chapter ix

. 7, “Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it for ever.”

PSALM CIX.

_David, complaining of his slanderous enemies, under the person of Judas devoteth them.—He sheweth their sin.—Complaining of his own misery, he prayeth for help.—He promiseth thankfulness._

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

For my love they are my adversaries: but I _give myself unto_ prayer.

And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

Let his days be few; _and_ let another take his office.

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek _their bread_ also out of their desolate places.

Let the extortioner catch all that he hath: and let the strangers spoil his labour.

Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

Let his posterity be cut off; _and_ in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

Let it be unto him as the garment _which_ covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

_Let_ this _be_ the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy _is_ good, deliver thou me.

For I _am_ poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.

I became also a reproach unto them: _when_ they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

That they may know that this _is_ thy hand; _that_ thou, LORD, hast done it.

Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save _him_ from those that condemn his soul.

Certain hypocrites of monks are accustomed to use this Psalm, (generally known by the name of ‘The God of praise,’) as a sort of incantation: and they say that, to a certainty, against what person soever they babble and sing out the terrible words of this Psalm; that man is at once death-struck, and never lives a year afterwards.

This Psalm, however, is most certainly full of the complaints, tears, and groans of the godly against these very hypocrites themselves. It may be very properly considered as used in the person of Christ, deeply complaining against his betrayers the Jews, and against the cruelty of the Jews, which was not satisfied, even after the shedding of his innocent blood.

Like unto Judas Iscariot, and unto all the Jews, are pharisaical saints and hypocrites, of all nations and ages; of whom Christ doth not say in vain, that they are guilty of all the blood that has been shed from Abel downwards. For so great and bitter is the terribleness and fury of their virulent and Satanic hatred, that they cannot rest satisfied with the shedding of the blood of Abel and all the saints from the beginning of the world, but must hang Christ himself on the cross; and that is not all, they must (as the Psalmist saith, ver. 22.) wag their heads at him, and insult and mock his sufferings; “If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross.”

Concerning these wretches, David says, (ver. 2.) “They have opened their blaspheming mouth against me:” for the raving fury of such hypocrites is incredible. And again he says, “For my love they are my adversaries, but I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.” And again, “They fight against me without a cause.”

These are the true and real colours of these hypocrites who pretend to be in the truth. We have here pourtrayed not only the Cainish countenances of these Iscariots, but their pharisaic and virulent hearts themselves; which are now become organs and instruments of the devil. And we have also here depicted their thoughts, their furious purposes of injuring and harming, by which the minds of such are incessantly actuated. For these embittered wretches knowingly and purposely, and against the light of their own consciences, fight against and deny the known truth; and, as Stephen says, cease not to resist the Holy Ghost. And although they are convinced by natural reason, by the Scriptures, and by their natural understanding, they still reject and fight against God and Christ, and harden themselves in the denial of the truth. And finally, “They delight not in blessing;” but refuse and cast from them God and his Christ.

In addition to all this, they “render evil for good.” The ingratitude of these hypocrites and of the world surely is enough, in not returning any thing for all that good which is offered to them by God himself, and by the saints in his name: but they rest not here; they render, for all this good, hatred and cursing, and a purpose to injure and to destroy: which is manifestly not human, but Satanic cruelty.

But we, the people of God, are hereby admonished throughout all times and ages of the church that, whenever God is pleased to reveal his word, and Christ is preached, so surely will the church have her Judases: that is, so surely will she have her enemies and her hypocrites; who, though they boast of the name of being the church of God, will prove themselves “vipers.”

To set forth, therefore, the terrible judgments that shall fall on those, who thus, with cruelty and without mercy, rage against the people of God, the Psalmist shows (ver. 16.) that God will, to recompense their iniquity, direct his fury also against them, who thus mercilessly oppress “his poor,” and will pour out all his wrath upon them: and that, as these hypocrites so confidently despised God and his saints; and as, though covered with the shed blood, and bathed with the tears of so many saints, they still laughed at their calamities, as if they really sought cursing and not blessing; so, that cursing shall flow in upon them like a river.

