Works Volume 4, Book 2 · Psalm 50
The Fiftieth PSALM.
A Pſalm ‖for לof Aſaph.
Paraphrase. The Fiftieth Pſalm is a ſolemn magnifying of Gods power and majeſty, and a deſcription of the calling of the Gentiles, and of the true Evangelical way of worſhipping God. It was compoſed (‖but the Chaldee ſeems to make Aſaph the Compoſer of it, foreign by the hand of Aſaph. probably by David) and appointed to be ſung by Aſaph, a Levite, appointed by David to attend the Ark, and to record, and to thank, and to praiſe the Lord God of Iſrael, 1 Chron. 16.5.
1. The mighty God, even the Lord, hath ſpoken, and *he will call foreigncalled the earth from the riſing of the ſun unto the going down thereof.
Paraphrase. 1. The decree is gone out from the Omnipotent God of heaven, the ſupreme eternity, Lord and Judge over all the world, that he will aſſemble and convocate the whole Nation of the Jews from Dan to Berſheba, from ſea to ſea, from Eaſt to Weſt, to reduce and take them off from their hypocritical and abominable practiſes, and bring them to the due acknowledgment and pure worſhip of the true God, and the practiſe of all virtue.
2. †From Sion from the perfection— foreignOut of Sion the perfection of beauty God ‖will ſhine. foreignhath ſhined.
Paraphrase. 2. To this end, as God hath fixt his Tabernacle on Mount Sion, preſentiated himſelf as illuſtriouſly there, as he did at the giving the Law on Mount Sinai, ſo ſhall the Son of God, in the fulneſs of time, deſcend to this earth of ours; the true light, John 1.9. ſhall ſhine forth; the Meſſias ſhall be born of our fleſh, of the ſeed of David, and (having preacht repentance to the Jews, and being rejected by their Sanhedrim, and Crucified by them) he ſhall riſe from death, and aſcend to his Father, and then ſend his Spirit on his Apoſtles, thereby commiſſionating them to reveal his Goſpel to all the world, beginning from the place where God hath been pleaſed in a ſpecial manner to reſide, this moſt beautiful mount of Sion: there he now preſentiates himſelf, and from thence he ſhall then begin to ſhine forth, and inlighten the heathen world; the preaching of his Goſpel to all the world ſhall commence and proceed from thence.
3. Our God ſhall come, and ſhall not *be idle, delay.keep ſilence: a fire ſhall devour before him, and it ſhall be very tempeſtuous round about him.
Paraphrase. 3. What is thus decreed ſhall certainly come to paſs in its appointed time, and be lookt on as an extraordinary and ſignal work of Gods power, wherein much of his divine preſence ſhall be diſcernible; and the immediate attendants of it ſhall be very dreadful and terrible, above that of the giving the Law to the Jews from Mount Sinai.
4. He ſhall call to the Heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
Paraphrase. 4. And it ſhall begin with a ſummons as to a ſolemn Aſſiſes, for the examining the actions of men, good and bad, thoſe that have reſiſted and deſpiſed the Meſſias, and thoſe that have ſubjected themſelves to him. All ſhall be judged by him; the former puniſhed, and the latter rewarded. And *foreign he ſhall call the Angels, C…ald.Angels and Men ſhall be ſummoned and called in, to be executioners of theſe his judgments.
5. Gather my Saints together unto me, thoſe that have made a Covenant with me ‖for, or concerning foreignby ſacrifice.
Paraphrase. 5. And the good Angels his miniſters of preſervation ſhall be appointed to take ſpecial care of all the pious believing Jews, (Mat. 24.31. Rev. 7.3.) who have ſincerely given themſelves up to his ſervice, received the Chriſtian faith, and in their baptiſm made vow of performing it faithfully, which adore, and †&c. which give themſelves to prayer, which is like ſacrifice. Chald.pray conſtantly to him; and not to ſuffer any harm to come nigh to theſe.
