Works Volume 4, Book 5 · Psalm 150
The Hundred and Fiftieth PSALM.
‖Hallelujah.Praiſe ye the Lord.
The laſt Pſalm is a ſolemn exhortation to all men in the world, to make uſe of all melodious Inſtruments and Voices to celebrate the praiſes of God's power and majeſty. The title of it was, according to the matter, Hallelujah.
1. PRaiſe God in his ſanctuary: praiſe him in the firmament of his power.
Paraphrase. 1. O let us praiſe and magnifie the God of heaven, that dwelleth ſo high, in power and glory, above us poor creatures on this earth, and yet is pleaſed to exhibit and preſentiate himſelf to us, to hear and anſwer our prayers, and accept and reward our praiſes in the place of the publick aſſembly. O let us be ſure conſtantly to meet him there, and render him our humbleſt Euchariſtical acknowledgments for all his mercies (thoſe eſpecially vouchſafed to us in Chriſt.)
2. Praiſe him for his mighty acts: praiſe him according to †the multitude of his magnificence. foreignhis excellent greatneſs.
Paraphrase. 2. He hath ſhewed forth wonderfull acts of power toward us, not once or twice, but frequently reiterated his miracles of mercy: O let our acknowledgments indeavour to bear ſome proportion with them in the ardency and frequency of our ſervices.
3. Praiſe him with the ſound of the trumpet: praiſe him with the pſaltery and harp.
4. Praiſe him with the timbrel and dance: praiſe him with ſtringed inſtruments and organs.
5. Praiſe him upon the loud cymbals: praiſe him upon the high-ſounding cymbals.
Paraphrase. 3, 4, 5. All the inſtruments of Muſick that are at any time uſed to expreſs the greateſt ovations, to attend the nobleſt triumphs or feſtivities, the trumpet, the pſaltery or decachord, the harp, the timbrel, the cymbals that have the loudeſt ſounds, and are fitteſt for exultation, and withall the attendants of muſick, dancings, ſuch as are cuſtomary in ſeaſons of rejoycing, Jud. 21.21. Exod. 15.20. are all very proper expreſſions of that thankſgiving which we owe unto God, and of the delight we take in paying him that tribute. There being no ſubject ſo fit for our devouteſt and moſt vigorous affections to pour out themſelves upon, as this of the glorious excellencies and gracious acts of the divine power and goodneſs toward us.
6. Let every thing that hath breath praiſe the Lord. Praiſe ye the Lord.
Paraphrase. 6. Let this therefore be part of the daily conſtant offices of the Church of God, to ſing Hoſannahs and Hallelujahs, Pſalms and Hymns to him (to frequent the bleſſed Euchariſt, the cup of bleſſing and rejoycing.) And let him be thought unworthy to live, to injoy the breath of life (or any of the graces of God's ſpirit) which doth not chearfully exerciſe himſelf in this part of devotion, as ready to acknowledge the receipt of mercies from God, as to ſolicit them.
HALLELƲJAH.
Annotations on Pſal. CL.
foreignV. 1. Firmament of his power] The word foreign expanſion, which by the LXXII. is generally rendred foreign firmament, (in reſpect of the firmneſs, ſtability and compactedneſs of that vaſt body, ſo diſtended and beaten out, as it were, by God, after the manner of a plate of gold or any other metal) is known to comprehend both the regions of the air, and all the celeſtial orbs, all that is above, and ſurrounds the earth. Here it is taken, as Gen. 1.14. for the ſuperiour part of this Expanſion, that which we call the heavens, which being the place of God's ſpecial reſidence, is called the expanſion or firmament of his power, the throne where this powerfull God of heaven dwells. But then, as the ſanctuary, or place of God's appointed ſolemn worſhip here below, is by the Apoſtle, Heb. 9.23, 24. ſtyled the figure and pattern, or copy of heaven, and God pleaſed in a ſingular manner to preſentiate and exhibit himſelf there; ſo the ſanctuary in this verſe, expreſt by foreign in his holy, or holineſs, but by the Chaldee expreſt to be foreign the houſe of his ſanctuary, is poetically ſet down by this ſtyle which belongs to heaven it ſelf, as the Church of God in the New Teſtament is oft ſtyled the kingdom of heaven. So Aben Ezra renders the firmament by foreign the ark, and ſaith the Pſalm is an exhortation to the Levites to praiſe God, who upon theſe ten ſorts of inſtruments were wont to play in the Temple, and accordingly all of them are diſtinctly reckoned up.
