Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 3 · Psalms · Psalm 132 – Psalm 137
PSAL. CXXXII.
THE thirteenth Song of Degrees was made, as Junius hath it, by David; Iunius. 1 Chron. 15.when the Arke was removed from the house of Obed. Edom, to be place… in the Tabernacle set up for it; and this may well be gathered from the Contents of the Psalme. Calvin thinketh, that it was made either by David, or Solomon, because some passages here are in Solomons speeches, at the dedication Calvin.of the Temple, 2 Chron. 6. 16. 41, 42. But the first is most probable, because he that made it, saith, We found it, that is, the Arke, in the wood, Verse 6. which was Kireath Jearim, here called, Sethe Jaar, the feild of Jaar, or wood; whereas Solomon when he removed the Arke into the house, that he had built, found it in Zion, in the Tabernacle set up by David his Father.
Remember David, and all his afflictions, 2 Chron. 6. 42. for afflictions, it is the mercies of David, or his kindnesses, or the care that he took about the Vers. 1.Arke, that it might be worthily placed out of the great good affection which he bare to it.
How he sware unto the Lord, &c. This may seem to be a strange Vow, that David should vow not to sleep, or take any rest, till he had found out a Ver: 2:place and Habitation for God; because it was a thing not in his power, but at the good pleasure of God to be appointed, and when he would appoint it, he knew not. But forsomuch as he was a Prophet, and so by the instinct of the Spirit, might he moved to make this vow, knowing that God would appoint a place, as he had long before promised, and that the time Deut. 12. 5was now come, he to shew his care & diligence, in this respect entred into this Vow, not doubting but that God would order the matter so, that he should perform it. Or it may be conceived, that he made it when the Tabernacle was prepared, and he had once attempted to bring the Arke into it, but was discouraged by the death of Ʋzzah, whereupon it was left in the house of 2 Sam. 6.Obed-Edom; where whilst it remained, he heard that God blessed him, and all that he had: therefore to binde himselfe with all speed to setch it home to him, that he might be the more blessed, he made this Vow, and immediately went about it. The Rabbins, sayth Calvin, faine, that this vow was made after the threshing floore of Araunah shewed unto him in the time of Calvin.the Pestilence; but there is no reason to think so, for then the place was already found, although no house was yet built upon it: Therefore he thinketh rather, that David spake thus hyperbolically, or else, that his meaning was nothing else, but every time that he went to his rest, and to his Bed, he would study about this, and seek to know it. But I rest in the former, which is further confirmed by Junius, saying, that David could not be so unreasonable, as to think to prescribe unto God, and to binde him by his vow Junius.to a certain time; but he had doubtlesse respect unto the Tabernacle, which he had made, and to the bringing of the Arke in thither; meaning, that he would not enter to dwell and lodge in the new house, which he had built him, till he had brought in the Ark; of which house of his, and the Tabernacle, spoken of together, see 1 Chron. 15: 1, 2.
We heard of it in Ephrata, and sound it in the feilds of the Wood. Of which last words, enough before: touching Ephrata, hereby Eprahim is meant, Vers. 6.as Judg. 12. 5. an Ephraimite is called an Ephratite; for in the Tribe of Ephraim was Shiloh, where the Ark continued many yeares, 1 Sam. 4. 11. Of Shiloh being in Ephraim, see Judg. 18. 31. and 21. 19. 1 Sam. 1. 3. but from thence it was carryed against the Philistims, and being brought back again, it was kept in the feilds of Jaar, otherwise called Chireath Iearim, twenty years: 1 Sam. 7. 2. and that which is there called Kireath Jearim, 2 Sam. 6. is called Baale of Judah. This work of putting the Ark into its place, being done, Verse 7. he exhorteth to adoration here, and then as Vers. 7. Vers. 8.Moses, Numb. 10. 35. used to say when the Ark removed; he addeth, Arise O Lord, thou and the Arke of thy strength, &c. Of which see the sense there.
Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse. Here he falleth to prayer Vers. 9.for such graces and blessings, upon Priests and People, as whereof they might all have joy. After which his promise made, 2 Sam. 7. is commemorated; of which see there: and again 2 Chron. 6. God being first prayed, for his Vers. 11, 12.Servant Davids sake, not to put away the face of his Annointed, Verse 10. all which words, Verse 10, 11, 12. make it probable to have been Solomons, when he brought the Ark into the Temple that he had built.
For Verse 13. see the like, Psal. 78. 68. Here the delight which the Vers. 13.Lord taketh in Zion, above all places, is shewed, which figureth out the Church; therefore this is spoken, for the comfort of all the faithfull wheresoever.
And likewise that which followeth, Verse 15. 16. I will abundantly blesse Vers. 15.her provision, and her poor with bread.
There will I make the Horne of David, mine annointed to bud. That is, Vers. 17.I will magnify his power, meaning Christ, figured out in David, whose power increased, as his Gospell was more and more propagated. And his Enemies, Vers. 18.who remained obstinate in opposing him, were cloathed with confusion; which was most remarkably performed, in the destruction of Jerusalem, when the Jewes were so vilifyed and debased: but his Crown flourished, when even the Romans, who destroyed them, turned Christians in the time of Constantine the great.
PSAL. CXXXIII.
IN this Psalme Love and Unity is commended to all Christians, by two similitudes; one taken from the sweet ointment, wherewith Aaron the high Priest was annointed to his Office: Of which see, Exod 30. 23. Levit. 8. 12. and of his Garments, Exod 28. when this was done, there was a most sweet smell in the Nostrils of all that were neer about him: So when Brethren in Christ live together in unity. Jerom applyeth it to the love and unity Hieron.amongst Friers, that have left the World, and so they only can live in unity and love; others, although they come to one place together, yet departing thence, their wayes are divers, and none loves another, but for worldly profit; which indeed cannot be denyed, and is to the shame of Christians. Neither let him think, that his love is any whit acceptable to God, that loveth no otherwise but thus; true love, that smelleth sweet before God, is to love another meerly for the love of God, who hath commanded it; if he Note. be poor, to feed him, if out of the way, to seek to turn him, if shining by grace singularly, to louelove him for this, and to do him good. What ground Jerom hath to apply this to Christ, as he doth; saying, his Head setteth forth his Divinity, his Beard his Humanity, the skirts of his Garments, the virtue even in them, to heale such as touched them, as the woman with the bloody Issue found it by experience, I cannot see. Aaron indeed figured out Christ, in the Oyle powred upon his head, and his glorious Garments; for so he was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse; and his Garments were glorious, and Psal. 45.are said all to smell of Myrrhe, Aloes, and Cassia, But here neither he nor his Garments are spoken of, as figuring out these things, but his sweet ointment Matth. 17.upon him and his garments, figuring out the sweetness of unity and love. And hitherto of the 1 similitude; the 2 is from the dew of Hermon: As the dew of Vers. 3.Hermon, which descended upon the Mountains of Zion. Here something is to be supplyed, to make the sense perfect; for Hermon and Zion were far asunder, so that the rain which fel upon Hermon, could not descend upon these mountains; Psal. 42. 6.the one being beyond Jordan, Psal 29. 6. being also called Sirion, the other on the other side; and therefore it is well supplyed, And as the deaw which descendeth upon the Mountain of Zion, to make either of them fruitfull; whereby is intimated that amongst such as are without love, there is barrennesse, which is the effect of Gods curse, as where there is love and unity, his blessing; as here followeth. For there the Lord commanded the blessing, and life for evermore: In which words is shewed, that where unity and love is, Gods blessing is to make such a Nation to prosper, and to grow rich and mighty, and afterwards to bring to everlasting life. And therefore we in this Nation, who are so divided, cannot be blessed, that we may hasten to unity Note. again under one head, without which it can never be, and which is yet more dangerous, we can never attain everlasting life. God make us wise to consider this, who cannot otherwise be truly godly, and so have the promises made good unto us, both of this life and of that which is to come; sith that of godlinesse, there being three parts, Faith, Hope, and Love, the chiefest of 1 Cor. 13.these is love.
PSAL. CXXXIV.