6. And the heavens ſhall declare his righteouſneſs; for God is Judge himſelf. Selah.
Paraphrase. 6. And ſo accordingly ſhall ‖foreign Chald. the high Angels—they do, reſcuing all faithful believers out of the calamities that attend the crucifiers. A thing much to be taken notice of, as an act of moſt righteous judgment in God, and a teſtimony that all that ſhould paſs, ſhould be from Gods particular diſpoſing. (And ſo it was in the ſtory before the fatal ſiege of Hieruſalem, all the Chriſtians, in obedience to Chriſts admonition, Mat. 24.16. fled out of Judea, unto Pella; and ſo none of them were found in Judea at the taking of it. See note on Mat. 24. g.)
7. Hear, O my people, and I will ſpeak, O Iſrael, and I will teſtifie againſt thee; I am God, even thy God.
Paraphrase. 7. Then ſhall he eſtabliſh a new law with theſe his faithful ſervants the diſciples of Chriſt, the members of the Chriſtian Church, entring into a ſtedfaſt covenant of mercy with them, ratified and ſealed in the death of his Son.
8. I will not reprove thee for thy ſacrifices, or thy burnt-offerings, †before me continually. foreignto have been continually before me.
Paraphrase. 8. And aboliſh the old Moſaical way of Sacrifices, and holocauſts of bullocks, &c. conſtantly offered up unto God by the Jews,
9. I will take no bullock out of thy houſe, nor he-goats out of thy fold.
Paraphrase. 9. And never any more put the worſhipper to that chargeable groſs ſort of ſervice (of burning of fleſh upon Gods Altar, that the ſmoak might go up to heaven, and Atone God for them, as was formerly required, whilſt the Jewiſh Temple ſtood.)
10. For every beaſt of the forreſt is mine, and the cattel upon a thouſand hills.
11. I know all the fouls of the mountains; and the c wild beaſts of the field are *with me. foreignmine.
12. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fulneſs thereof.
13. Will I eat the fleſh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Paraphrase. 10, 11, 12, 13. For indeed this kind of ſervice was never appointed by God, as that which he had any need of, or pleaſure in it. If he had, he might have provided himſelf whole hecatombs, without putting the Iſraelites to the charge or trouble of it, having himſelf the plenary dominion of all the cattel on the earth, and fouls of the air, and the certain knowledge where every one of them reſides; ſo that he could readily command any or all of them, whenſoever he pleaſed. But it is infinitely below God to want or make uſe of any ſuch ſort of oblations: ſure he feeds not on fleſh and blood of cattel, as we men do. There were other deſigns of his appointing the Iſraelites to uſe theſe ſervices; viz. to adumbrate the death of his own eternal Son, as the one true means of redemption and propitiation for ſin, and the more ſpiritual ſacrifice of prayer and thankſgiving, and almes to the poor members of Chriſt, which may receive real benefit by our Charities, which cannot be imagined of God.
14. Offer unto God thankſgiving, and pay thy vows unto the moſt High.
Paraphrase. 14. And ſuch are the ſacrifices which under the Meſſias are expected and required of us, 1. That of the Euchariſt, (the bleſſing God for all his mercies, but eſpecially the gift of his Son to dye for us) and this brought to God with penitent, contrite, *foreign— Repreſs thy evil deſire, and it ſhall be accounted before God as a ſacrifice of confeſſion. Chald.mortified hearts, firm reſolution of ſincere new obedience, and conſtantly attended with an offertory, or liberal contribution, for the uſe of the poor, proportionable to the voluntary oblations among the Jews, and theſe really dedicated to God, and accepted by him, Phil. 4.18. Heb. 13 16.
15. And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me.
Paraphrase. 15. 2. That of prayer and humble addreſs unto God in all time of our wants, to which there is aſſurance of a gracious return; and that muſt ingage us to give the praiſe and glory of all to the Meſſias, in whoſe name our prayers are addreſt to God.
16. But unto the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to do to declare my ſtatutes, or that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant in thy mouth?
17. Seeing thou hateſt inſtruction, and caſteſt my words behind thee.
Paraphrase. 16, 17. But as for thoſe that make no other uſe of theſe mercies of God, than to incourage themſelves to go on in their courſes of ſin, which think to perform theſe ſacrifices of prayer and praiſe, and yet ſtill continue *which prevent not, and pray in prevarication. Chald.in any wilful known vice unreformed, make their formal approaches unto God, but never heed his ſevere commands of reformation; theſe have no right to the mercies of this Evangelical Covenant, and do but deceive themſelves, and abuſe others, when they talk of it; and the more ſo, the more ſolemnly they pretend to piety, and talk of, and perhaps preach it to others.