foreignV. 3. With the ſound of the trumpet] The Hebrew foreign undoubtedly ſignifying a trumpet, and ſo interpreted by the LXXII. foreign, by the Chaldee foreign, lightly varied from the Hebrew, is yet rendred by the Syriack foreign (from which the Latin cornu is but little removed) an horn; but this not to inject any ſuſpicion that any other inſtrument is here meant, but onelyonly to refer to the ancient cuſtom of making their trumpets of that matter, the horns of beaſts bored or made hollow, agreeable to which is the Arabick foreign a trumpet (and the Latin buccina hath ſome affinity to that) from the common Hebrew verb foreign to empty or make hollow. The uſe of trumpets in war to celebrate a victory, and not onelyonly ſo, but to excite their ſouldiers and encourage them to fight, is moſt known, and allowed by the uſage of all nations to have that propriety in it, and ſo might not unfitly be derived from the camp to the ſpiritual foreign or warfare, God's ſervice in the Temple, both to celebrate their thankſgivings with this ſolemnity of greateſt joy and tranſportation, and alſo to quicken, to ſtir up affections in the performance of ſuch ſacred Offices. The firſt mention we find of it in Scripture is in conſort with thunder from heaven, Exod. 19.16. to ſolemnize and ſignifie the preſence of God on Sinai, and to raiſe a reverence in the people, and withall to aſſemble them thither. And that uſe of it for the calling aſſemblies, as it is taken from the military cuſtom of aſſembling all to battel unanimouſly by this ſound, ſo is it of God's own appointment, Numb. 10.2. and to that uſe I ſuppoſe are the trumpets deſigned which are mentioned with other utenſils of the Temple, 2 King. 12.13. ſnuffers, baſins, trumpets, &c. But for the uſe of trumpets in conſort or harmony with other inſtruments, for the lauding of God, to which onelyonly this place belongs, the firſt mention we find of them is 1 Chron. 13.8. at David's fetching the Ark from Kiriath-jearim, when he and all Iſrael played before God with all their might, with ſinging, and with harps, and with pſalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets: ſo again c. 15.28. So on another, and not ſo feſtival an occaſion, when on Azariah's propheſie Aſa and Judah made a covenant to God, 2 Chron. 15. they ſware unto the Lord with a loud voice, with ſhouting and with trumpets and with cornets, v. 14. And as Jehoſaphat 2 Chron. 20.20. at his going out againſt his enemies, to his exhortation to belief in God, adds the appointing of ſingers unto the Lord, v. 21. (and this attended with a ſignal bleſſing, v. 22. a victory over their enemies wrought by God's hand) ſo they celebrated their triumph accordingly, going in proceſſion to Jeruſalem with pſalteries and harps and trumpets, v. 28. So on Hezekiah's reformation and ſacrifice 2 Chron. 29.26. the Levites ſtood with the inſtruments of David, and the Prieſts with the trumpets: and when the burnt-offering began, the ſong of the Lord began alſo with the trumpets, and with the inſtruments ordained by David King of Iſrael. So at the laying the foundation of the Temple, when it was reedified, Ezra 3.10. they ſet the Prieſts with trumpets, and the Levites with cymbals: and ſo at the dedication of the wall, Neh. 12.41. And as here, ſo Pſal. 118.6. the praiſes of God are appointed to be ſung with that joyfull noiſe that the harps and trumpets and cornets do ſend forth. From theſe premiſſes it will not be difficult to judge of the ſolidity of that Annotation which the Geneva Bible hath affixt to this verſe in theſe words, Exhorting the people to rejoyce in praiſing God, he maketh mention of thoſe inſtruments which by God's commandment were appointed in the old Law, but under Chriſt the uſe thereof is aboliſhed in the Church. If by this phraſe, appointed by God's commandment in the old Law, be meant, that the uſe of theſe inſtruments was any part of the Ceremonial Law, given by God to Moſes (in which onelyonly the aboliſhing of it in the Chriſtian Church can be founded with any appearance of reaſon) it already appears that there is no truth in this: For as this practice of praiſing God with the aſſiſtance of inſtrumental as well as vocal muſick is found to be ancienter than the giving of the Law in Sinai, (much more then of the ceremonies in God's ſervice either in the Tabernacle or Temple) being related of Miriam the propheteſs, the ſiſter of Aaron, Exod. 15.20. that to celebrate the delivery out of Aegypt, to Moſes's ſong, took a timbrel in her hand, and the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances; ſo the appointment of it in God's ſervice cannot by the ſcripture be deduced from any higher original than that of David, according to that of 2 Chron. 