And again (saith David) they have cast away the word of God from them, and have rejected and despised the offered salvation, therefore all consolation and salvation shall depart from them, and no more be brought near unto them, neither now nor to all eternity. On the other hand, as they loved cursing, they shall be clothed with it as with a girdle; it shall enter like water into their bowels, and like oil into their bones: and they shall bear about with them, like Cain, everlasting fears and terrors, and shall be tormented unceasingly with the stings of their wickedness and sin; and they shall moreover be exiles, deserted outcasts, vagabonds, and held in contempt of all, as the Jews now are, exhibiting an awful fulfilment of the judgments herein denounced.

PSALM CX.

_The kingdom, the priesthood, the conquest, and the passion of Christ._

A Psalm of David.

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Thy people _shall be_ willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou _art_ a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

The LORD at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill _the places_ with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

This is a peculiar and glorious prophecy concerning the kingdom of Christ. This Psalm is cited by Christ himself, Matt. xxii. and he applies it to his own kingdom and priesthood. It speaks gloriously of Christ sitting at the right hand of the Majesty in the heaven, and as being the son and the seed of David, according to the flesh, and also David’s Lord and God, the Creator and the Maker of all things, all power being given unto him in heaven and in earth: as the apostle also saith, “Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness.” Rom. i. 3.

Christ cites this Psalm, (which, as we have said, is a very glorious one) to confound the Pharisees. Indeed there is not a Psalm like it in the whole scripture; and it ought to be very dear unto the church; seeing that it confirms that great article of faith—Christ’s sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. For Christ is here declared to be a King and Priest; sitting at God’s right hand, not only as truly man, but also as properly God; the Propitiator and Mediator between God and men; the Omnipotent and the Eternal!

Christ is no where, throughout all the books of the prophets, and of the whole scripture, so plainly and clearly declared to be “a Priest,” and so “a Priest for ever,” who alone did, and alone could abrogate the Aaronic and Levitical priesthood; and who is, and ever will be an eternal propitiation and reconciliation for us; as is most beautifully, most fully, and with a wonderful power of the Holy Spirit, opened by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews.

Hence, this heavenly and golden Psalm has a blessed author (David) and a glorious interpreter (Christ.) And all the apostles, all godly consciences, and all who are not utterly unacquainted with the temptations of sin, and of Satan, know how great and firm a consolation it is against all the violent attacks of the devil, to be able to see Christ as our High Priest. Hence it is that Paul breaks forth into those great words, “If God be for us, who can be against us! Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us.” Rom. viii. 31–34.

It is, therefore, of infinite benefit to the universal church of Christ, that the glorious things of this Psalm, the remission of sins, and the reconciliation of God toward us, which are brought in unto us by the priesthood of Christ, and which are infinite and eternal, are most carefully and most fully explained to us in the epistle to the Hebrews; and that such glorious doctrines of the truth concerning the priesthood of Christ are always present, and ready to our hands.

PSALM CXI.

_The Psalmist by his example inciteth others to praise God for his glorious and gracious works.—The fear of God breedeth true wisdom._

Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with _my_ whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and _in_ the congregation.

The works of the LORD _are_ great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

His work _is_ honourable and glorious; and his righteousness endureth for ever.

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD _is_ gracious and full of compassion.

He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.

The works of his hands _are_ verity and judgment; all his commandments _are_ sure.

They stand fast for ever and ever, _and are_ done in truth and uprightness.

He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend _is_ his name.

The fear of the LORD _is_ the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do _his commandments_: his praise endureth for ever.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving, and a song for the people of Israel, to be sung at the feast of the passover, or at the eating of the paschal Lamb. For by this short song the people were instructed to give thanks, and to magnify and praise God for those great and glorious works of his,—the leading them out of Egypt at the first; and also, for giving them a good and divine government, for the priesthood he established, for the law he gave them, and for appointing the preaching of his word; for their feasts and for their Sabbaths, for public peace and a good administration of the laws, and, in a word, for all his infinite mercies: all which I have more fully opened in my more extended commentary on this Psalm.

PSALM CXII.

_Godliness hath the promises of this life, and of the life to come.—The prosperity of the godly shall be an eyesore to the wicked._

Praise ye the LORD. Blessed _is_ the man _that_ feareth the LORD, _that_ delighteth greatly in his commandments.

His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

Wealth and riches _shall be_ in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: _he is_ gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

His heart _is_ established, he shall not be afraid, until he see _his desire_ upon his enemies.

