Exposition of the Laws of Moses, Exegesis 9 · Part 16 – Part 17
EXERCITAT. XVI. Of the diviſion of the Scriptures.
They have Moſes and the Prophets. Luc. 16.29.
THe ſcriptures are divided into the old and New Teſtament.
The old Teſtament againe is divided into Moſes and the Prophets, and ſometimes the Law is put for the whole old Teſtament, Rom. 3. So Iob. 7.49. Eſay. 2.3. And ſometimes the Pſalmes are called the Law. Ioh. 15.25. That the word might be fulfilled which is written in their Law, they hated me without a cauſe. So the Prophets are called the Law. 1 Cor. 14.21 In the Law it is written.
foreign pent… …chus inMoſes is divided into Hammitzua, Commandements, Chukkim, ſtatutes, and Miſhpatim, judgements; that is, in Morall Precepts, Ceremoniall, and Iudiciall.
The Iewes againe divide the old Teſtament into the Law,foreign priores, foreign poſteriores. foreign prophetae the Prophets and Cetubhim, which the Greekes call foreign, holy writings, all the Scriptures are holy writings; but uſually theſe that were not confirmed by Vrim and Thummim are called foreign.
The Prophets are divided in Riſhonim & Acharonim, the former and the Latter: the former Prophets are Ioſhua, Iudges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel. 1 Kings and 2 Kings, They are called the former Prophets becauſe they intreat of the hiſtorie paſt, and preſent. Act. 3.24. Yea and all the Prophets from Samuel and thoſe that follow after. Samuel is ſayd to be the firſt of the Prophets; therefore, Iere. 15.1. Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, Samuel is the firſt of the Prophets; then it is moſt probable that he wrote the bookes of Ioſhua and Iudges. Ioſhua is the firſt in order of the Prophets, therefore the Haptorath which is ſet upon it, is called Haphtorah laetitiae legis, They were glad when they ended the Law, and began the Prophets. But Samuel ſeemeth to bee the writer of this booke.
Others call them the firſt Prophets, becauſe they ſaw the firſt Temple; and they call them the latter Prophets, becauſe they propheſied in the time of the ſecond Temple, as Haggai, Malachi, Zacharie. But they are all rather to bee called Acharonim latter Prophets, becauſe they foretell things to come: and they are divided into the great Prophets and into the ſmall.
The great Prophets are Iſaiah, Ieremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
The latter Prophets are called Tereſar pro Tere gnaſar that is, two and ten,foreign pro, foreign duodecem. and the Greekes called them foreign. There is a Teſtimonie cited by Matthew, cap. 2.23. That it might be fulfilled which was ſpoken by the Prophets. This Teſtimonie is found but in one of the Small prophets:foreign. yet it is ſaid to bee ſpoken by the Prophets, and they gave this to be the reaſon, becauſe all theſe Twelve ſmall Prophets were joyned in one booke.
The Concluſion of this is. Concluſion. Firſt the Lord hath ſummed up all that he requireth of us in one word, Love. Rom. 13, 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. Then hee hath enlarged this word in two Mat. 22.37. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart: and thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelfe. Thirdly hee hath enlarged theſe two into ten words Deut. 10.4. And hee wrote on the Tables the ten words. Fourthly hee hath enlarged them into Moſes and the Prophets. Mat. 22.40. On theſe two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets, foreign pendent, even as wee hang a thing upon a Naile, Eſay 22.23. So the Law and the Prophets hang upon theſe two.
EXERCITAT. XVII Of the Diviſion of the Pſalmes.
Act. 13.33. As it is alſo written in the ſecond Pſalme. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee.
THe Pſalmes are divided in five bookes, as the five Bookes of Moſes; and the five Bookes joyned together called Quinque volumina, as Canticles. Ruth. Lamentations. Eccleſiastes and Eſther.
The firſt booke of the Pſalmes endeth with the, 41. Pſalme. The ſecond endeth with the 72 Pſalme. The third with the 89. The fourth with the 106. The fift with the 150. Pſalme, foreignand theſe bookes end with the ſame words, Baruch Iehova Elohe Iiſrael mehagnolam vegnad hagnolam, Amen veamen. Bleſſed bee the Lord God of Iſrael from Everlaſting to Everlasting, Amen, Amen. Pſal. 41.13. ſo the reſt of the bookes, for the moſt part end thus. And hence wee may gather, that this verſe was added by him who ſet the Pſalmes in order, and not by thoſe who wrote the reſt of the Pſalmes. This may appeare by the concluſion of Davids Pſalme of thankeſgiving 1 Chro. 16.36. That they have borrowed their concluſion at the end of every booke from the concluſion of this Pſalme.
