PSALM CXXVI.

A Song of Degrees.

THE ARGUMENT.-This psalm is so universally thought to be a joyful song composed by Ezra, or some such good man, when they returned out of Babylon, that I shall seek for no other interpretation; but observe, with Theodoret, that when Cyrus gave them all leave to return to their own land, some were so ill-minded that they chose to continue where they were; but such as had any sense of the piety of their forefathers, and desired to see the worship of God according to the law restored, gladly embraced the opportunity of returning to their own country; where they thought themselves so happy in the liberty which they enjoyed, that they pray (ver. 4.) all the rest of the nation who remained still behind, would come and partake

of it. This is the most received sense, else I should have thought the deliverance from Sennacherib might be here celebrated, who had carried many of them. captive, (Isa. v. 13. and other places); and when they were delivered from his oppression, they were indeed like men that dreamed, as the psalmist here speaks. For awaking in the morning, and seeing his vast army to be dead corpses, (2 Kings, xix. 35.), they could scarce believe what they beheld with their eyes, it was so wonderful.

And perhaps it was first made then, and afterward applied, with some alteration, to their return from Babylon. See cxxxiii.

Ver. 1. WHEN the LORD turned again the captivity of Sion, we were like them that dream.] To the Lord alone must we ascribe this wonderful change, (which is like the sudden recovery of health, out of a tedious and desperate sickness); for when the proclamation unexpectedly came forth to give us liberty to return to our own country, out of a long eaptivity, (Ezra, i, 2. 3.), we could scarce believe it, but were apt to look upon ourselves as only in a dream of so great a happiness.

Ver. 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.] Which presently turned our heaviness into such a height of jay, that it filled all places with our mirth; especially with chearful hymns, in which the heathen themselves accompanied us, saying, This truly is the Lord's work, who hath magnified his power in the strange deliverance of this nation.

Ver. 3. The LORD bath done great things for us; uhereof we are glad.] And truly so he hath, (we should be very ungrateful, if we should not thankfully acknowledge the singular benefits which stran gers admire); the Lord hath not only restored our liberty, but declared the greatness of his power in this deliverance, which justly fills us with joy and triumph,

Ver. 4. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.] O that the Lord would be plea sed to perfect what he hath begun! and bring back, in greater numbers, the rest of our brethren that still remain in Babylon; which would be as welcome to this desolate country, as streams of water to the dry and thirsty grounds.

Ver. 5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.] Then this small handful of people, who are come to plant themselves here again, and have laid the foundation of the temple, with a great mixture of sadness and tears, (Ezra, iii. 12.), shall shout for joy, to see so great an increase, and this pious work, by their help, brought into perfection.

Ver. 6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.] Just as we behold the poor husbandman,, going to and fro with a little seed, which in a scarce year he throws with an heavy heart into the ground, returning again and again from the field, with songs of joy in his mouth, when the harvest comes to reward his past labours with a plentiful crop of corn.

PSALM CXXVII.

A Song of Degrees for Solomon. See cxx.

THE ARGUMENT.-The Hebrew particle which here we translate for, is thought by our interpreters, in most other places, to signify of; and so they translate it a little before, in the title of Psal. cxxiv. and a little after, in that of 131st. Therefore I shall look upon this psalm as composed by Solomon, who, you read, 1 Kings, iv. 32. made above three thousand songs; though none of them. (except that large poem called the Song of Songs, and as some think, Psal. cxxxii. and, as I suppose, the next to this) have been transmitted to posterity, but only this; which is a commentary upon a pious maxim of his, often repeated in the book of his Proverbs, that it is in vain to attempt any thing, if the Lord do not prosper it. Teaching us, therefore, in all our ways to acknowledge him, (Prov. iii. 6. xvi. 3.), and not to presume, that it is in our power to direct our own way, (that is, our designs, enterprises, and actions), to what issue we please. For "though a man's heart deviseth his way, yet it is the Lord that directeth nis steps," (Prov. xvi. 9. xx. 24. xxi. 30. 31.). A truth to be deeply pondered by all, especially by princes, in whose affairs this over-ruling providence is most visible. Of a Song of Degrees, see cxx.

Ver. 1. EXCEPT the LORD build the house, they la

bour in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.] The success of all our undertakings depends so entirely upon the Lord's blessing, that it is in vain, by building houses and cities, to enter into societies, unless he prosper the design; and when they are framed, all the care of the soldier and the magistrate

is to no purpose, unless his good providence be their guard.

