Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 89
PSAL. LXXXIX.
MAſchil of Ethan the Ezrahite] Who having out-lived Salomon, and ſeen both the defection of the Ten Tribes from the Houſe of David, and the woful work made by Shiſhack King of Aegypt in the Kingdom of Judah, 2 Chron. 12. compoſed this Pſalm (as it may ſeem) and left it for an erudisive, or inſtruction to all ſucceeding Ages what to do in ſuch diſmal changes and concuſſions. That Jew-Doctor mentioned by Aben-Ezra was more nice than wiſe, who would neither read nor hear this Pſalm, Quia videtur dura de Deo proferre, becauſe it ſeemeth to ſpeak hardly of God, verſ. 39.
Verſ. 1. I will ſing of the mercies of the Lord] Gods Mercies moved him to promiſe, his faithfulneſs bindeth him to perform; Ethan promiſeth to celebrate both, were the times never ſo bad, their caſe never ſo calamitous.
I will make known thy faithfulneſs] Which yet I am ſometimes moved to make queſtion of. Thus the Pſalmiſt inſinuateth before he complaineth, Vt faclendum docent Rhetores in cauſis invidioſis; wherein he ſheweth himſelf a right Rhetorician.
Verſ. 2. For I have ſaid] I beleeved, therefore have I ſpoken it, I dare ſay it ſhall be ſo, becauſe thou haſt ſaid it (ſo the Greek here hath it) what God ſaith we may write upon it, becauſe all the words of his mouth are in righteouſneſs, neither is there any thing froward or perverſe in them, Prov. 8.8.
Mercy ſhall be built up for ever] Till the top-ſtone be laid, and judgement bee brought forth into victory, Mat. 12.20. the ſure mercies of David fail not.
Thy faithfulneſs ſhalt thou eſtabliſh in the heavens] Or, with the very heavens; that is, ſo ſure as they are eſtabliſhed. If that Martyr could ſay, The Heavens ſhall ſooner fall than I will forſake the truth I have learned; how much more may we ſay ſo of Gods unfaileable faithfulneſs? See verſ. 33.
Verſ. 3. I have made a Covenant with my choſen] i.e. With Chriſt (who is Gods elect one, Iſa. 42.1.) and in him with all his people, Epheſ. 1.4.
I have ſworn unto David] The Father and Figure of Chriſt, who is frequently called David, and is here chiefly to be underſtood. O happy we, for whoſe ſake God hath ſworn, ſaith Tertullian! and O moſt wretched, if we beleeve him not thus ſwearing!
Verſ. 4. Thy Seed will I eſtabliſh for ever] Davids for a long time, but Chriſts for ever and aye.
And build up thy throne to all generations] Chriſts Kingdom hath no end, Iſa. 9.7. Luke 1.33. This is very comfortable. The Jews underſtanding this promiſe of Davids Kingdom, have oft attempted the reſtauration of it; but in vain, and to the ruine of their Nation.
Verſ. 5. And the heavens ſhall praiſe thy Wonders] Heb. Thy Miracle, viz. in their circumgyration (which ſheweth a firſt mover) in their embroidery, influences, &c. yeelding matter and occaſion of praiſe. And thus, All thy Works praiſe thee, O Lord, but thy Saints bleſs thee, Pſa. 145.10. and ſo by Heavens here we may underſtand the Angels of Heaven (as they are called, Mat. 24 36.) as by the Congregation of Saints, the Church univerſal in heaven and earth, by whom God is highly praiſed for the Covenant of Grace.
Verſ. 6. For who in the heaven can be compared, &c?] Thou farre tranſcendeſt the brighteſt Cherub, all whoſe excellency is but derivative, a drop of thine Ocean, a ſpark of thy flame.
Who among the Sons of the mighty] Inter chores Angelorum, ſaith the Chaldee; What Angel, what Man?
Verſ. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the aſſembly, &c.] Heb. Daunting terrible in the ſocret of the Saints very much. The holy Angels make their addreſſes unto him with greateſt reverence, and ſelf-abaſements; for they know that he humbleth himſelf to behold things in heaven, Pſal. 113. How much more then ſhould we ſet our ſelves to ſerve him with reverence and godly fear, ſith our God is a conſuming fire? Heb. 12.28, 29.