David wrote the firſt two bookes of the Pſalmes and ſet them in order.The firſt two bookes were written by David, and they end thus, So end the Prayers of David the Sonne of I…ffe, Pſal. 27.30. That is, here end the Pſalmes which were both written and ſet in order by David.
The other three bookes were written by diverſe Authors as by David, Aſaph, the ſonnes of Korah, Ieduthun, Moſes, Heman the Ezrite, and when the writer of the Pſalme is not ſet downe, the Iewes hold, that hee who wrote the former, wrote that Pſalme alſo.
Aſaph wrote thirteene Pſalmes, Leaſaph, foreignLamed is ſomtimes a note of the genitive caſe, and ſometimes of the Dative caſe,ל Aliquando eſt nota Genitivs aliquando Dativi. and therefore ſome have interpreted the word Mizmor leaſaph, a Pſalme dedicat to Aſaph to be ſung be him; but it ſhould be Tranſlated a Pſalme of Aſaph: for Aſaph was a Prophet, 2 Chron. 39.30. Moreover Hezekiah and the Princes commanded the Levites to ſing praiſes unto the Lord, with the words of David and Aſaph the Seer. And the ſtyle of Aſaph is harder then the Style of David.
The ſecond who wrote theſe Pſalmes were the Sonnes of Korah, and they wrote ten in number;The ſonne of Korah wrote ſome of the Pſalmes. the poſteritie of Korah died not in the rebellion with their Father, Num. 26.11. Some of his poſteritie wrote before the captivitie, and foretold of the captivitie, as the Pſal. 73 74. And ſome of them when they were in the captivitie.
So ſome when they were returning from the captivitie, as 66. Some after they were returned, as 85. and 147.
So Moſes wrote a Pſalme of the ſhortneſſe of the life of man,Moyſes wrote a Pſalme. this Pſalme was written when they were in the Wilderneſſe, and yet it was not regiſtred in the Canon till after the captivitie. Thus we ſee the watchfull eye of God, that had a care to preſerve theſe bookes which were to bee inſert in the Canon, that none of them ſhould periſh.
So theſe Pſalmes which were written by Ieduthun and by Ethan the Ezrite who were of the poſterity of the Levites. Ieduthun and Ethan wrote ſome of the Pſalmes.The Levites dutie was to teach the People, and ſo the Lord made thoſe Levites teachers of the people by their ſongs.
Of the inſcriptions of the Pſalmes.
THe Pſalmes generally are intituled Tehilim, praiſes, becauſe the moſt of them are ſonges of prayſe;The generall inſcription of the Pſalmes is Tehilim therefore the whole are ſo called.
The particular Inſcriptions of them are eyther eaſily underſtood, or hardly to be underſtood at all.
The inſcriptions eaſie to bee underſtood are theſe. Firſt,foreign Lamnatzeahh, foreign to the chiefe Muſitian. The ſingers were divided into ſo many orders, and every one ſang according to their courſes, and when it befell the chiefe Muſitian to ſing, then he cauſed to ſing this Pſalme committed to him.
The next title is Maſchil a Pſalme for inſtruction. Theſe were Pſalmes which David made out of his owne experience.foreign Peter, when thou art converted ſtrengthen thy brethren, Luk. 22.32theſe were called Pſalmi didaſ…alici.
The third was Michtam, Aurei Pſalmi, golden Pſalmes: all the Word of God is like fine gold, Pſal. 119.foreign And yet theſe Pſalmes are called Golden Pſalmes, becauſe there is ſome ſpeciall and choyſe matter in them: ſo all the word of God is faithfull, all to bee truſted, yet Paul ſaith; Fidus eſt hic ſermo, This is a faithfull ſaying, 2 Tim. 1.15. Having ſome notable things in it, and as all the Ring is Gold, yet the Diamond is the moſt excellent: So although all the Word of God be excellent,foreign yet theſe are moſt excellent. So ſome are intituled lehazcir, Ad recordandū to bring to remembrance,foreign as 38. 70. becauſe they were made in remēbrance of ſome notable deliverance or of ſome great benefit.
foreignFourthly, ſome are called Pſalmes of degrees.