Ver. 2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.] And as fruitless, unless he favour it, is the toil and solicitude of you, the artificers and tradesmen in the, city, who rise betimes, and go to bed late, and fare hardly; when they whom he loves (because they own his providence, and depend upon his blessing, more than their own diligence) live securely, and want nothing that is fit for them; though they have no such strong guard of soldiers to defend them, nor break their sleep with labour and care, to supply their necessities.

Ver. 3. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is his reward.] Observe it also, it is not in the power of the strongest and most healthful persons (though nature designs above all things the propagation of mankind) to have children when they please, to inherit the riches they have got; but the Lord bestows them as freely as parents do their estates, and makes those women fruitful, whose pious reliance upon him he thinks good to reward.

Ver. 4. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.] And yet there is nothing of which we are more desirous, than a numerous issue; especially in the flower and vigour of our youth, for they will be no less defence to us in our age, than arrows or darts are in the hand of a valiant champion, to beat off his assailants.

Ver. 5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.] Happy is that man who hath obtained so much favour of the Lord, as to have his house as full of them as the champion's quiver is of arrows; they will undauntedly appear for him, to answer any challenge sent him by his enemies*, or any accusation put in against him before the judges.

* See Theodoret.

THE ARGUMENT.—It is not unlikely that this psalm was composed by the same author that made the former; to excite men to be truly religious, as the only way to obtain the blessings there mentioned of the Lord. Which as he there shews we must have from his free gift, and not think to acquire merely by our own industry; so here he shews the Lord is wont to bestow on those, who, fearing to offend him, sincerely keep his commandments. Some think this was a form prescribed to be used at the blessing of their marriages, when they wished the new-married couple all manner of happiness; especially a long life in peaceable times, ver. 5. 6. Of a Song of Degrees, see cxx.

soever thou art that desirest to be happy, be sure to add unto the devout worship of the Lord, the practice of justice and charity, and all other virtues, and thou shalt never miss of it.

Ver. 2. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.] For then he will prosper thy honest labours, and give thee an heart also to enjoy the fruit of them; yea, this will seem no small part of thy happiness, that thou art able to live of thyself, and not be beholden unto others.

Ver. 3. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children like olive-plants, round about thy table.] He will bless thee also in thy wife, and make her as fruitful as the vine, which spreads itself, laden with full clusters, over all the sides of thy house; and in thy hopeful children too, who shall grow and flourish like the young olive-plants, that are set in thy arbour, round about thy table.

Ver. 4. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed, that feareth the LORD.] Observe it, that this shall be the comfortable portion of the man that religiously serveth the Lord; who alone can bless our labours, and continue the product of them in our families.

Ver. 5. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion; and thou shall see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.] Address thyself unto him in his holy place; and the Lord shall bestow on thee whatsoever blessings thou askest of him; yea, mayest thou be so happy as to see Jerusalem, the seat of justice and religion, in a flourishing condition all thy life long.

Ver. 6. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.] And long mayest thou live, to such a good old age, as to 'see thy children's children; and the whole nation, all the time, in a prosperous tranquillity.

PSALM CXXIX.

A Song of Degrees. See cxx.

THE ARGUMENT.-This psalm was made when some new calamity threatened them, either by Sennacherib, or, as Theodoret thinks, by those nations which combined to destroy the Jews, as soon as they returned from the captivity of Babylon. When they were taught by Ezra, or some such holy man, to recount what God had done for them ever since they were a people, and to denounce the divine vengeance against those that now sought their ruin. The former conjecture seems the truer; because as yet, he saith, ver. 2. their enemies had not prevailed against them; unless we expound that phrase, as I have done in the paraphrase, (according to the received interpretation of the psalm), that they had not quite destroyed them, and made them cease to be a nation.

have very often and very sorely distressed us, ever since we began to be a people.

Ver. 2. Many a time bave they afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.] It is hard to number how oft, or to tell into how great straits they have reduced us, ever since we began to be a nation; and yet, by the special favour of God, they have not been able to compass their desire of our utter extirpation.

. Ver. 3. The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.] They have laid us sometimes exceeding low; and not only scourged us so severely, that the marks of it might be seen as plain as the furrows are which the plough makes in the ground, but long continued also our vexation and tor

ment.