Verſ. 8. Who is a ſtrong Lord, like unto thee] Heb. Who is like thee, mighty Jab? This is to magnifie God, when we get above all Creatures, in our conceptions of him.
Or to thy faithfulneſs … out thee.] those that are round about thee, or thou art full of faithfulneſs.
Verſ. 9. Thou … the raging of the ſea] That it overwhelm not the earth; this work of Gods Power is often celebrated as well it may, all things cinfide….
Verſ. 10. Than haſt broken Rahab in … ] i. e. which is called Rahab. for it ſtrengthe… …de.
As a … is ſlain.] Or, as one deadly wounded as ſuch an one is ſoon diſpatcht, ſo here.Vo; Halal vulneratum lethaliter deſignat.
Then haſt … &c.] See Iſa. 25.…. with the Note.
Verſ. 11. … heaven is …, th…earth alſo in thine] Th… madeſt them by thy Power and thou maintaineſt them by the Provide… thou doeſt whatſoever thou wilt in both, Pſal. 115.3.
As for the World, &c.] See Pſal. 24. ….
Verſ. 12. Tabor and Hermon] That is, the Weſt and Eaſt of Judea but put here for the Weſt and Eaſt of the World; Judea was the World of the World, as Athe…s the Greece of Greece, as Solon the Epitome of Athens.
Verſ. 13. Thou haſt a mighty arm] Men ſhould therefore both tremble before God, and truſt in him. 1 Pet. 2.6.
Strong is thy hand] Even thy left hand, q. d. tu polles utra que manu, thou haſt both hands alike powerful.
Verſ. 14. Juſtice and Judgement are the …bitation (or baſis) of thy … ] theſe are the ſupporters, and pillars.
Mercy and Truth, &c.] Theſe are the fore-runners, or ſatellites; I ſhould much fear Juſtice and Judgement, ſaith Auſtin, were it not that Mercy and Truth comfort me: Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt, Joh….
Verſ. 15. Bleſſed is the people that know the joyful ſound] Jubilatio…, the ſound of thy Word, the free uſe of thine Ordinances; ſerving thee with cheerfulneſs, and giving thee thanks with exaltation of hea… and rapture of ſpirit, Scias unde gau… quod verb… explicate … poſſis, ſaith A…ſti…s, Accipa quod ſe… antequam …, faith Cyprian, writing to Donatur, concerning the joy of his Converſion.
They ſhall walk, O Lord in the light of thy … ] In the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the holy Ghoſt.
Verſ. 16. In thy name ſhall they rejoy … a day] Or, every day. Bonis ſemper ferie, foreign, ſaith Di…genes in Plutarch. God crowneth the Kalender of good mens lives with many fe…tivals.
Verſ. 17. For thou art the glory of thew ſtrength] And hence it is that they are filled to pfull with comfort, and do over-abound exceedingly with joy in all their tribulation, 2 Cor. 7.4.
Verſ. 18. For the Lord is our defence] Heb. our shield; the body cannot bee wounded, but through the ſhield.
And the holy one of … our King] How then can any one cry aloud? Mich. 4.9.
Verſ. 19. Then thou ſpakeſt in Viſion to thy holy one] i. e. to Samuel thy Prieſt, and Prophet … 1 Sam. 16.12.) one of thoſe few that lived and dyed with glory.
I have … upon one … is migthy] I have called David to the Kingdom, and qualifie him … chiefly intended here is Chriſt, able to ſave them to the … to God by him Heb. 7.29.
… One of them … or one of ſingular … of the vulgar.
Verſ. 20. … and in ….
With my holy oyl have I annoynted him] How Chriſt was appointed and annoy ….
Verſ. 21. … and carry him thorough all conditions with comfort, See Ezra. 22 with the Note.
… ] i.e. … more ſtrength than the hand.
Verſ. 22. The enemy ſhalt … ] Or ſhall profit nothing, … at all, as the Chaldee and … have it.
Nor the ſon of wickedneſſe] Heb. Of injurious-evill, one that is ſet upon miſ…, as … ſaid, this people … Exod. 32.22.
Verſ. 23. And I will beat down his fees. &c.] Victory … Lord: He may … Monarch, … I take part with, is ſure to prevail.