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

The wicked shall see _it_, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

This is a Psalm of consolation for those that fear God: in which those that truly fear him are encouraged and praised in their Christian conversation: “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord,” saith the Psalmist. As if he had said, The people of God appear to them to be of all men the most miserable; and both their life and their doctrine are condemned by the world, and by those tongues which the devil raises up and uses for the work. All things in the saints make them appear to the world, as if they were left and forsaken, and deserted of God, and as if they, and their posterity, and all like them, must surely perish. And then again, their lives and conversations, (though they render most essential services, both to their nation and to the church, and though they conduct themselves blamelessly before God and man,) are, by the malice of the devil, represented as most abominable, and they themselves are looked upon as the contempt and off-scouring of the earth.

On the other hand, all hypocrites in the world are lauded as the saints of God. “But,” as the wise man saith, “better is the little in the house of the righteous, than the great revenues of the wicked.” In the midst of all this false representation, however, the righteous, standing fast in all these their afflictions, and steadily trusting in God, are delivered and saved, and gain blessed consolation, while the wicked perish on every side. “To the upright,” saith the Psalmist, “there ariseth light in darkness.” Here, according to the general language of the scriptures, he calleth consolation, light; and temptation, darkness.

And, then, in the end of the Psalm, that noble and unsubdued steadiness of faith is greatly praised: which, in such mighty struggles, and in such agonizing conflicts, is yet unwearied and unyielding, resting in the promise of God; and which, though contending with such mighty waves, is yet enabled to sing with Paul, “Thanks be unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings,” saith the Psalmist, “his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord: his heart is established, he shall not be afraid until he see his desire upon his enemies.” verse 7, 8. For unless there were in us divine strength communicated by Christ, it would be impossible that we could stand against such numerous and mighty assaults of temptation.

PSALM CXIII.

_An exhortation to praise God for his excellency,—for his mercy._

Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name _is_ to be praised.

The LORD _is_ high above all nations, _and_ his glory above the heavens.

Who _is_ like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

Who humbleth _himself_ to behold _the things that are_ in heaven, and in the earth!

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, _and_ lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

That he may set _him_ with princes, _even_ with the princes of his people.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, _and to be_ a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a most conspicuous and most blessed prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, and of its extension from the rising unto the setting of the sun throughout all the kingdoms of the earth: it calls upon all nations to laud and magnify God, and to proclaim the riches of his grace; that is, the remission of sins for Christ’s sake. For Christ is the God of the humble, the God of the afflicted, and the God of those that call upon him and that cry unto him; he is an altogether loving and lovely Saviour and God, who sitteth at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and loves and has respect unto the humble, the afflicted, the oppressed, and the trembling and contrite in heart.

The peculiar and express office of Christ, and the work of the kingdom of Christ is to bring down the proud, to put to shame the wise, and to condemn hypocrites and false saints: and, on the other side, to raise up and exalt the humble, to enlighten and instruct fools, to sanctify unclean sinners, to make fruitful the barren, to comfort the fatherless; that is, those who are in any way afflicted or distressed.

PSALM CXIV.

_An exhortation, by the example of the dumb creatures, to fear God in his church._

When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

Judah was his sanctuary, _and_ Israel his dominion.

The sea saw _it_, and fled; Jordan was driven back.

The mountains skipped like rams, _and_ the little hills like lambs,

What _ailed_ thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, _that_ thou wast driven back?

Ye mountains, _that_ ye skipped like rams; _and_ ye little hills like lambs?

Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

Which turned the rock _into_ a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving, and a song for the people of Israel, to praise God while celebrating the feast of the passover; to magnify him for bringing them with a high hand out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, through the desert, over mountains, and through Jordan, into the land of promise. We use this Psalm to give thanks unto Christ, who delivered us from the kingdom of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of light, even into his own kingdom, the kingdom of God’s dear Son, and led us forth into eternal life.

PSALM CXV.

_Because God is truly glorious, and idols are vanity, he exhorteth to confidence in God.—God is to be blessed for his blessings._

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, _and_ for thy truth’s sake.

Wherefore should the heathen say, Where _is_ now their God?

But our God _is_ in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Their idols _are_ silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not;

They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat.

They that make them are like unto them; _so is_ every one that trusteth in them.

O Israel, trust thou in the LORD; he _is_ their help and their shield.

O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; he _is_ their help and their shield.

Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; he _is_ their help and their shield.

The LORD hath been mindful of us; he will bless _us_: he will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron.

He will bless them that fear the LORD, _both_ small and great.