Ver. 4. The LORD is righteous; be bath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.] But the Lord at last, in much mercy, hath made good his faithful promises, and broken in pieces the power of wicked oppressors, that they might not always hold us under their yoke, and thus miserably tyrannize over us.

Ver. 5. Let them all be confounded and turned back that bate Zion.] And may all those that still hate us and our religion, never have better success; but be shamefully defeated, and forced to desist in all their attempts upon us.

Ver. 6. Let them be as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth up] Let none of their designs ever come to maturity, but be blasted like the grass upon the house-top, which having no root, withers of itself, and needs no body's hand to pluck it up.

Ver. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hands ; 7. nor be that bindeth sheaves his bosom.] And as it lies unregarded by those that reap, or that carry in the fruits of the earth; so let these men and all their enterprises become contemptible, and be looked upon as good for nothing.

Ver. 8. Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.] Let all their hopes so speedily vanish, that there be none to favour them, nor so much as to wish prosperity to them; no more than there are gatherers of such withered grass appear, to whom the passengers (after the usual form, Ruth, ii. 4.) should say, The Lord give you a good harvest; we pray God you may reap the fruits of your la

bours.

PSALM CXXX.

A Song of Degrees. See cxx.

THE ARGUMENT.-Some think David made this prayer, after he had plunged himself into a very deep guilt, by his sin with Bathsheba. I rather think, when he was persecuted by Saul, and reducedto so low a condition, that his heart began to sink within him. For the "floods of ungodly men (s he speaks, Psal. xviii. 4.) made him afraid," that

he should one day perish in them, (1 Sam. xxix. 1.); and he complains elsewhere, that he sunk in the mire, where there was no standing," &c. Psal. Ixix. 2. 14. 15.

In this condition he implores the divine mercy with great earnestness, and beseeches him to pardon his sins, and the sins of all the people; which made them deserve that ill government, under Saul and his flatterers.

It is the last but one of the seven penitential psalms. Ver. 1. OUT of the depths have I cried unto thee, O see no bottom, no end of my troubles, but I still sink lower and lower into them, I never despair of thy mercy, O Lord, but cry unto thee most earnestly to deliver me.

LORD.] In the greatest straits, when I can

Ver. 2. LORD, bear my voice; let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.] Vouchsafe, good Lord, the Governor of all things, to grant my petition; do not reject it, I humbly beseech thee, but give me a favourable answer, when I deprecate thy displeasure.

Ver. 3. If thou, LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand ?] I do not plead any merits of mine, but rather accuse myself before thee; knowing that if I were the most innocent person in the world, yet if thou, Lord, shouldest strictly examine my life, and proceed against me according to my deserts, (Lord, what would become of me?), 1 should certainly be condemned.

Ver. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.] But thou most graciously invitest us unto thy service, by thy readiness to pardon all those that are truly penitent; without the hope of which, we could not so much as think of becoming religious.

Ver. 5. I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait; and in his word do I hope.] This encourages me to wait, and expect when the Lord will deliver me; my soul is earnestly bent to expect this happy time, which I believe will come, because I have his promise for it, on which I depend.

Ver. 6. My soul waiteth for the LORD, more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning.] I direct my thoughts to the Lord alone for safety and relief, which 1 implore incessantly with my early prayers; for they that watch in the temple for the break of day, I say, the priests that watch in the temple for the break of day, are not more forward than I, to offer up their morning sacri

fice to the Lord.

Ver. 7. Let Israel hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plentecus redemption.] In whom let all his people place their trust and confidence; for the Lord is very ready to do good, and hath more ways than we can imagine, to rescue those that hope in him out of the sorest distresses.

Ver. 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.] And he will at last tree them from all those troubles, which he hath inflicted on them as a punish. ment for their iniquities.

PSALM CXXXI.

A Song of Degrees. See cxx.

THE ARGUMENT.-Though David could not purge himself from all manner of guilt, (as he confesses in the foregoing psalm, ver. 3), yet in that matter which he was charged withal by his enemies, (of affecting the kingdom), he could safely protest he was as innocent as a little child. Which he doth in this psalm particularly, and in several parts of other psalms.