That hare him] That ſecretly malign him, though they can do miſchief.
Verſ. 24. But my faithfulneſs and my … ] My power without … according to promiſe, and my peace … him that paſſeth all underſtanding ſhall guard his heart and mind in Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. ….7.
Shal his horn be exalted] He ſhall be … and eximious.
Verſ. 25. … ] He ſhall be a Vice-god, Dan. 12.7. Rov. 10. … gave the Perſians earth and water, in token of ſubjection to Darius their King.Her. in Erat. Chriſt is the true foreign, a title anciently uſurped by S…ſ…tr… King of Aegypt.
Qui Pharios currus regum cervicibus egit.
Verſ. 26. He ſhall cry unto mee, Thou art my Father] This was a royalty above all the reſt. Job. 1.12. 1. Job. 3.1. and applyed to Chriſt the only-begotten ſon of God; it ſets him above all the Angels, Heb. 1.
My God] This is the Bee-hive of heavenly honey.
Verſ. 27. alſo I will make him my … ] Chriſt is the firſt-born of every Creature, and in all things hath the …p…ence. David alſo ſhall be the higheſt Prince on earth, bleſſed and accepted far beyond any of them. … …ilecte Dee, &c.
Verſ. 28. My … I will keep for … ] It ſhall be ready at all times for his relief, even the … of David, neither will I utterly take it from him, as I did from Saul.
And my Covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him] Faſter than the mountains, Iſa. 54.10. firmer than the courſes of Sun and Moon, day and night, Jer. 31.35, 36. & 33.20, 21.
Verſ. 29 His ſeed alſo, &c.] This is chiefly mean of chriſt and his Kingdome.
And his … as the dayes of Heaven] i.e. As the Kingdome of Heaven, eternall; for the aſpectible Heave… … con…ptible.
Verſ. 30. If his children forſake my law, &c.] If they fall into ſins of commiſſion; If they ſhoot beyond the …
And walk not in my Judgements] If they fall into ſins of omiſſion, and ſhoot ſhort. Where note, that every …, and diſ-obedience (that is, every commiſſion and omiſſion) receiveth a juſt recompence of reward, Heb 2.2.
Verſ. 31. If they break my … ] Heb. If they … or make void; q.d. bee their ſins never ſo h…inous, I will forgive them; though I take vengeance temporal of …eir …ions, Pſal 99.8
… of God, not-ſacrificing in a ſin, Mal. 3.18. Eccleſ. 9.2. See verſ. 30.
Verſ. 32. Thus will I vi… their … The … of the Saints … with the r…d of ….
Verſ. 33. ….
Nor ſuffer … with him.
Verſ. 34. My Covenant I will not break] Heb. I will not propham my Covenant, though they have prophaned my ſtatutes verſ. 31.
Nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips] But will pardon their failings, and cauſe them to keep my Commandements.
Verſ. 35. Once have I ſworn by mine Holineſſe] Which is as deep an oath as I know how to take; for my holineſſe is my ſelf, who am moſt holy, and the fountain of all holineſs. By this I have ſworn once, that is, once for all, immobiliter, immutabiliter.
Verſ. 36. His ſeed ſhall endure for ever] Chriſt ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his dayes; and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hands, Iſa. 53.10. filiabitur nomine ejus, Pſal. 72.17. See there.
Verſ. 27. It ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever, as the Moon] If his ſons be good, they ſhall ſhine as the Sun in his ſtrength (ſaith Kimchi) as, if they be not, yet they ſhall be as the Moon that ſhineth, though for a time obſcured or eclipſed. A fit reſemblance (ſaith another Expoſitor) of the throne of Church of Chriſt, Ainſw.which hath not alwaies one face or appearance in the World, though it be perpetuall. The Papiſts would have this Moon alwaies in the full; and if ſhe ſhew put little light to us, they will not yeeld ſhe is the Moon. And yet (except in the Eclipſe) Aſtronomers demonſtrate that the Moon hath at all times as much light as ſhe hath in the full; but oftentimes a great part of the bright ſide is turned to Heaven, and a leſſer part to the earth. And ſo the Church is ever conſpicuous to Gods eye, though it appear not alwaies ſo to us.