THis is the last Psalme of Degrees, touching which Jerom saith well, Hieron.that having before ascended by many degrees, as hath partly been touched already, in the 131, 132. and 133. three necessary graces are commended unto us. First, Humility, Psal. 131. Secondly, Piety, Psal. 132. Thirdly, Love, Psal. 133. which if we be indued withall, then we may blesse the Lord, and shall be blessed of him, as in this Psalme: For to that which was before said, the first word, Behold, hath reference: Behold, Vers. 1.blesse yee the Lord his Servants: Not Servants of sin, but the Lords Servants, which stand continually before him: Let not this your frequent being in his presence, breed in you a contempt; as the saying is, too much familiarity Nimia familiaritas parit contemptum.breedeth contempt, but blesse him alwayes, acknowledge and with reverence praise his excellency. Which stand; that is, in the truth, not being turned after errour; for God accepteth not of the praises, either of the wicked, or of Hereticks: And it is said, Yee that stand in the house of the Lord; to intimate, that many stand not here, but abroad and in the feilds; and they are such as do but go and come, being as much or more away, then they are here; unlike Hannah, who served God with fasting and prayer day Luk. 2.and night, and departed not from the Temple. And it is further said, That stand by night: Whereby not only praying, but watching thereunto is denoted; as is required, Eph. 6. 18. Matth. 24. although Jerom by night, Hieron.will have the time of this life understood, for the darknesse of misery, to which we are subject here; yet the Servants of God cease not to praise God in the midst of their afflictions.
Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary. Hebrew, Lift up you hands Sanctuary. Ver: 2:They that are before said to stand in the house of God, are now Synechdochically called the Sanctuary, the continent being put for the content. Others, I confesse, generally supply the word in, or towards, but the sense is good thus, without any supplement. And they are bidden to lift up their hands, to shew the lifting up of their hearts; as Psal. 25. 1. which maketh against them, that being amongst such as blesse God, yet bring not their hearts to it, no nor the outward man, their hands not being so much as lifted up, nor their voice to say Amen, nor their eyes, but shut with drowsinesse, or wandring after any other occurrences although most vain. Jerom wil have lifting up the hands, to do in way of charity menat, but this is forced here.
The Lord blesse thee out of Zion. For blessing God, every one of his Servants Vers. 3.shall be blessed by him out of Zion; that is, from the piety there exercised, all blessings flowing as from a Fountain, that can never be drawn dry. And that we may not doubt of it, it is added, Which made Heaven and Earth: That is, who hath all power to do as he promised, and is not like Idols, which can do nothing, good or evill.
PSAL. CXXXV.
AS he ended with blessing God, Psalme 134. so in this Psalme he goeth on more largly; beginning with Halalujah, as in divers other Psalmes before: So that this is nothing else, but a further exhortation to the same, that they were before exhorted to; the causes of blessing God being declared unto, Verse 15. then the vanity of Idols, Verse 15, 16, 17, 18 is set forth. Lastly, Israel, Aaron, Levi, by name are exhorted to this duty, with all that feare God, to the end of the Psalme. In the first all things are plain to Verse 14. The Lord will judge his people, and repent him Vers. 14.concerning his Servants. Which is taken from Deut. 32. 36 where the meaning may be seen, Verse 16, 17. &c. are the same with Psal. 115. 4, 5. &c. Lastly, the house of Aaron and Levi, are exhorted in particular to Vers. 20.blesse God, because to them this Office in publick was committed in the names of all the other Tribes, yet all such as feared God, are called upon also Note to do the same; it being hereby intimated, that this duty must not so be left to Gods Ministers, but if thou hast the feare of God in thee, thou must likewise acknowledge it to be thy duty to do the same, as well as they. Verse 21. he concludeth, Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, that dwelleth at Ierusalem. Vers. 21.Psal. 134. was concluded, The Lord blesse thee out of Zion, Here blessed be the Lord out of Zion; he that blesseth, is to have blessings and praises sounded forth unto him, out of his Church; that is, every Congregation of the faithfull. And if yee would know where this Lord is, he resolveth it by saying, That dwelleth at Ierusalem; according to other places, where it is said, This is my Habitation, here will I dwell, shewing my care continually over my Church, as my houshold. Halalujah, this is as well set to at the end, as prefixed in beginning, being to the same effect with Amen; so Ainsworth.