29.26. which expreſſeth the inſtruments to have been ordained by David. The appointment, I ſay, or praeſcript command; for as to the practice of it, we have an earlier example and inſtance of that 1 Sam. 10.5. where the company of prophets are met by Saul, coming down from the high place with a pſaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp before them, while they propheſied, or ſang praiſes to God. And another yet earlier I mentioned, that of Miriam and her maidens. And indeed the univerſal uſage among all the nations that we reade of, gives us cauſe much rather to aſſign it a place in the natural Religion which the common light of Reaſon directed all civilized Nations to, in attributing honour to God, than to number it among the ceremonies of the Moſaical Law. Homer, one of the ancienteſt heathen writers that we have, gives a ſufficient account of the uſage of the Greeks in celebrating the praiſes of the Gods and Heroes upon the Harp; and after him nothing more frequent than the mention of the Paeans, Dithyrambicks, Choriambicks, Pythaulae, the foreign of Bacchus, the Phrygian way of ſervice unto Cybele with the Drum, the Egyptians to Iſis with the Timbrel or Siſtrum. Of the more Eaſtern practice the third of Daniel is ſufficient teſtimony, where the ſound of the Cornet, Flute, Harp, Sackbut, Pſaltery, Dulcimer, and all kinds of Muſick are uſed in the worſhip of their Idol-Gods, v. 5. As for the Weſtern or Roman, Muſick was ſo great an ingredient in their Religion, that in the firſt Ages of that ſtate, before they had learnt and received in to their own the rites of the nations they conquered, the Tibicines had a College or Corporation among them; and when upon a diſobligation they left the City, the Senate addreſt a ſolemn Embaſſy to them to bring them back, and at their return courted them with the donation of all the privileges they deſired. By all this it appears how little affinity to truth there is in that obſervation, which made Church-Muſick a piece of abrogated Judaiſm, it being no part of the Law given by Moſes, and ſo great a part of the Religion of thoſe to whoſe rites the Moſaical oeconomy was moſt contrary; and yet ſo far alſo from being defamed by the Idolatrous heathens uſing of it, that the Prophets among the Jews practiſed it, Miriam celebrated the deliverance from Aegypt with it in the preſence of Moſes, and David ſolemnly ordain'd and endow'd it, (and from him the reſt of the Kings of Judah) in the Tabernacle and the Temple. Which appointment of David's although I ſuppoſe it not ſo far to be extended as to lay an obligation on all Chriſtians in all their ſervices to uſe this ſolemnity of inſtrumental Muſick, David's practices being not thus obligatory to us, nor his appointment reaching all Chriſtians; yet 1. neither is there any reaſon deducible from hence to perſwade us, that theſe Inſtruments taken in to aſſiſt in God's ſervice either then were, or now are, unlawfull on that account, becauſe they were not commanded by God, but appointed by David: for it being evident that David was both a Prophet and a King, the former (if not the latter of theſe alone) enabled and qualified him to ordain ceremonies in God's ſervice, as is viſible in his numbring the age of the Levites, 1 Chron. 23.27. otherwiſe than Moſes had appointed, v. 3. and Numb. 4.3. and by his deſign to build God a Temple not commanded (but after forbidden) and yet his deſign of doing it approved by God. And 2. the motives which recommended the uſe thereof to David and his ſucceſſours after him, being not ſhadows of things to come (which therefore by the preſence of the ſubſtance, the coming of Chriſt, are aboliſhed) but reaſons of equal efficacy now, and before, and in his time, viz. the propriety of thoſe ſounds to expreſs and add to the ſolemnity of rejoycing, to enliven and ſtir up dull, and to compoſe irregular affections, to raiſe and inflame devotion, to tranſport into holy ecſtaſies, and this, as Boethius tells us, by vertue of the anſwerableneſs of the notes in Muſick to thoſe obſerved by nature in the temper of the body, which makes a well-compoſed harmony, a moral at