18. When thou ſaweſt a thief, then thou conſentedſt with him, and haſt been partaker with adulterers.
Paraphrase. 18. Such are not only the thief and adulterer, thoſe that are guilty of the groſs acts of thoſe ſins, but ſuch as any way partake with them in theſe.
19. Thou giveſt thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
Paraphrase. 19. Such the evil ſpeaker and lyer.
20. Thou ſitteſt and ſpeakeſt againſt thy brother, thou ſlandereſt thine own mothers ſon.
Paraphrase. 20. The backbiter and ſlanderer.
21. Theſe things haſt thou done, and ‖or, I delay'd, or let thee alone, ſee note b.I kept ſilence: thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf; but I will reprove thee, and ſet them in order before thine eyes.
Paraphrase. 21. When men commit ſuch ſins as theſe, God doth not always inflict puniſhment on them immediately, but defers and gives them ſpace to repent and amend, that they may thus prevent and eſcape his puniſhment And ſome make ſo ill uſe of this indulgence and patience of his, which is †foreign I deferred, or expected that thou mighteſt repent. Chald.deſigned only to their repentance, as to interpret it an approbation of their courſe, and an incouragement to proceed ſecurely in it. But thoſe that thus deceive themſelves, and abuſe Gods mercies, ſhall moſt deerly pay for it: God ſhall bring his judgments upon them here, cut them off in their ſins, and pour out ‖foreign I will ordain the judgment of hell in the world to come. Chald.his indignation on them in another world.
22. Now conſider this, ye that forget God, leſt I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
Paraphrase. 22. This therefore is matter of ſad admonition to every impenitent ſinner, that goes on fearleſs in any courſe of evil, immediately to ſtop in his march, to return betimes: leſt if he defer, Gods judgments fall heavily upon him, ſelfe him and carry him to that place of torment, for then there is no poſſible eſcaping.
23. Whoſo offereth praiſe, glorifieth me; and to him that †diſpoſeth his way. foreignordereth his converſation aright, will I ſhew the ſalvation of God.
Paraphrase. 23. Whereas on the other ſide, the Chriſtian duties required, v. 14. Repentance and charity, &c. and the orderly ſpending of theſe few days of our life in this world, are, beyond all the ſacrifices of the Law, an eminent means of glorifying God, and providing for the preſent bliſs, and eternal ſalvation of our ſouls.
Annotations on Pſalm L.
foreignV. 3. Shall come] The notion of Gods coming muſt here firſt be eſtabliſhed, as that on which the due interpretation of the whole Pſalm depends. The coming of God ordinarily ſignifies in Scripture any judicial proceeding of his, Gods puniſhments and vengeance on his enemies (ſee Pſal. 18. note d.) But this Pſalm ſeems peculiarly to look forward to the times of the Meſſias, and ſo to denote ſome coming of his. The Chaldee applies it to the foreign the day of the great judgment. But this phraſe, I ſuppoſe, may be taken in ſome latitude, in that Paraphraſt, not to denote the laſt judgment (though thus *De Civit. l. 20. c. 24.St. Auguſtine will have this Pſalm uderſtood, de judicio Dei noviſſimo, of the laſt judgment of God) but as their Paraphraſe on v. 2. ſeems to interpret it, ſome great deſtruction that was to be wrought in the foreign beginning of the creation of the age; meaning, I ſuppoſe, by the age, the age of the Meſſias, which, as 'tis there ſaid, was to come out of Sion, which is not applicable to any other age but that. Now there be three comings of Chriſt expreſt in the Scripture. The firſt in humility, by his being born in our fleſh; the laſt in glory, for the judging of the whole world in the day of the univerſal doom: And a middle coming, which was not to be corporal, but ſpiritual, a mighty work wrought in the world by the power of that ſpirit which raiſed Jeſus from the dead, beginning in a terrible vengeance upon his crucifiers, the notable deſtruction