The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

Ye _are_ blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.

The heaven, _even_ the heavens, _are_ the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

This is a glorious Psalm of thanksgiving, wherein the God of Israel is praised, as being the one, only, true, living God, the Saviour of all men, and especially of them that believe; and wherein also, all the other gods of the nations, who can save neither themselves nor others, are confessed, in the true faith, to be dumb idols.

Wherefore the Psalmist, in the first verse, saith “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory.” As if he had said, ‘Look not upon us, O Lord, to see how good or how righteous we are, for if thou do this, thou wilt never help us, thou wilt never save us; we shall remain a people without salvation, and without God, like all the nations around us; or we shall ever be at an uncertainty whether we shall be saved or not. But look, O our God, at thy holy word, and at the glory of thine own name,—that thou callest thyself our God; and that thou art the true and the living God, with whom is mercy, and with whom is plenteous redemption. According, O Lord, to thy promises of grace, according to thy counsel and thy covenant, in the which thou hast said, “I am the Lord your God;” according to this thy glorious name deal thou with us, O Lord; but not according to any name of ours, whereby we may be called sacrificers, or good-workers, or singers, or fathers, or the like: for all these names the nations that know not thee may assume, and yet remain still nations without God.’

PSALM CXVI.

_The psalmist professeth his love and duty to God for his deliverance.—He studieth to be thankful._

I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice _and_ my supplications.

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon _him_ as long as I live.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Then called I upon the name of the LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Gracious _is_ the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God _is_ merciful.

The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, _and_ my feet from falling.

I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted.

I said in my haste, All men _are_ liars.

What shall I render unto the LORD _for_ all his benefits towards me?

I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the LORD _is_ the death of his saints.

O LORD, truly I _am_ thy servant; I _am_ thy servant, _and_ the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of LORD.

I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,

In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving, in which the Psalmist renders thanks, after coming out of a most heavy trial, and again rejoices in God; praising God for having delivered him from the terrors of death, and from the pains of hell; for by such terms does he express those deep and heavy spiritual temptations, concerning which he had spoken before, Psalm vi., which are not known unto all. And the Psalmist complains also that he suffered all these things, and was thus overwhelmed and almost destroyed by these heavy trials, because of his confession of his faith and the truth of God before the world. “I believed (saith he) and therefore have I spoken:” but I am heavily afflicted for the word’s sake. For all the saints confess and teach the righteousness of faith; and, on the other hand, they expose and condemn all the righteousness, wisdom, and holiness of the world, and also all hypocrisy, and the outside form of godliness. And this the world will by no means whatever endure: they ever rage and roar against it: and they load the godly with every kind of affliction, because of their unsocial confession: and hence arise all those terrors without and those fears within, by which the church of Christ and the saints have ever been afflicted from the kingdom of the devil, in the midst of which their confession is made.

But amid all these great, and hard, and numerous afflictions of Satan and the world, the Psalmist has this firm consolation, that his work and cause are right before God; therefore he comforts and encourages himself by relying on the word of God, and stirs up and strengthens himself unto all confidence. “I will take (saith he) the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.” As if he had said, If they drink my destruction from the cup of their fury, and hate and persecute me unto death; what then? “I will take the cup of God’s salvation and helping grace:” that is (as if he had said), Supporting and strengthening my faith with the glad word of thy promise, as with strong and generous wine, I shall be filled with the Spirit, by drinking of that cup; and, by my continuing to preach and spread the word, I shall hold out the cup to others also, who confess with me the same truth, and preach the same word; that they also may draw the same consolation with me, out of the same most blessed word of the grace of God.

This (saith the Psalmist) is our case, and this is the way in which we drink of it and use it. We drink of it ourselves, and then we hold it out to others, and invite them to drink also; and this is the true worship of God; and by this we laud and magnify his name. By this service we truly pay our vows unto God, namely, the vow of the first commandment, paid unto God by his people; for the greatest and highest vow of the first commandment is this—God, the true, the living God, alone shall be our God: we will cleave unto him alone: him only will we adore; him only will we worship; him only will we seek; on him only will we call!

As, therefore, in many other Psalms, so also in this, you may see what is the true sacrifice of praise (of that praise which is wrought in the heart and in the spirit by the Holy Ghost, and is not lip-service only.) And in this Psalm you may also see that the true preaching of the word, and the true confession of the word, before the world, form the highest and most precious worship of God.

