. Origen, after his ſoul fall, opening the book and lighting upon this Text,Kimchi. was not able to preach, but brake out into abundance of tears.
What haſt thou to do to declare my ſtatutes?] Sith they are holy, and ought to be handled by ſuch as are holy, Iſa. 52.11. elſe they are diſhonoured, 1 … 2.17.Ore loqueri de illis, ſed corde odiſti. Syr. Interp. Gods name blaſphemed, Rom. 2.23, 24. foul ſinners hardened, Mat. 23.15. Quid verba andiam cum fact a videam, ſay ſuch? dicta fact is erubeſcum, ſaith Tertulian, their practice ſhameth their profeſſion. And therefore to ſuch we may ſay as great Alexander did to one Alexander a ſouldier of his, but a coward; Euber leav… off thy name, or be a ſouldier; ſo may we ſay to ſuch profligate profeſſours. Or as Archidamus the Lacedemon…an ſaid to his Son, raſhly conflicting with the Athenians, Autviribus adde, ant animis adime. So here, Either add practice, or lay away Profeſſion.
Or that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant in thy mouth] boaſting thy ſelf to be one of mine, and blurting out good words, when … If that State in ſtory would not hear a good motion from an ill mouth, much leſfe will God.
Verſ. 17. Seeing thou hateſt inſtruction] Or, Diſcipline, thou wil not be brought to live ſtrictly, to exerciſe godlineſs; thou refuſeſt to bee reformed, hareſt to bee healed.Melch. Adam in vit, Bucer. Bucer and Melancthon framed a form of Reformation, with approbation of the Peers and States; but the Clergy of Cullen rejected it with ſlander, and ſaid, that they would rather live under the great Turk, than under a Magiſtrate that ſhould ſeek to ſettle ſuch a reformation.
And eaſteſt my words behind thee] They are neer in thy mouth, but far from thy reins, Jer. 12.2. denying in thy life what thou profeſteſt with thy lips: Aethiopian-like, being white in the mouth only; or as Lillies, white but unſavoury. The Jews at this day ſhew very great reſpect to the Law, which no man may touch but with the right hand, and with a kiſs of reverence: No man may carry it behind him,Schichard. but muſt lay it next to his heart in his travel, &c. They are enjoyned to take up any paper which they ſee lying on the ground: and the reaſon is, leſt haply the name of God be written in the paper, and ignorantly trodden under foot. Chriſtians, though free from ſuch Superſtitious curioſity, yet full of religious care, ſhould obſerve every tittle in Gods Word, leſt they ſhould trample upon any. And when corruption boyleth (ſaith a Reverend man) think the Goſpel of Chriſt profeſſed by you lyeth proſtrate before you: and will yee trample upon that Goſpel? will yee tread under foot the bloud of the Covenant,H…b. 10.29. as if it were a prophane thing?
Verſ. 18. When thou ſaweſt a Thief, thenthou conſentedſt with him] Mala opera hic memorata ſunt in ſecrete, faith Kimchi. Theſe evils hereafter mentioned, are ſecretly acted by thoſe that pretended to better things. See Epheſ. 5.12. and therefore Heaven and Earth are called to witneſs againſt them, verſ. 4. See Jer. 20.27. — Servi ut taceant jumenta loquentur, the very Beaſts have a Verdict to paſs upon ſecret ſinners, as the Aſſe upon Balaam, and thoſe Horſes upon Cardinal Angelot, who was ſo baſely covetous,Pentin. lib. de Prin. that by a private way he uſed to go into his own Stable, and ſteal the Oates from them.
And haſt been partaker with the Adulterers] 1. In thy deſire, ſuppoſing thy ſelf with them. 2. In thy filthy acts, though cloſely carried; as the Popiſh Prieſts, whoſe rule is, Si noncaſtè, tam…n caut….
Verſ. 19. Thou giveſt thy month to evil] Heb. Thou ſendeſt, the Devil borroweth thy mouth, and thou letſt him have it.
And thy tongue frameth deceit] Heb. Joyneth, knitteth, compacteth.
Verſ. 20. Thou ſitteſt] In the ſeat of the ſcornful, on the Ale-bench, &c.
And ſpeakeſt againſt thy brother] Thy ſlanderous tongue, like a mad Dogge, biteth all it meeteth with; not thy near allies excepted: ſo inhuman are Hypocrites.
Verſ. 21. Theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept ſilence] I ſuffered them, ſeemed to wink at them, bearing with thine evil manners.
Thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf] A good-fellow, an approver, an abetter of thy lewd pranks and practices. Cogitabat quod Ehieh erat ſicut tu, ſo Kimchi reads it. This is the evil uſe that wicked men make of Gods patience, they transform him into an Idol after their own fancy, they have baſe and bald conceits of him.
But I will reprove thee, and ſet them in an order before thee] Thou ſhalt ſee them once in their ugly hue, to thy converſion or confuſion: Mens actions are in print in Heaven, and unleſs they make their peace with the Judge in his privie Chamber of Mercy, and ſo ſtop his open judicial proceedings in Court, he will one day read them aloud in the ears of all the World. Mean-while God looketh upon old ſins, (which he ſeemed to wink at) as now preſently committed (for as there is no beginning of eternity, ſo no ſucceſſion) and whatſoever he hath threatned, whatever arrows are in the Bow-ſtring, will one day fly and hit, and ſtrike deep. Wo be to men, when God ſhall break up that filthy ſink of ſin that is in them, ſurely they will then be as little able to bear the ſtench thereof, as Judas was, who ſought help of an Halter.
Verſ. 22. Now conſider this, yee that forget God] That caſt him and his Counſels behind your backs, before he awaken your drowſie Conſciences, and rouſe up the Lion that lyeth ſleeping in your boſoms, like Cains Dogge, Gen. 4.7. with his Dogge-ſleep: and before you come to anſwer for all, with flames about your ears.
Leſt I tear you in peeces, and there be name to deliver you] From the Woolf a Shepherd may reſcue his Lamb, not ſo from the hungry Lion, Ames 3. Iſa. 31.4. Gods power is irreſiſtible, his puniſhments unavoy dable.
Verſ. 13. Who ſo eff…reth praiſe glorifieth me] So his praiſe be cordial oral, real, with Recognition of my benefits, Eſtimation, Retribution; this is the beſt ſacrifice he can bring me.
And to him that ordereth his converſation aright] That walketh accurately and exactly: walketh as in a frame, treading, gingerly, ſtepping warily, not lifting up one foot till he find ſure footing for the other.
I will ſhow the ſalvation of God] i. e. Give him a proſpect of Heaven here, and hereafter a full fruition of it.