leaſt, if not even a natural inſtrument to work changes in humane affections, and if the Muſick be deſigned with Judgment, and with reſpect to the preſent occaſions, that change muſt in reaſon be to the better, and not to the worſe. On theſe premiſſes, I ſay, the leaſt that can be inferred is, that if we onelyonly conſider Church-Muſick as a ſutable attendant on Divine Service, it is no more abrogated by the Goſpel, than proſtration of the body in prayer, ſetting apart Feſtival Solemnities, making Oblations, building Oratories, and the like; and 2. if we joyn to this the conſideration of the particular uſes of it, then unleſs we have none of theſe wants which Muſick is proper to ſupply, the Uſe may now as reaſonably be retain'd in the Church (and that for other parts of God's Service as well as that one of Lauds and Magnificats, from the examples of Aſa and Jehoſhaphat forementioned) as it was introduced into God's Service in, and before the Temple. Yet when I ſay it may, I do not aſſume it muſt: When by the conſent (in a manner) of all mankind I diſcern it look'd on as an agreeable attendant and ornament of natural Religion, I do not yet eſteem it either as any the leaſt part of the Subſtance, or ſo much as a neceſſary rite of Divine Service, but place it in the claſſis of thoſe things which, when they are ſeaſonably and decently and reverently uſed, expreſs our honour to the Deity. 'Tis moſt certain, I may ſpeak the praiſes of God without the addition either of Inſtrumental or even of Vocal Muſick; and ſo I know we may pray, and not in a Church or conſecrated place, and without the lowlieſt poſture of the body, that of proſtration. Yet it will as little be doubted upon Chriſtian Principles, or thoſe which are common to all Religion, but, as theſe, ſo that, when it is (by the Piety of Governours, or without, ſo it be not againſt, their commands) ſuperinduced, it will with good propriety fill up the ſolemnity and honourary reſpect, and ſo (though abſtracted from the forementioned acceſſory advantages) maintain, againſt all rational oppoſition, the decency of retaining it in the Church of Chriſt. 3. To ſay ſtill, after all this, that it is aboliſhed in the Chriſtian Church, and neither to ſhew where, nor to tender any analogy or parity of reaſon by which that may (with ſome probability at leaſt) be inferred, but having untruly ſuggeſted, that it was appointed by God in the Old Law, on that undue ſuggeſtion onelyonly, without the leaſt tender of farther proof, to dictate magiſterially that it is aboliſhed, what is this but the fallacy in Logick of begging the Queſtion, and no ſmall degree of the ſin of dogmatizing, as far from the methods of Reaſon, as the purity or liberty of the Goſpel? Eſpecially when the Apoſtle under the New Teſtament, by preſcribing Pſalms and Hymns and ſpiritual Songs, Col. 3.16. which three words are obſerved to comprize all the ſorts of Songs and Pſalms mentioned among the Jews in the Old Teſtament (of the laſt of which thoſe very Geneva-Annotations ſay, that they are peculiar and artificious ſongs, made fuller of muſick) and by the addition of ſinging, and making melody (the latter foreign probably referring to ‖The Pſal…ery is a known Inſtrument among the Hebrews, to which foreign may refer.Inſtrumental, as the former to Vocal Muſick) ſeems ſo far from the leaſt unkindneſs to the Muſick cuſtomary in the Temple, that he rather recommends it on fit occaſions to the Chriſtians. Nor can there be any reaſon rendred, either Chriſtian or Moral, why vocal Muſick ſhould be commanded under the Goſpel, and yet inſtrumental forbidden; or why Songs more than ordinarily artificious, and fuller of Muſick, being in the Genevan judgment preſcribed, ſhould yet be interdicted the additional uſe of the Harp or Organ, or any other ſort of grave, ſolemn, and moſt eſteemed muſical Inſtruments, to accompany, and either aſſiſt, or adorn them. A more rational enquiry it would be, whether when the holy anointing oil, wherewith the Tabernacle was anointed, was not to be uſed for ſecular purpoſes under the ſevereſt penalty, Exod. 30.33. ſuch Inſtruments, 1. ſo ſolemnly appointed, and thereby in a manner conſecrated by David the holy Pſalmiſt, and 2. honoured by the uſage of the Temple, and alſo the Chriſtian Church, be not in ſome degree debaſed, if not prophaned, by being forbidden their Original proper Uſe, and imployed to uſes moſt contrary.
HOSANNAH, HALLELƲJAH.
THE END.