Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 92 – Psalm 93
PSAL. XCII.
A Pſalm or ſong for the Sabbath day] The Sabbath in the Hebrew hath its name from reſting; and is near allied to two other words,foreign the firſt whereof ſignifieth to ſit ſtill, and ſecond to worſhip and give praiſe. On this day they met for works of Piety (as ſacrificing, reading and expounding the Scriptures, praying, ſinging, as here, &c.) and of mercy, Matth. 12.2-7, 8, 11, 12. And this Pſalm treating of Gods great Works, was purpoſely ſet for a Canon of ſanctifying that day called by the Jews the Queen of dayes; in praiſe whereof, before and after meat, they daily ſay certain verſes.
Verſ. 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord] And the Sabbath-day is a good time to do it in; for then (as Kimchi here noteth) men are at leiſure and liberty to do it moſt ſolemnly; the better day, the better deed.
And to ſi…g praiſes unto thy name] The Pſalmiſt common ends it, and preſently ſets upon the doing of it. So Pſal. 122.6, 7. he no ſooner bids pray for the Peace of Jeruſalem, but himſelf prayes, Peace be within thy walls, &c.
Verſ. 2 To ſhew forth thy loving kindneſs in the morning] Every morning, that God may have the firſt fruits of the day, but eſpecially on the Sabbath-morning, when we awake and riſe, ad quietem & ad delicias animi & corporis, as Kimchi here hath it. The Jews bleſſe God at the Sabbaths comming in, and going out.
And thy faithfulneſſe in the night] Breaking our ſleep for that purpoſe; yea we muſt be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. how much more on the Sabbath-day? then our whole work muſt be to be raviſhed in ſpirit, doing no work, but ſuch as whereby we either bleſſe God, or look to receive a bleſſing from God; none but ſuch as wherein we would the Lord ſhould find us at his comming; which Lactantius ſaith will be on the Sabbath-day.
Verſ. 3. Upon an inſtrument of ten ſtrings, &c.] This was part of the Jewiſh pedagogy; and teacheth us to uſe all lawfull means to inforce our ſelves to that, whereunto we are ſo dull and backward.
Verſ. 4. For thou Lord haſt made mee glad, &c. And I will improve this chearfulneſſe to thankfulneſſe, Jam. 5.13. On the Sabbath we ought ſolummodo ſpiritualibus gaudiis repleri, to be filled with ſpiritual joyes only, ſaith the Councill of Paris held Anno 820.
I will triumph in the works of thy hands] ſc. The works of Creation, Adminiſtration, but eſpecially of Redemption.
Verſ. 5. O Lord, how great are thy works?] Surely ſo great, that I cannot utter then, and muſt therefore thus vent my ſelf by an exclamation. Expleri mentem nequeo, ardeſco que tuend….Virgil.
And thy thoughts are very deep] Here then we muſt do as thoſe Romans did, who when they found a Lake, the depth whereof was unknown, they dedicated it to Victory. Cry, O the depth, and there reſt us.
Verſ. 6. A bruitiſh man knows not] A ſottiſh ſenſualiſt who hath his ſoul for ſalt only, to keep his body from putrifying, (as we ſay of ſwine) he takes no knowledge of Gods great works, but grunts and goes his wayes; contenting himſelf with a naturall uſe of the Creatures, as beaſts do.
Verſ. 7. When the wicked ſpring as the graſs, &c.] This the fool admireth, calling the proud happy, &c. Mal. 3.15. and not conſidering that that proud graſs ſhall be mown down, and that flouriſh ſhall ſoon periſh.
It is that they ſhall bee deſtroyed for ever] Not grow again, as mown graſſe doth: Exoriuntur ut exurantur. It is but as Hamans banquet before execution.
Verſ. 8. But thou Lord art moſt high, &c.] q.d. Flouriſh the wicked never ſo much, ſhoot they up never ſo high, thou art higher, and in the thing wherein they deal proudly, thou art above them, Exod. 18.11.
Verſ. 9. For loe thine enemies, &c.] The Pſalmiſt by this demonſtrative particle Loe, points to it as it were with the Finger, as a thing moſt evident and undoubted.
Shall be ſcattered] Diſparant ſe, diſſiliunt, diſpart themſelves.
Verſ. 10. Like the horn of an Unicorn] Which is very fair, hard, and well lifted up. See Numb. 23.26. I am in good plight.
I ſhall be anointed] Tis well for the preſent, and it will be better hereafter.
Verſ. 11. Mine eye alſo ſhall ſee my deſire on mine enemies] Or, on mine obſervers, who watch for my halting.
Verſ. 12. The Righteous ſhall flouriſh like the Palm] A tree that groweth not in theſe cold climats, but where it doth, is noted for tall, conſtantly green, longlived,foreign. Theoph. ſweet, firm, ſtraight, &c.