PSALM CXVII.

_An exhortation to praise God for his mercy and truth._

O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD _endureth_ for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a prophecy concerning Christ; that all peoples out of all kingdoms and islands, shall know Christ in his kingdom; that is, in his church; in that kingdom where mercy and grace, and the remission of sins, and eternal life, and everlasting consolation, shall be preached against sin, death, the power of the devil, and all evil. This Psalm has been before explained in my more full commentary thereon.

PSALM CXVIII.

_An exhortation to praise God for his mercy.—The psalmist by his experience sheweth how good it is trust in God.—Under the type of the psalmist, the coming of Christ in his kingdom is expressed._

O give thanks unto the LORD; for _he is_ good; because his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

Let Israel now say, that his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, _and set me_ in a large place.

The LORD _is_ on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see _my desire_ upon them that hate me.

_It is_ better to trust in the LORD, than to put confidence in man:

_It is_ better to trust in the LORD, than to put confidence in princes.

All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.

They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.

The LORD _is_ my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation _is_ in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go in to them, _and_ I will praise the Lord;

This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

I will praise thee; for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

The stone _which_ the builders refused is become the head _stone_ of the corner.

This is the LORD’S doing; it _is_ marvellous in our eyes.

This _is_ the day _which_ the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

Blessed _be_ he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

God _is_ the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, _even_ unto the horns of the altar.

Thou _art_ my God, and I will praise thee; _thou art_ my God, I will exalt thee.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for _he is_ good: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

This is also a Psalm of thanksgiving. This Psalm, “O give thanks unto the Lord,” which I so much love and admire, is the one which I, in particular, call the golden Psalm; and is the Psalm which has often revived and comforted me in my temptations.

The Psalmist gives thanks, and at the same time utters forth a prophecy concerning Christ, who by his suffering entered into glory; who is that stone rejected of the builders, which became the head of the corner; as Christ himself also saith, Matt. xxi. citing this Psalm. The Psalmist also describes with blessed feelings of heart the joyful day of the gospel, the day of salvation and peace, the day of joy and consolation, and the true and glorious feast-day.

Among other things the Psalmist speaks of the church and the children of God, who are to be conformed to the image of his Son; shewing, that they must be surrounded with afflictions on every side, and by the cross and through death enter into glory.

A brief summary, however, like this, cannot set forth the great and glorious contents of this Psalm: but my particular and more full Commentary on it will supply, in some measure, what is here wanting.

PSALM CXIX.

_This psalm containeth sundry prayers, praises, and professions of obedience._

א ALEPH.

Blessed _are_ the undefined in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Blessed _are_ they that keep his testimonies, _and that_ seek him with the whole heart.

They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Thou hast commanded _us_ to keep thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

ב BETH.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed _thereto_ according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed _art_ thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as _much as_ in all riches.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

ג GIMEL.

Deal bountifully with thy servant, _that_ I may live, and keep thy word.

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

I _am_ a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

My soul breaketh for the longing _that it hath_ unto thy judgments at all times.

Thou hast rebuked the proud _that are_ cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

Princes also did sit _and_ speak against me: _but_ thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

Thy testimonies also _are_ my delight _and_ my counsellors.

ד DALETH.

My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid _before me_.

I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.

I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

ה HE.

Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes: and I shall keep it _unto_ the end.

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with _my_ whole heart.

Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; _and_ quicken thou me in thy way.

Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who _is devoted_ to thy fear.

Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments _are_ good.

Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

ו VAU.

Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, _even_ thy salvation, according to thy word.

So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

ז ZAIN.

Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

This _is_ my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

The proud have had me greatly in derision: _yet_ have I not declined from thy law.

I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

ח CHETH.

_Thou art_ my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

I entreated thy favour with _my_ whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

The bands of the wicked have robbed me, _but_ I have not forgotten thy law.

At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.

I _am_ a companion of all _them_ that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

ט TETH.

Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.

Thou _art_ good, and doest good: teach me thy statutes.

The proud have forged a lie against me: _but_ I will keep thy precepts with _my_ whole heart.

Their heart is as fat as grease: _but_ I delight in thy law.

_It is_ good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

The law of thy mouth _is_ better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

י JOD.

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me: because I have hoped in thy word.

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments _are_ right, and _that_ thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law _is_ my delight.