Pſalme… w…ich they ſang wh n they carried the Arke out of the houſe of David to the Temple.When they brought the Arke from Davids houſe into the Temple, they ſang, Pſal. 119. by the way, it beginneth with theſe words, Beati immaculati in via, and intreateth eſpecially of the Law of the Lord,In omnibus verſibus Pſalmi 119. dempto verſu 122. vna harum vndecem vocum invenitur. foreign and there is not a verſe in it, except onelyonly the 122. verſe, which hath not ſome epithet of the Law of God in it, as his Iudgements, his Word, his Statutes, his Lawes, his Teſtimonies, his Commandements, his Precepts, his Covenant &c, And when they entred into the Court of the Gentiles with the Arke, they ſang the laſt part of this, Pſal. 119.
When they went further to the Court of the people,When and where they ſung the Pſalmes of degrees. when they ſtood upon the firſt degree, they ſung Pſal. 120. which containeth the hiſtory of the deliverance of the people out of Egypt. And when they ſtood upon the ſecond degree, they ſung Pſal. 121. My helpe commeth from the Lord. When they were upon the third ſtep they ſung Pſal. 122. I was glad when they ſayd unto mee, let us goe into the houſe of the Lord. So they ſung a Pſalme upon every ſtep as they aſcended, and upon the eight ſtep when they beheld the excellent buildings of the Courts of the Levites, they ſung Pſal. 127. Except the Lord build the houſe, they labour in vaine that build it. When they entred into the Court of the Prieſts, they ſung Pſal. 128.Vide Villalpand in Ezek. 40.28. And upon the laſt ſtep they ſung Pſal. 134. Bleſſe yee the Lord all his ſervants which watch by night in the houſe of the Lord. The people might goe no further; then the Prieſts went forward with the Arke into the Temple, and when they entred into the porch of the Temple, they ſung Pſal. 118. verſ. 19. Open to me the gates of righteouſneſſe. When they were ſtanding in the porch they ſung theſe verſes following,The Pſalmes which the Prieſts ſung when the Arke entered into the Temple and into the holieſt of all. This is the gate of the Lord into which the righteous ſhall enter. When they were in the midſt of the Temple they ſung the 22. verſe, I will praiſe thee, for thou haſt heard mee and art become my ſalvation, and when the Arke entred into the holieſt of all, they ſung Pſal. 24.
The inſcription of the Pſalmes which we underſtand not; are eyther Notes of Muſicke, or Inſtruments of Muſicke.
Some inſcriptions are Notes or tunes of Muſicke.Notes of Muſicke or common Tunes with which the Pſalmes were ſung are theſe, Gnal muth-labben, Pſal. 9. gnal ſheminith, Pſal. 6.12. gnal aijeleth Shahar, Pſal. 22. gnal Ionath Elem Rechokim, 56. Altaſchith 57. 59. 75. gnal ſhuſhan Eduth, 60. gnal ſhoſhannim 45. 69 gnal ſhoſhannim Eduth, 80. gnal Mahalath Leannoth, 88.
Some inſcriptions are inſtruments of Muſicke.Inſtruments of Muſicke are theſe, Neginoth. 4. 6. 41. 54. 67. 76. Nehiloth, 5. gittith, 8. 81. & Mahalath 53.
The Iewes who live now underſtand not the muſicke nor muſiſicall inſtruments which were of old.The Inſtruments of muſicke ſet downe Pſal. 150. none of the Iewes themſelves can diſtinguiſh them, and they are ignorant of all theſe ſorts of Muſicke now: but wee are to bleſſe God, that the matter contained in theſe Pſalmes may be underſtood by the Church.
Pſalmes are divided according to the time.The Pſalmes againe were divided according to the time when they were ſung, ſome were ſung every morning, as Pſal. 22. at the morning ſacrifice. So Pſal. 92. was ſung upon the Sabbath: So at the paſſeover they ſung from Pſal. 112. to verſ. 19. of Pſal. 118. and this was that hymne which Chriſt and his Apoſtles ſang at the paſſeover, Matth, 26.30. And when they had ſung an Hymne; they went out into the mount of Olives.
Pſalmes divided according to their ſubject.The Pſalmes were divided alſo according to their ſubject. The firſt booke of the Pſalmes intreateth of ſad matters, the ſecond of glad, the third of ſad, the fourth of glad, the fift of glad and ſad matters.
