Davids Music, Preface
THE PSALMES OF DAVID.
The Preface to the Pſalmes.
THis is the title of the whole booke:Of the title of the booke. and it may ſeeme to be taken out of the 145. Pſalme, which is thus intituled, Tehillah le Dauid. The Hebrewes call it the book of Pſalmes, Sepher tehillim: and ſo is it called by Chriſt himſelfe, Luk. 20. 42. It is called Tehillim, that is, praiſes: for that this booke containeth manifold praiſes and thankſgiuing vntounto God. Yet not theſe things only, but alſo moſt ſingular inſtructions, and doctrines of faith, ſpirituall exerciſes of prayer in al manner of aduerſitie, ſound reioycings in the Lord, heauenly conſolations to afflicted hearts, prophecies, and diuine predictions of Chriſt and his Church; and all for the comfort and edification of Gods people. It hath the title of Pſalmes, for that theſe things herein contained were in the ſeruice of the Law to be ſung with muſicall inſtruments: whereupon the Greekes called the booke a Pſalter, foreign. They bee counted Dauids Pſalmes, becauſe the moſt of them are his, though there bee beſides, many Pſalmes of other Prophets, and holy men.
By this title wee may learne,What to learne from the title. I. That the holy men of God gaue themſelues to laud God, and to ſet foorth his praiſes. II. That praiſes and thankſgiuing are a ſpeciall dutie, and chiefly commended vntounto vsus, ſith they beare the title of the booke, before all the reſt of the things therein contained. III. That theſe Pſalmes are inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, becauſe they were deliuered vntounto the Church by the Prophets of God, Dauid and the reſt. This is approued by Chriſt, alleaging a ſaying out of one Pſalme, yet nameth the whole book, confirming to vsus the book of the Pſalmes, Luk. 20. 42.
Which booke (as many thinke) was collected by Eſdras, after the Iewes returne from the captiuitie of Babylon: and it containeth holy ſongs, written by holy men of God vntounto the heauie and lamentable time of that wicked Antiochus. The booke diuided into fiue parts two waies.Some diuide this whole booke into fiue parts thus. The I. from the firſt Pſalme to the 42. II. from 42. to the 73. III. from 73. to the 90. IV. from the 90. to the 107. V. from the 107. to the end. Some other according to the penmen (which the holie Ghoſt vſed, as they iudge) diuide them thus: I. To Dauid 124. viz. in order from the 1. Pſalme to the 41. then 51. and ſo to the 72. then 86. and 91. vntounto the 150. II. To the ſonnes of Corah. 12. viz. 42. to 49. then 84. to 88. III. To Aſaph, 12. viz. 50. 73. to 79. then 80. 81. 82. 83. IV. To Ethan the Eſraite one, Pſalme 89. and V. To Moſes one, Pſal. 90.
And as the booke conſiſteth of diuers parts, ſo the Pſalmes are not of one, but of diuers kindes.
They be either ſimple or mixt:Pſalmes of diuers ſorts. theſe mixt may be referred to the diuers kinds of the former: which are in number theſe twelue.
Doctrinall. Pſal. 1. 15. 24. 32. 34. 49. 50. 73. 77. 78. 91. 107. 112. 119. 125. 127. 128.
Propheticall. Pſal. 2. 16. 22. 40. 45. 68. 72. 96. 97. 98. 110. 117.
Of praiſes. Pſal. 8. 19. 29. 33. 40. 45. 68. 72. 95. 96. 103. 105. 107. 113. 114. 117. 119. 122. 126. 135. 136. 139. 145. 147. 148. 149. 150.
Euchariſticall. Pſal. 4. 8. 9. 18. 21. 24. 28. 30. 31. 34. 40. 41. 46. 47. 48. 56. 65. 66. 72. 75. 76. 81. 87. 89. 92. 93. 100. 101. 106. 108. 111. 116. 118. 119. 124. 138. 144.
Of Glorying. Pſal. 6. 7. 75. 108.
Of Conteſting. Pſal. 119. 131. 139.
Annunciatiue. Pſal. 7. 101. 119.
Admonitorie, or Exhortatorie, or Inſtructiue. Pſal. 2. 4. 24. 27. 29. 31. 49. 62. 82. 95. 97. 98. 99. 122. 130. 131. 133. 134. 135. 136. 146.
Of Confeſſion of ſinnes. Pſal. 39. 51. 78. 106.
Of Complaining and reprehenſion. Pſal. 3. 13. 14. 22. 36. 38. 41. 42. 44. 52. 53. 58. 60. 62. 89. 94. 119. 137.
Precatorie. Pſal. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 17. 19. 20. 21. 25. 26. 27. 28. 31. 33. 35. 36. 38. 39. 40. 41. 43. 44. 51. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 63. 64. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 74. 75. 79. 80. 83. 84. 85. 86. 88. 89. 90. 94. 102. 106. 108. 109. 115. 119. 120. 121. 123. 125. 126. 130. 132. 137. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144.
And Conſolatorie. Pſal. 3. 5. 10. 11. 12. 14. 17. 20. 21. 23. 25. 27. 36. 37. 42. 43. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 85. 89. 94. 102. 115. 121. 129. 140. By the knowledge hereof may we hauehave recourſe vntounto ſuch Pſalmes as may beſt fit vsus, at any time according to our preſent ſtate. The number of the Pſalmes are well knowne to be 150.