Let the proud be ashamed: for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: _but_ I will meditate in thy precepts.

Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.

כ CAPH.

My soul fainteth for thy salvation; _but_ I hope in thy word.

Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; _yet_ do I not forget thy statutes.

How many _are_ the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

The proud have digged pits for me, which _are_ not after thy law.

All thy commandments _are_ faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

They had almost consumed me upon earth: but I forsook not thy precepts.

Quicken me after thy loving-kindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

ל LAMED.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy faithfulness _is_ unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all _are_ thy servants.

Unless thy law _had been_ my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

I _am_ thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: _but_ I will consider thy testimonies.

I have seen an end of all perfection: _but_ thy commandment _is_ exceeding broad.

מ MEM.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they _are_ ever with me.

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies _are_ my meditation.

I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

I have not departed from thy judgments; for thou hast taught me.

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! _yea, sweeter_ than honey to my mouth!

Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

נ NUN.

Thy word _is_ a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

I have sworn, and I will perform _it_, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

Accept, I beseech thee, the free-will offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

My soul _is_ continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.

The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever; for they _are_ the rejoicing of my heart.

I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, _even unto_ the end.

ס SAMECH.

I hate _vain_ thoughts: but thy law do I love.

Thou _art_ my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit _is_ falsehood.

Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth _like_ dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.

My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

ע AIN.

I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.

Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.

I _am_ thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

_It is_ time for _thee_, LORD, to work: _for_ they have made void thy law.

Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

Therefore I esteem all _thy_ precepts _concerning_ all _things to be_ right; _and_ I hate every false way.

פ PE.

Thy testimonies _are_ wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.

Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

צ TSADDI.

Righteous _art_ thou, O LORD, and upright _are_ thy judgments.

Thy testimonies _that_ thou hast commanded _are_ righteous and very faithful.

My zeal hath consumed me: because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

Thy word _is_ very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

I _am_ small and despised; _yet_ do not I forget thy precepts.

Thy righteousness _is_ an everlasting righteousness, and thy law _is_ the truth.

Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; _yet_ thy commandments _are_ my delights.

The righteousness of thy testimonies _is_ everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

ק KOPH.

I cried with _my_ whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.

I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.

I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.

Mine eyes prevent the _night_-watches, that I might meditate in thy word.

Hear my voice, according unto thy loving-kindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.

They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.

Thou _art_ near, O LORD; and all thy commandments _are_ truth.

Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

ר RESH.

Consider mine affliction, and deliver me; for I do not forget thy law.

Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

Salvation _is_ far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.

Great _are_ thy tender mercies, O LORD; quicken me according to thy judgments.

Many _are_ my persecutors and mine enemies; _yet_ do I not decline from thy testimonies.

I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy loving-kindness.

Thy word _is_ true _from_ the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments _endureth_ for ever.

ש SCHIN.

Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

I hate and abhor lying: _but_ thy law do I love.

Seven times a-day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments.

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.

My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.

I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways _are_ before thee.

ת TAU.

Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD; give me understanding according to thy word.

Let my supplication come before thee; deliver me according to thy word.

My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments _are_ righteousness.

Let thine hand help me: for I have chosen thy precepts.

I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law _is_ my delight.

Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

This Psalm is the most extended in the whole Psalter. It contains prayers, consolations, doctrines, thanksgivings, and repeats all these with a varied fulness. It is however given forth with a deep and blessed intent: namely, that by this repetition and fulness, it may invite and exhort us to hear and diligently to treasure up the word of God. For throughout the whole Psalm the Psalmist exalts unto the heavens, with the highest praises, the pure doctrine of God’s holy word. He sets it forth as to be preferred before all gold and precious stones, and before all the riches of the world; as Solomon also beautifully speaks of it in his Proverbs.

On the other hand, the Psalmist earnestly warns against all false doctrine and against all security and contempt of the word. For no pestilence is more destroying than false doctrine, or human doctrines without or contrary to the word of God. And knowing that Satan without cessation assaults the church of God with all kinds of heresies and false doctrine; the Psalmist takes up a great part of this Psalm in consolations.