Ver. 1. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.] O Lord, I am accused of traiterous designs against my sovereign, and of aspiring to the throne wherein thou hast placed him: but thou, who searchest the hearts, knowest that I harbour no such ambitious thoughts; nor hath my behaviour betrayed any such intentions; for I never looked upon any man superciliously, nor meddled with affairs of state, or any thing else that is above my place and calling;

Ver. 2. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.] But have levelled my mind (else let me perish) to att equality with my condition; and resolved to acquiesce in the present state of things; committing myself unto thy care, and depending on thy providence, as a child that is newly weaned doth upon its mother; just so do I silence my natural desires, and am content to be disposed of as thou pleasest.

Ver. 3. Let Israel bope in the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.] And let all good men, in like manner, modestly place their confidence and hope in the Lord, as long as they live; and choose rather to be depressed, than by any undue means raise themselves to greatness and honour.

PSALM CXXXII.

A Song of Degrees. See cxx.

THE ARGUMENT.-This psalm seems to have been composed by some holy man, after God had given commandment to David, by Gad the seer, to build an altar in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, (where the destroying angel stood), and the Lord had answered him by fire upon that altar, (1 Chron. xxi. 18.-26.); whereby David knew, what he had till now been ignorant of, that this was the place where God would be worshipped, and have his temple built, xxii. 1. Accordingly we read expressly, that Solomon therefore built the temple in this place; because God here appeared to David his father, and David designed and prepared this place for it, (2 Chron. iii. 1.); that there God's habitation might be fixed, and not removed from place to place, uncertainly, as it had been in former

times. For the tabernacle, which the Hebrews call Mischkan, had been in an unsettled condition, except one period of time, ever since they came into the land of Canaan. It was first pitched in Gilgal, and staid there 24 years. Then it was removed to Shiloh, where it remained to the death of Eli, 369 years. After his death, Shiloh being laid waste, it was translated to Nob, where it remained, they say, 13 years, (but was now ho better than a cabinet without its jewel; the ark being in another place, and never restored to it after that desolation of Shiloh; see Psal. Ixviii.) After the death of Samuel, they say, Nob was also destroyed. And then it was carried to Gibeon, where Solomon found it, and from thence fetched it, when he had finished the temple. Which the Hebrews, therefore, call Beth-Olamim, the eternal house; because it was fixed to a place, and out of it the ark never departed, as it had done out of the tabernacle; but there (as the psalmist here speaks, ver. 14.) the Lord took up his rest for ever, never to depart, that is, to any other place, till the Messiah came, who was the temple of God, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily.

There are those that think, Solomon penned this psalm; because (in 2 Chron. vi. the two last verses) he concludes his prayer at the consecration of the temple with some part of it, viz. ver. 8. 9. 10. And truly, since he speaks as if the priests were just taking up the ark to carry it into this resting-place, and there begs that God would not, for David's sake, turn away the face of his anointed, (i. e. refuse to hear his prayer), it is not an improbable conjecture; which I shall follow in my paraphrase, and connect also this psalm with the former; to which it seems to have respect, if we render the last word of the first verse, as the ancient interpreters do; not affliction, but humility, meekness, or modesty. Yet I have not forgot to take notice of the other signification; and in like manner have expounded that phrase, the mighty God of Jacob, two several ways, ver. 2. and 5.

Ver. 1. LORD, remember David, and all bis afflic

tions: Let it appear, O Lord, that thou art not unmindful of the pious humility of my father David, (cxxxi. 1.), who chose to endure many afflic-. tions, rather than by unlawful means to prefer himself to a kingdom;

Ver. 2. How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob: Which when he enjoyed, his principal care was to provide a settled place for the worship of God; for he bound himself with a solemn oath unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty One, who had preserved him, as he did Jacob, in all his troubles: .

Ver. 3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed :] Saying, I am resolved, as I hope to prosper, that I will not come into the new palace which I have built for myself, (1 Chron. xiv. 1.), much less, go to dwell, and take up my lodging there;

Ver. 4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eye-lids,] Nay, I will not lay myself down to rest, nor take a wink of sleep,

Ver. 5. Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.] Until I have found out a convenient place for the ark of the Lord, (1 Chron. xv. 1. xvi. 1-43.), an habitation for that mighty One, who there makes himself present to his people, the posterity of Jacob.

