Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 3 · Psalms · Psalm 149 – Psalm 150
PSAL. CXLIX.
SIng unto the Lord a new Song, the same beginning with Psal. 95. and it is Verse 1.Propheticall, shewing what should be done under the New Testament, by a new people, verse 2. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him, let the children Verse 2.of Zion be joyfull in their King: so Psal. 100. He hath made us, and not we our selves, viz. his Israle by regeneration, and who is our King but Christ, in Psal. 45.whom when we beleeve, and so attaine the pardon of our sins, we have joy unspeakable.
Let them praise him with Timbrel and Harp; This is spoken according to that Vers. 3.which was used then to be done, and after the Church came to a flourishing estate, in Constantines time, was used amongst Christians, who also praised God upon Instruments of Musick, of the lawfulnesse of which under the Gospel it hath been before disputed.
He will beautifie, or glorifie the meek, or poore, with salvation, for such were Vers. 4. Heb. 12. 2.Christians a long time, being by persecutors impoverished and afflicted, but they despised the shame, and look't at his glory set before them, and for this praised God.
Let them be joyfull in glory, and sing upon their beds; for the Saints are truly Vers. 5.glorious even in their poverty through Christ, who hath united them to himselfe, and dyed for them, to sanctifie them, and make them a glorious Ephes 5. 30.Church; as for singing upon their beds, beds are places of rest, and therefore it is meant in this safe estate, wherein they may well rest, as David said before, Psal. 4. I will lye downe and take my rest; not strictly meaning upon his bed, but that in his minde he would rest as quietly by the faith, which he had in God alwayes, as if he were in bed, taking his bodily rest.
The high praise of God shall be in their mouthes, and a two-edged sword in their bonds. It is said, high praise, because set forth with loud singing, and musick Vers. 6.in their Congregations, as was said before, out of the abundance of joy for the faith of Christ, taught and imbraced amongst them; of the two-edged sword, see Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick in operation, and sharper then any two-edged sword, and Revel. 19. 15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword. These are the arms where-with Christs Souldiers, his Ministers, fight, not materiall Matth. 10. 10.swords; and therefore at their first sending out, the Lord forbad them to take so much as staves in their hands, and when Peter smote with the sword Matth. 26. 52.he was rebuked, it being said unto him, He that smiteth with the sword, shall perish with the sword; otherwise, as Jerom hath it, here would be no agreement with that which was said before, his Saints, or his mercifull ones, as the word Hieron. Vers. 4, 5.signifieth, and the afflicted or poore, seeing men smite not with the materiall sword in mercy; neither doe the poore or weake this, but the mighty, and in wrath; and that which followeth, To execute vengeance upon the Heathen, Vers. 7.is to be understood likewise, and the next words, To binde their Kings with chaines, and their nobles with fetters of iron. For, as Jerom well noteth, he saith not, to slay, but to binde them, as enemies being subdued are taken, and bound with chaines; as the wicked King Manasseh, being thus bound was carried into Babylon; so the Spiritually bound are brought captive to the possession of the Church to their Salvation, for so Christ is said, to lead captivity captive, Ephes 4. 8. and his Preachers by the weapons of their warfare, to bring into captivity, 2 Cor. 10. 5. to the obedience of Christ. And when this is done, vengeance is taken upon them, that is, upon their vile lusts, 2 Tim. 2. 26 Col. 3. 5. Heb. 2. 15. Rom. 7. Rom. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5.that held them captive before, they being mortified, and the Devils power, who held them, being broken. For Lusts be, as it were members, and the filthy flesh, upon which vengeance is now taken, as a body of Death, but now offered up in sacrifice, it being killed, that the Spirit may live; whereas it is added, ver. 8. As it is written, this doubtlesse hath reference to that, Esa. 45. 14. where binding with chaines is also spoken of in the same sence, and not to Deut. 7. 2. as many thinke, for their subduing, and killing with the Sword is properly spoken of, here binding, as the Saints and Servants of Christ bind, according to that power given them in Preaching, Matth. 16. to 10. and Heathens without, and by censure Matth. 18.towards even the greatest Christians within the pale of the Church. And if the time of writing this Psalme shall seeme notto agree, the Psalmes being written before Esay, it is easily answered, Davids indeed were, but many of them were written by other holy men long after, as hath been before shewed.
Calvin expounding this (written) of the Jewes, because in their vengeance taken upon the Canaanites, they did nothing of their own Calvin.heads out of cruelty, but all as God directed them, and wrote it downe by Moses, yet acknowledgeth the Spirituall Sword to be here meant, and spirituall binding to Salvation, not to destruction; the power of which the Ministers of Christ have committed unto them, unlesse any be obstinate in their sinnes when they are thus bound, for then it is to their certaine destruction. But the Corporeall sword have neither they, nor any other Christians, but only the Magistrates, to cut off evil-doers, and to raise Armies against forreigne enemies, that seek the over-throw of them, and of their Rom. 13. Revel. 19.Religion. And whereas poore Christians may seeme to be exposed to treading upon by every one, if their Captaines use none other armes, but these of the Spirit, he prevents this objection, by saying, such honour have all his Saints; by meeknesse, and patience in suffering, only armed spiritually to make such great conquests.
PSAL. CL.
THis is the last Halalujah, directed most probably to the Angels and Saints in Heaven, for it is said, Praise him in his Sanctuary, Vers. 1.praise him in the firmament of his power; In expanso potentiae ejus, the second word serving to explaine the first; the Sanctuary Calvin.here spoken of being shewed to be Heaven, so called, because it over-spreadeth all, and of his power, because the Divine Power working such wonders here, as the bringing of Kings and Nobles under, before spoken of, by such weake meanes as the two-edged sword of the Word, cutting downe sinne in them, or cutting them off from the heavenly inheritance, and all plea against being condemned, because I say, this power comes from heaven. And this exhortation is in the nature of a Prophesie, fore-shewing that in the end it shall be so, and that God shall have glory from all for ever and ever.
Praise him for his mighty acts, The mighty acts before mentioned, Vers. 2. Hieron.Psal. 149. tending to the Salvation of so many Soules. So Jerom, Because he hath so mightily turned death into life, and brought his Saints to heavenly Mansions, which he went before to prepare. As for the Musicall Instruments, where-with ver. 3. 4. they are thus Calvin.spoken of, in alluding to the manner of old under the Law whilst the Sanctuary stood.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord; That is, not only Verse 6.the Saints of the Jewes, but of all other Nations, not used to such Musicall expressions, but only to singing. The Hebr. hath foreign every Spirit, and so the vulgar Latine renders it, and Aben Ezra Aben Ezra.saith, that it is properly put for the spirit or breath of a man, into whom it is said, God breathed into him, the breath of life; but foreign signifying a soule, is put as well for the soule of any other living creature, as of Man, See Gen. 7. 22. Eccles. 3. 21. for the use of Neshema, Jerome following the translation that hath it spirit, saith, that bodies cannot worthily praise God, and therefore all men are exhorted to doe it with their spirits, and all spirits separated from the body, and now in heaven. And in speaking upon the number of the Psalmes, hee saith, they three fifties, mystically sheweth three Estates. 1 Of Regeneration, by Baptisme and Repentance. 2 Of Fructification, by good Workes; after this: 3 Of Glorification, when wee shall bee wholly intent to praise God for ever, being joyned to the Quire of Angels.
The End of the Exposition of the Book of PSALMES.