The principal, and indeed whole foundation and truth of godliness lies in the pure teaching and hearing of the word of God. For where that word is purely taught and heard, there, to a certainty, will be begotten pure and prevailing prayer, calling upon God, diligence in reading, teaching, and exhortation, consolation for the weak that are afflicted and tried, strengthening of heart and spirit, joy, peace of conscience, thanksgivings, prophecyings, an abundant understanding of the scriptures; and, in a word, true religion, and the true worship of God; and also, confidence in God under the cross and afflictions, and perseverance unto the end; and, finally, all the blessed operations and gifts of the Holy Spirit, and all those things which please God and displease the Devil.

On the contrary, where the pure word is not taught, or where there is a weariness and loathing of the word, there the true religion becomes extinguished, and all true worship of God perishes. For where the true word of God is not taught, there is not any truth of God; there is found a great noise of external holiness, and the form of godliness, and hypocrisy;[1] there, indeed, is psalm-singing, prayer, doctrines, consolation, thanksgiving, and all the varieties of the worship of God, with all interpretations of the scriptures. I will add, also, that there you may find sufferings and martyrdoms. But all is outside show; all is the form of godliness only; all is false; all is feigned, and nothing but lies; all is full of the poison of the devil. Nor without true faith in the heart, nor without the divine word, nor without the worship of the First Commandment, is there, or can there be, any true and real worship of God.

[Footnote 1: Luther is here deeply opening up the extent to which the “form of godliness” may be carried, yet without the truth and “power” of it.]

How many thousands of priests and monks have sung this Psalm at their first, third, sixth, and ninth hours, in their temples.

But what did they do during all their singings? They did nothing else but call down God’s judgment and indignation on their own heads! For the design of this Psalm, in every word of it, is to glorify the word of God, and to confound, put to shame, destroy, and blot out all hypocrisy upon the face of the earth.

PSALM CXX.

_David prayeth against Doeg, reproveth his tongue, complaineth of his necessary conversation with the wicked._

A Song of degrees.

In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, _and_ from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, _that_ I dwell in the tents of Kedar!

My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

I _am for_ peace: but, when I speak, they _are_ for war.

This Psalm is an earnest prayer; and it complains, with deep feelings of sorrow, of those horrible evils which Satan causes in the church by a false and crafty tongue: that is, by that virulent and truly serpentine tongue which boasts of God and the worship of God, and never instructs any one in the truth, nor leads them to God.

For false teachers cause infinite and terrible evils in the church; and like giants with immense weapons in their hands, they never strike without inflicting some mighty wound: or, like fire-brands cast into a grove of juniper trees, they consume in all directions, with a sudden and devouring flame. And just so, the common people often burst out into one general flame, even by the throwing in among them of one single spark of false and wicked doctrine; and not only do they blaze forth with a sudden flame of their minds and spirits, but even greatly admire the error and the hypocrisy. For all doctrines of this kind, as being more congenial to human reason than the truth of God, quickly please men; as Paul saith, 2 Tim. iv. “They will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”

Mesech are the nations nigh unto Jerusalem itself, towards the north; where the Tartars now are. And Kedar are the Arabs, to the east of Jerusalem. These nations are types of all enemies and heretics who oppose themselves as adversaries to the true church. The Mesech of Christians, at this time are the Turks, who derive their origin from the Tartars. And the Kedar are Mahomet and the Saracens; for they are from Arabia. These with their Alcoran have oppressed and laid waste the Gospel in many places: and that fire of wicked doctrine, broke out into a mighty blaze, just like a brand cast into a thicket of juniper trees.

PSALM CXXI.

_The great safety of the godly, who put their trust in God’s protection._

A Song of degrees.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help _cometh_ from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD _is_ thy keeper; the LORD _is_ shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.

This is a Psalm of consolation, wherein the Psalmist, from his own experience, exhorts the godly to a constancy of faith, and to an expectation of help and defence from God. For although in the hour of temptation God puts off his help, and all things appear as if he were asleep, or had forgotten us altogether, and had left us to be scorched by the heat of the sun by day, and by the beams of the moon by night; that is, as though he had given us up to be afflicted and destroyed by all manner of temptations, by Satan, by the world, and by sin, day and night: yet it is not so;—he has not given us up, as we, according to the weakness of our flesh, imagine and feel. He sees and regards us, and watches over us; nor does he suffer us to be so burnt as to be destroyed, nor so tempted or distressed, as to be swallowed up of over-much sorrow: and this all blessedly experience, who call upon him for his help and patiently wait for it.

PSALM CXXII.

_David professeth his joy for the church, and prayeth for the peace thereof._

A Song of degrees of David.