Pſalmes which concerne Chriſt.There are ſome Pſalmes, which concerne Chriſt in his Natures and Offices. His Natures, as Pſal. 110. The Lord ſayd to my Lord &c. His kingly authority, as Pſal. 2. His prieſtly office. Pſal. 110. Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchizedek. So his paſſion, Pſal. 22. So his buriall and reſurrection, Pſal. 16. and his aſcenſion and glory, Pſal. 118.25.26. when David was crowned King, the people cryed,foreign Anna Iehova hoſhignah na anna, Iehova hatzlihhah na. Save now I beſeech thee O Lord, O Lord I beſeech thee ſend now proſperity, that is, we beſeech thee O Lord to ſave the King, and to proſper him. And the Prieſt ſayd, Bleſſed bee bee that commeth in the name of the Lord: we have bleſſed you out of the houſe of the Lord. This prayer is applyed to Chriſt, Matth. 21.9. Hoſanna filio David, they contract theſe three words Hoſhignah na anna in one word Hoſanna, foreign contracte foreignand they ſay Hoſanna to the Sonne of David, id eſt, contingat ſalus filio David in altiſsimis, they wiſhed not onelyonly proſperity and ſafety in the earth here,Vetum hoſanna, pacem & gloriam comprehendit. but all happineſſe to him in the higheſt heavens, Luk. 19.28.
There are ſome Pſalmes which concerned Davids particular eſtate, in his perſecution by Saul, by Abſolon; &c. In his ſickeneſſe, in his adverſity.Pſalmes which concerned David. In his proſperity how he fell in adulterie, and repented, Pſal. 51. how he dedicated his houſe to the Lord, Pſal. 30. how he purged his houſe of wicked men, Pſal. 101. when hee entred to his kingdome, 144. So a Pſalme to his Sonne Salomon when hee was to ſucceed into the kingdome Pſal. 72.
Laſtly,Pſalmi alphabetici. ſome Pſalmes are divided according to the Letters of the Alphabet, as Pſal. 25.134.111.112.119.145. Theſe Pſalmes were diſtinguiſhed by the Letters that they might keepe them the better in their memories, and as Matthew ſummeth up the genealogie of Chriſt into three foureteene generations for the memories cauſe: So theſe Pſalmes are ſet downe after the order of the Alphabet to helpe the memory. Pſal. 25, wanteth three Letters foreign. Pſal. 111. every verſe hath two letters of the Alphabet, and the two laſt verſes have three letters to make up the Alphabet: So Pſal. 112. hath the letters after the ſame manner. The 119. is diſtinguiſhed by the letters of the Alphabet, and here yee ſhall ſee, that every Section as it beginneth with the letter, ſo all the verſes of that ſection began with that ſame letter, as the firſt Section beginneth with א, therefore all the eight verſes in the firſt Section begin with א, &c. So Pſal. 145. Is ſet downe after the order of the Alphabet,The Syriak Arabick, Seventy, and vulgar Latin, adde this verſe to Pſalme 145. and make it the 4. verſe. but it wanteth the Letter נ. Here ſome goe about to prove by this, that the originall Copie is defective, and therefore the Arabicke tranſlation addeth a verſe,foreign Fideiis dominus in omninus verbis ſuis, & benigbutin omnibus operibus ſuis. ſo doe the Seventy and the Vulgar Latine; but if it be defective here, why doe they not ſupply a verſe likewiſe in Pſal. 34. where ו is defective in the Alphabet? we are not to thinke that there is any defect in the matter becauſe theſe letters of the Alphabet are wanting: for the Lord fitted theſe letters to the matter onelyonly, and not the matter to the letters; and becauſe the holy Ghoſt hath not ſet downe the matter here, therefore the Letter נ is left out; but not this wayes, becauſe the Letter נ is wanting here; therefore the letter is wanting.
foreignThe five laſt Pſalmes begin with Halleluia, and end with it, becauſe they are the concluſion and ſumme of the whole praiſes of God. So the Church in the revelation concludeth after the victory with the ſame words, Reve. 19.1. Alleluia, ſalvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God.
Concluſion. The Concluſion of this is, the Pſalmes are generally intituled Tehilim praiſes, from the moſt excellent part of them: Therefore our chiefe care ſhould bee to praiſe God here in this life, and then in the life to come we ſhall ſing the ſong of Moyſes the ſervant of God, and the ſong of the Lambe, Reve. 15.3.