Ver 6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the fields of the wood.] And now, behold, the Lord himself, to our great joy, hath told us the very place where he will fix his habitation, (1 Chron. xxi. 18.-26.), in the territory of Bethlem-Ephrata, (Gen. xxxv. 16.-19.), in the fields of that forest where the angel stood, and directed David to build an altar unto the Lord, (1 Chron. xxi. 18. xxii. 1.

Ver. 7. We will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool.] Let us go, therefore, into his tabernacles; and, prostrating ourselves before his majesty, let us take up the ark on which his glory stands, (1 Chron. xxviii. 2.), with humble reverence, and bring it into the temple which is now built for it, (2 Chron. v. 2. 3. 4. &c.)

Ver. 8. Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.] And be pleased, O Lord, together with the ark, the token of thy powerful presence among us, to translate thy divine glory thither, (2 Chron. v. 13. 14. vii. 1. 2. 3.), there to settle itself, and stir from thence no more for ever.

Ver. 9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.] Guard also thy priests, who minister unto thee here, and encompass them with thy goodness, ( Chron. vi. 41.), that they may procure thy blessings for others; and make all thy pious worshippers, who are dear unto thee, triumph in thy kindness to them.

Ver. 10. For thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed.] I beseech thee, have a respect to the sincere piety of my father David, and thy gracious promise to him, (1 Chron. xxii. 2.10.-14. xxviii. 2.-6. &c.); and upon that account, deny me not, but grant the petitions of thy servant, who by thy special appointment succeeds him in the government of thy people.

Ver. 11. The LORD bath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it: Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.] According to that oath, whereby the Lord secured the kingdom to his family, that faithful oath, which he will never break, saying, One of thy sons will I advance to sit upon thy throne, when thou shalt leave it, (1 Chron. xvii. 11. xxviii. 5. 2 Chron. vi. 10.)

Ver. 12. If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore.] Yea, I will perpetuate this royal dignity to thy children in all succeeding generations, (and not take it from them, as I did from Saul, 2 Sam. vii. 15. 16.), if they prove faithful and constant in their religion, and observe all the commandments, whereby I will teach and instruct VOL. III.

them how my pleasure is, that they should worship and serve me, (1 Kings, ii. 4. ix. 4. 5. 6.)

Ver. 13. For the LORD bath chosen Sion; he bath desired it for his habitation.] For the Lord hath such a love to Sion, the seat of the royal family, (2 Sam. v. 7. 9.), that he hath chosen to place his own dwelling very near unto it, (2 Chron. iii. 1. vii. 12.)

Ver. 14. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it.] Saying, This is the place where my glory shall fix itself for ever, (2 Chron. vii. 16.); I will remove no more, but here will I take up my abode; for I have pitched on this place, and declared that it is acceptable to me above all other, (1 Chron. xxi. 26. xxii. 2.)

Ver. 15. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.] From whence I will dispense my blessings so abundantly, that Sion (which is become the city of God, as well as of David) shall never be in any want, but I will make such liberal provision for it, by fruitful years, that the poorest person there shall be satisfied with food, (2 Chron. vii. 13. 14.)

Ver. 16. I will also clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.] I will also defend her priests, and they shall be giving continual thanks and praise for the blessings they shall procure for my pious worshippers; who shall exceedingly triumph in my kindness towards them.

Ver. 17. There will I make the born of David to bud; I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.] There will I make the regal power and majesty of David to put forth itself afresh in his royal successors; no sooner shall one be extinguished, but another shall shine, (1 Kings, xi. 36. 2 Chron. xxi. 7.), in such splendour as shall give a lustre to the name of that anointed servant of mine, till the great Prince, the Messiah, appear.

Ver. 18. His enemies will I clothe with shame; but upon himself shall his crown flourish.] And whosoever they be that go about to destroy this succession, they shall be so miserably defeated, that they shall not be able to shew their faces, while with shame and confusion they behold the regal dignity in his family, (notwithstanding all their attempts against it), in an unfading glory.

THE ARGUMENT.-When there was no other strife among all the tribes of Israel, than who should be most forward in returning to their allegiance, and the children of Judah also were inclined as one man to bring back David to his kingdom, from which his son Absalom had driven him, (2 Sam. xix. 9.-14.), he fell into a rapturous admiration of that happy unity and concord, which made them meet together in one place to worship God, (for so, I think, Zanchius rightly understands the last word of the first verse, which we translate together in