Nititur in pondus palma & couſurgit in altum;
Quo magis & premitur, hoc mage toll it onus.Alciat, Emblem.
Though it hath many waights at the top, and many ſnakes at the bottom, yet it ſtill faith, Nec premor, nec perimor.
Like a Cedar] Not like graſſe, as the wicked do. Verſe 7.
Verſ. 13. Thoſe that be planted] Having taken deep root there; Hypocrites are only thruſt in, as a ſtake, into the earth. Mnaſon was an old Diſciple, Andronicus and Junia were in Chriſt before Paul, …om. 16.7.and therefore of note among the Apoſtles for well rooted and fruited.
In the Courts of our God] In Chriſt, and under the ordinances.
Verſ. 14. They ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old age] Quantumvis veteres, non veteraſcent, though old, yet they ſhall retain their former vigour and verdure; and be like that Perſian tree in Theophraſtus, that at the ſame time doth bud, bloſſom, and bear fruit, pullulantes & ſucculentae.
They ſhall be fat and flouriſhing] Ʋividi & vegeti, Bucholc.not as the Brabanti or Flemmings, qui quo magis ſeneſcunt, eo magis ſtulteſcunt, ſaith Eraſmus, the elder, the fooliſher; nor as Trapezuntius, who outlived all his learning; but as Moſes, whoſe ſight failed not, his heat abated not; as Wine, the older the better; as the Sun which ſhineth moſt amiably toward the deſcent.
Verſ. 15. To ſhew that, &c.] This is one of their principall fruits, to give God 2 teſtimonial, ſuch as good old Moſes doth, Deut. 32.4.
PSAL. XCIII.
VErſ. 1. The Lord reigneth] i.e. The Lord Chriſt. Kimchi here noteth that all the following Pſalms till the hundred and firſt are de diebus Chriſti, of the dayes of Chriſt. Here wee have his empire and regality aſſerted, firſt, by his works, ſecondly, by his word, verſ. 5. See the like, Pſal. 19.1, 2. — 7, 8. &c. and that manifeſtation of himſelf by his word far preferred.
Hee is cloathed with Majeſty] He hath now put off his armes, and put on his robes, hee will henceforth rule all wiſely and righteouſly.
The Lord is cloathed with ſtrength] For the battel; in caſe his enemies ſtir, to attempt againſt him, Ezra. 8.22.
The World alſo is eſtabliſhed] The earth, though it hang like a ball in the air, without a baſis, Ponderibus librata ſuis, yet is unmoveable; how much more the Church?
Verſ. 2. Thy throne in eſtabliſhed of old] Chriſt ſhall reign, utcun que fremant ſcelerati, & omnia quantum in ſe eſt conturbent, rage the wicked never ſo; for he is Jehovah, verſ. 1. the eternal, here; — Firmâ aeternus qui conſidet arce.
Verſ. 3.Hypotypoſis. The floods have lifted up, O Lord] Armies of enemies have attempted great matters, but thou haſt ſoon queld and quaſht them. Immota manet, may well be the Churches motto.
Auratonet, ſonet unda maris, fremat orbis & orcus;
Tutamen inſertos nos tibi, Chriſte, tegis.
The floods lift up their waves] The Word for waves hath its name from daſhing or breaking;Anaphora. the enemies do but beat themſelves into foam and froth againſt Chriſt the Rock, qui inſtar rupis quae in mar… vadoſo, horridi Jovis, & irat…, ut ita dicam, Neptuni fervidis aſſultibus undique verberata, non cedit aut minuitur, ſed obtendit aſſuetum fluctibus la…us; & firmâ duritie tumentis undae impetum ſuſtinet ac frangit.Woverius.
Verſ. 4. The Lord on high is mightier] He overtops Tyrants and perſecutors, be they never ſo terrible for noiſe and number. … he but thunder they are huſht, and glad to wriggle, as worms, into their holes.
Verſ. 5. Thy Teſtimonies are very ſure] Thy promiſes infallible; and therefore rage the World never ſo, thou ſhalt ſtill have an holy Catholick Church, ſuch as whoſe principles, practices, and aimes are divine and ſupernaturall; ſuch as walk worthy of God in all well-pleaſing, and inaſmuch as they have theſe rich promiſes, do cleanſe themſelves from all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.
Holineſſe becommeth thine houſe] God looks to be ſerved like himſelf; he will be ſanctified of all thoſe that draw near unto him in holy duties, Levit. 10.3. This the Heathens were not altogether ignorant of, and therefore at their ſacrifices the Prieſts cryed out foreign, who is here? Eraſint Praef, in Adag.whereunto the people that were preſent anſwered, foreign, here are many, and thoſe good men all. — Procul hinc procul eſte profani.