And as a faithfull witneſs in Heaven] As oft then as we ſee the Sun and Moon in Heaven, let us think of the conſtancy of Gods Covenant, and the perpetuity of Chriſts Kingdome. By this faithfull witneſſe, ſome underſtand the Rainbow, Gen. 9.13, &c.
Verſ. 38. But thou haſt caſt off, and abhorred] So it ſeemed to the Pſalmiſt through infirmity of the fleſh (though his faith did ubi que micare, appear ever and anon amidſt his complaints) and ſo the enemies reported and inſulted.
Thou haſt been wroth with thine anointed] ſc. Out of love diſpleaſed. And here, as likewiſe in the verſes following, omnia ſunt Aſyndeta, ad vehementiam
Verſ. 39. Thou haſt made void the Covenant] This paſſage a certain Spaniſh Rabbi ſtumbled at (as hath been noted on the title of this Pſalm) but without cauſe; for all theſe things are ſpoken foreign, and not foreign, according to opinion, and not according to the truth of things. And therefore Kimchi ſaith well here, Many wonder at this Pſalmiſt, and I do as much wonder at their wondring, &c.
Thou haſt prophaned his Crown] By rendring his regal dignity contemptible. foreign.The Greek rendreth it, his Sanctuary.
Verſ. 40. Thou haſt broken down all his hedges] Or walls. The walls of Sparta were their Militia, of England are their ſhips, of all lands their Laws, Eccleſ. 10.8.
Thou haſt brought his ſtrong-holds to ruine] Or to conſternation, and deadly fright. Siqua manet gelidâ formidine concutis arcem.Buchanan.
Verſ. 41. All that paſs by the way ſpoil him] They rob and rifle him; ſuch havock was made by Shiſhak, and is ſtill by the Churches enemies, Heb. 10.34.
He is a reproach to his neighbours] Who now look upon him as a King of Clouts, and ask, where is his invincible Majeſty?
Verſ. 42. Thou haſt ſet up] Thou ſeemeſt to be on their ſide.
Thou haſt made all his enemies] To revell in his ruines.
Verſ. 43. Thou haſt turned the edge] Diſarmed and diſabled him.
And hast not made him, &c.] but turned his courage into cowardiſe.
Verſ. 44. Thou haſt made his glory to ceaſe] Heb. his brightneſſe, the ſplendent glory and dignity of the Kingdome: Some underſtand it of the Prieſthood, and the following words of the Kingdome.
Verſ. 45. The dayes of his youth haſt thou ſhortened] Thou haſt nipped him in the bud, ſnatcht him away by an untimely end, as a young man is ſometimes in his prime and pride.
Thou haſt covered him with ſhame; Selah] Thou haſt wrapped him up in the winding-ſheet of ſhame. Lord, this is true.
Verſ. 46. How long, Lord, &c.] Here faith prevaileth againſt fleſh, and falleth a praying, and at length a praiſing God.
Verſ. 47. Remember how ſhort] See Pſal. 39.5.
Wherefore haſt thou, &c.] As thou mayeſt ſeem to have done, unleſſe they may chearfully ſerve thee, and enjoy thee.
Verſ. 48. What man is he that liveth, &c?] q. d. Sith dye we muſt, let us live while we may, to ſome good purpoſe.
Selah] q.d. Mark it, and meditate well and oft on this ſavoury ſubject.
Verſ. 49. Lord where are, &c.] q. d. Thou ſeemeſt to have loſt them, and we would fain find them again for thee.
Verſ. 50. Remember Lord] Thou ſeemeſt to have forgotten us and our ſufferings, and we would fain remind thee.
Verſe. 51. The fool ſteps of thine anointed] Heb. The heels or foot-ſoles, that is, his doings and ſufferings. The Chaldee and others render it, tarditates, mor as Chriſti tui, the delayes of thy Chriſt in comming, whom therefore they twit us with, velut tar digradum vel loripedem & claudum, and ſay, where is the promiſed Meſſiah?
Verſ. 52. Bleſſed be the Lord, &c.] ſc. For a Chriſt; or for adverſity as well as for proſperity; and this, not formally and ſlightly, but earneſtly, and with utmoſt affection, Amen, and amen.