Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 3 · Psalms · Psalm 118
PSAL. CXVIII.
THis also is a Psalm of Praise, rightly placed after the other, wherein all Nations are stirred to praise the Lord. For now the Israelites more particularly, and amongst them the house of Aaron, consisting of preists, to Vers. 1, 2, 3, 4.whom it properly belonged, are excited to the same also, as before, Psalme, 115. 10. 11.
And Verse 5. 6. is the same with Psalm 56. 4. 11. Then having exhorted Verse 7. 8. 9. to trust in God, he propounds himself for an Example of incouragement, Vers. 5. 6.saying, All Nations compassed me about, but in the name of the Lord, I will destroy them: which is spoken in the person of the Church, or Vers. 10. August.congregation of the Faithfull, Hebr. I will cut them off: and thus it came to passe when the Gospel was preached; the Church was in all places persecuted, but by the power of Christ, who is brought in also here speaking, destroyed, or cut off from having such power any more.
They compassed me about like bees, they are extinct as Thrones: This is spoken Vers. 12.of Christ. whom the Jewes combined together against; but they were as bees about him, as an hony comb: for when they were most malicious against him, and killed him, he was made unto us sweet as the hony Comb; but the fire of Gods wrath burnt against them shortly after, and they were soon extinct, and put out from being a Nation. Thus August. who also proceedeth upon the next words.
Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: which is the voice of the church every ewhere persecuted; but he renders the words, Tanquam cumulus are… Vers. 13.immensus sum, as an heap of sand, so spoken for the great multitude of Christians that were persecuted, but saved, yet not by means of their multitudes, but by the power of the Lord.
God is my strength, and my Song, and my Salvation, or Jesus: For now he beginneth to shew the Ground of all the Comfort of the Church to be Christ Jesus, for whom the Voice of Joy and gladnesse is in the dwelling of the righteous. Vers. 14.For he is our righteousnesse, and the Joy of him is universall amongst Vers. 15.all christians; and that not only men but angells, who at his birth came down from Heaven, and having told the shepheards the Joyfull news of his birth, they were heard singing for joy, Glory to God on high, &c.Luke 3.
The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly, it bringeth mighty things to passe: Vers. 16.That is, out of basenesse Glory, out of Darkness light, and out of death, life for evermore.
For which he saith, I shall not dye, but live, and declare the works of the Vers. 17.Lord. That is, the Church being brought to triumph in Heaven.
The Lord hath chastned me sore, but not given me over to death: For many be Vers. 18.the troubles of the righteous, terrible the persecutions of the Church, yet the life thereof faileth not; but it still liveth and flourisheth.
This gate of the Lord, into which the righeeous shall enter: Having described Jesus hitherto as a Saviour, and bringing exceeding great joy, and as Vers. 20.the right hand of God bringing mighty things to passe; now he describeth him further by the name of a Gate, or door, according to John 10. and whosoever would attain to life, must enter hereby, that is by beleiving; but every one that beleiveth, cannot enter; for it is to be noted, that he saith, The righteous shall enter: implying, that none unrighteous, that is, unconverted from Note. sin can enter; and the same is implyed in that teaching, Repent, and beleive the Gospel.
Secondly by the name of a Corner stone, The stone which the builders refused is become the cheife stone of the Corner. Of which applyed to Christ, see Vers. 22. Matth. 21:Matth. 21. 42. Act. 4. 11. &c.
Thirdly, by the name of the day, or the light, for they are all one; This is the day which the Lord hath made: That is, saith Ierom, this stone: for the Vers. 24.same is the Day, that is, the Stone. To expresse this further, our Lord saith, Abraham desired to see my day and saw it, and rejoiced, that is, he desired to Joh. 8. Luk. 1. 78. Esa. 53. 1 Thes. 5.see me. And he is said to be the day springing from on high, and that light, Ioh. 1, and Ioh. 3. 19. and therefore of the Faithfull, who are his Children, it is said, Yee are the Children of the light, and of the day.
Fourthly, he is called, The blessed one that cometh in the name of the Lord: as it is applyed unto him, Matth. 21. 9. And touching the day, or light before Vers. 26. Vers. 27.spoken of, he saith, God is the Lord that sheweth us light, bind the Sacrifice with Cords to the hornes of the Altar: the Vulgar, Appoint a solemne day in the thick places, even to the hornes of the altar. August. hath it, In confrequentationibus, to expresse this great joy for Christ, keep a solemn day; and that not by the coming together of a few; but to fill with frequency of comers all the Court, even to the horns of the Altar. But although the word foreign signifieth either a solemn feast day, or a Sacrifice, here is no word signifying appoint, as in the Vulg. Lat. but bind yee; and therefore it must be rendred by Sacrifice: and the meaning is, bring in way of thankfullnesse for the great mercy before spoken of, the plenty of beasts to be offered in Sacrifice, so that they might stand ready found from one end of the Court to the other, even to the altar: and this is In condensis, as the Vulg. hath it; for so it rendreth, foreign signifying either thick twisted cords, as Judg. 15. 13. or Thick branches of trees, as Levit. 23. 40. Ezeck. 19. 11. Or this word implying thick branches of trees, setteth forth Garlands made of boughs born by the beasts to be sacrificed upon their horns for more expression of Joy, as at the feast of Tabernacles they did going out of Jerusalem, by such branches bearing, expressing their joy in Boothes. He speaketh after the manner of the most Godly in those times; meaning, that the Faithfull under the Gospell should solemnly upon some set day in the year especially praise God for Christs coming into the world to save us. For what time can be more fit, then the day of his Nativity, which hath been so long by the universall Church observed; but now out of an imagination of Superstition herein ready to be in all places neglected? And although the word cannot properly be rendred constitute, or appoint a festivall day; yet because such frequent Sacrifices were not brought but at solemn times, the sense must needs be as the Vulgar hath hath it, and so here is plainly a Charge to keep a Festivall day for Christ, and then to abound in our sacrifices, both of our praises and almes, which are also Of the Feast of Christs Nativity.commended to us by the name of Sacrifices, Heb. 13. 16. To do good and to commnicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased: as Verse Note. 15. he had before exhorted to offer the sacrifice of praise through him. Let us then consider this, and not be deterred from that, under the name of Superstition, which is injoyned as a Christian duty.