PSAL. CXXXVI.
THere is little difference betwixt this Psalme and the former, only here the motive, whereby we should be moved to praise God, For his mercy indureth for ever, is repeated in every verse. Ierom will have God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, Verse 2, 3. to set forth God the Father and the Son; who Hieron. Vers. 2, 3.because they are not more, but one God only, it is added, Verse 4. To him who alone doth great wonders. Verse 23. Who remembred us in our low estate. Here as if he could never praise God enough, for the deliverance of his people out of Aegypt, he recounts the same mercy again, by the name of remembring them in their low Estate; that is, most grievous bondage and oppressions, to bring them out from them.
That giveth food to all flesh. That is, not only his people, but all other Vers. 25.men, and not only men, but Beasts and Cattell, as was shewed before, Psal. 104. which is added, that his faithfull people might not doubt, being provided for in respect of food necessary for them. The like argument is used by Christ, Matth. 6. 26. Behold the Fowles of the Aire, &c.
PSAL. CXXXVII
THis Psalme was made by some godly man, in the time of the Babylonian Captivity, which was long, even seventy yeares, and therefore they had need of something to stir them up, not to fall from their religion, being overcome by the tediousnesse of their exile, or being allured by the pleasantnesse and fruitfulnesse of that Country. The Vulgar Latine prefixeth for the Title, A Psalme of David: when as indeed it hath none; and as Calvin Calvin.noteth, there is no probability that it is Davidss who lived so long before; but rather some other holy man, living then in Babylon, and speaking both in his own and the Iewes living there; because when David speaketh in a propheticall way, he speaketh not thus, but in another manner. Whereby one may perceive it to be propheticall, whosoever made this, doth first in it set forth their sorrow and misery in those dayes, Verse 1, 2, 3, 4. And here because it is said, We hanged up our Harps, &c. Basil moveth a question, Basil.how it came to passe, that being carryed away by their Enemies in hostile manner, they could be permitted to carry their musicall Instruments with them, or had any mind in that time of mourning so to do? and answereth, that it was by a divine dispensation, the Babylonians in permitting them, respecting nothing, but to make themselves merry, to make them play hereupon, even then, when they had more cause to weep; as the Philistims brought forth Samson their Captive sometime to play before them. For the River by which they sat, it is to be understood, that the great River Euphrates Vers. 2.ran through Babylon, and of this it is meant, and of the Willowes growing here, as they commonly do about Rivers, upon which they hanged up their Harps, reserving them to some more joyfull time, when returning to Ierusalem again, they might use them in praising God, as they had formerly done; and to keep up the memory of that pious custome, God in his providence would not have them to be there without them, nor to passe all their time without any solace hereby, when they were in private amongst themselves, though before their Enemies to make themselves a laughing stock, they refused to do it, as followeth, Verse 3, 4. Secondly their singular affection to Ierusalem, the holy City and place of Gods Habitation. Verse 5, 6. Vers. 5, 6.Yet if I forget the O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Here are direfull imprecations, wherewith he curseth himselfe, that made this Psalme, to move others to the like affections, if he took joy in any thing, till that the people being restored, fell to the building of Ierusalem again. Lastly, Vers. 7, 8, 9.here▪ is a Prayer against Edom and Babylon: and if it be demanded, why Edom is so much inveighed against, we may gather from many places, that although Esau, of whom they came, were Israels Brother, yet they were most infest Enemies to Israel, and when the Babylonians came against the Iewes, they stirred them up all that they could against them, without any favour to exercise all cruelty, as Obadiah. 1. 8. 9. &c. Ezek. 25. 12. Ier. 49. 7. Lam. 4. 12. wherefore justly is God prayed to take revenge upon them, as well as upon Babylon, and accordingly it was both threatned by Isaiah, and other Prophets; and history sheweth that it came to passe.