of the Jewiſh Temple, and of Jeruſalem, and ſo of the Moſaical worſhip, and the Judaical politie, and proceeding to the propagation of the Chriſtian Faith to all the world; wherein were many glorious acts of Gods power and mercy, and are all together oft ſtiled in Scripture the coming of Shiloh, of the deſire of all nations, of the kingdom of God, of the ſon of Man, of Chriſt, (ſee note on Mat. 16. o. 24. b. Joh. 21. b.) And this is it to which this Pſalm moſt ſignally ſeems to belong, (as alſo Pſal. 96.10, 11, 12, 13.) and conteins theſe ſeveral ſtages or branches of it: 1. the terrible manner of this his coming, v. 3. Secondly, the formality of it, a judicature uſed in it, v. 4. Thirdly, the preſervation and reſcue of the believing Jews out of the common ruine, v. 5, 6. Fourthly, the rejection of legal worſhip, of ſacrifices of beaſts, v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Fifthly, the eſtabliſhing of the Chriſtian ſervice, the ſpiritual oblation of Prayer and Thankſgiving, v. 14, 15. and Laſtly, the deſtruction of the impenitent Jews, which having received the Law of God, and entred into Covenant with him, would not yet be reformed by Chriſts preaching, v. 16. &c. to the end.
foreignV. 3. Silence] The Hebrew foreign hath ſeveral ſignifications. But that which is moſt agreeable to this place, is that of doing nothing, being idle, delaying, tarrying, as applied to the actions, not the ſpeech only. So 2 Sam. 10. foreign is beſt rendred, Why do you defer or delay to bring back the King? foreign, ſay the LXXII. Why are you ſilent? in that other notion applied to the tongue: but the Chaldee foreign is a word which belongs to the actions, as well as words; the learned Schindler there renders it, ceſſatis, cunctamini, defer or delay. The Syriack there renders it foreign from foreign, whence is foreign, and the participle foreign, which hath that ſignification among others, of ceſſavit, moratus, tardatus fuit, and is by the Latine tranſlator rightly rendred haeſitatis: and ſo the Arabick appears there to underſtand it. And ſo the context inforces by another phraſe, uſed there in the ſame matter, v. 11. and 12. Why, ſaith he, are ye foreign laſt to bring back the King? i. e. very backward and dilatory. So the Arabick expreſſes that alſo, Why do you defer or neglect? And ſo Pſal. 28.1. the ſenſe carries it, foreign do not defer or neglect to anſwer me; neglect me not, ſaith the Arabick. And thus 'twill beſt be rendred here, Our God ſhall come and not delay: not neglect, ſaith the Arabick, as in the place of Samuel. And the Chaldee foreign &c. which though it may ſignifie ſhall not keep ſilence, yet it is alſo not defer, or delay, and ſo is determined here by the remainder of their paraphraſe foreign to work vengeance for his people. So the Jewiſh Arab. foreign and ſhall not withhold or refrain from it. And thus the phraſe ſeems to be made uſe of, and interpreted by the Apoſtle, Heb. 10.37. foreign, he will come, and not delay, or tarry, i. e. he will certainly come. Which I ſuppoſe to be the reaſon of the learned Caſtellio's rendring this place, veniet Deus noſter ſine dubio, Our God ſhall come without doubt; the coming and not delaying] being all one with his [certain coming.] The word foreign is again uſed, v. 21. and rendred by the Chaldee foreign I ſtayed or expected, that thou mighteſt repent; which is a full proof of this notion of the word for delaying. Where the Jewiſh Arab reads, as here, I withheld from thee, adding, foreign delaying.
V. 11. Wild beaſts] For foreign beaſt, the LXXII. foreignſeem to read foreign beauty, and render it foreign, and the Latine pulchritudo, the Chaldee foreign the cock of the wood (whoſe feet ſtand on the earth, and his head touches the heaven) of which Elias Levita in his Thisby, p. 273. taking notice, adds foreign this is a new thing, not without reaſon expreſſing his wonder at their rendring: but the Syriack is clear foreign and the beaſt.