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Peace be within thy walls, _and_ prosperity within thy palaces.

For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace _be_ within thee.

Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving, it contains the feelings of a glad, a rejoicing, and a thankful heart, for that unspeakable gift of God,—the ministry of his word. This Psalm in the person of the Jews, rejoices that God had appointed a certain place, namely Jerusalem, in the midst of that people, where the name and the word of God had a certain dwelling-place and could there be found: and where it was administered by certain persons, the Levites and the priests, to certain disciples; namely, to the tribes of Israel.

For what calamity or misery can be greater than to seek the word of God anxiously, and not be able to find it? This calamity and misery the children of Israel experienced in the times of God’s anger, when, being forsaken by him, and left to their own inventions, they sought and worshipped idols. And in these our times of monkery also, the masses and the travellings about to so many Marys have given abundant proofs of what it is to seek the word of God and not to find it.

Our Jerusalem, our certain place, is the church, and our temple is Christ. Wheresoever Christ is preached and the sacraments are duly administered, there we are sure God dwells; and there is our temple, our tabernacle, our cherubim, and our mercy-seat; for there God is present with us by his word.

PSALM CXXIII.

_The godly profess their confidence in God, and pray to be delivered from contempt._

A Song of degrees.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Behold, as the eyes of servants _look_ unto the hand of their masters, _and_ as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes _wait_ upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, _and_ with the contempt of the proud.

This Psalm is a fervent prayer against all those secure and proud despisers of the word of God and its true ministers. And the Gentile nations were not the only despisers who contemned the whole religion of the Israelites and the true worship of God, and condemned it as sedition altogether: but the idolaters and false teachers which were in the midst of that very people themselves proudly despised and derided the godly, that little flock of God, and the true prophets; as Psalms xii. and xiv. complain. And in the same way also our papists and fanatics now, who seem in their own eyes to be more holy than the gospel itself, more proudly and contemptuously than any others despise, trample underfoot, and spit upon all true and good ministers of the word of God. Not to say anything now about that security and pride wherein, at this day, even our bishops and priests themselves, who are more profane than all heathen nations put together, despise the true word of God. So that we, as the Psalmist saith in its conclusion, are indeed filled with the derision of the rich and the contempt of the proud. But may God, (and he will!) regard us, and glorify his word. Amen.

PSALM CXXIV.

_The church blesseth God for a miraculous deliverance._

A Song of degrees of David.

If _it had not been_ the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;

If _it had not been_ the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us;

Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

Blessed _be_ the LORD, who hath not given us _as_ a prey to their teeth.

Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

Our help _is_ in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The Psalmist, in this Psalm, gives thanks unto God for defending his little helpless flock, here in the midst of the kingdom of the devil, struggling against all temptations, against tyrants, and against bloodthirsting hypocrites; and for delivering them from the snares of virulent calumniators; the number of whom is so great, that compared with the little flock of God, they are like a sweeping torrent, or a mighty deluge, to one solitary rivulet.

Though, however, their teeth were of iron; that is, though their power were infinitely greater than it is, and though their snares (that is, their cunning devices,) were infinitely more crafty than they are; yet “Greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world;” he breaks and destroys their teeth, he defeateth their snares, and wonderfully delivers his people, as we have seen it in our own times, on many and great occasions.

PSALM CXXV.

_The safety of such as trust in God.—A prayer for the godly, and against the wicked._

A Song of degrees.

They that trust in the LORD _shall be_ as mount Zion, _which_ cannot be removed, _but_ abideth for ever.

_As_ the mountains _are_ round about Jerusalem, so the LORD _is_ round about his people from henceforth, even for ever.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

Do good, O LORD, unto _those that be_ good, and to _them that are_ upright in their hearts.

As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: _but_ peace _shall be_ upon Israel.

This also is a Psalm of thanksgiving containing the feelings of an exercised faith: thanking God, that, although he sometimes permits false prophets and fanatical spirits to prevail, as if they would possess all things (which thing God often does so permit to be, as a punishment for the ingratitude of his people, who value not the blessing of the word;) yet he visits such with the more terrible judgment, and suffers them not to prevail in all things against the righteous, lest the righteous, being entirely broken by too great afflictions and sorrows, should, through discouragement and despair, fall away from the word unto ungodliness and sin.

For the final end of all false teachers and blasphemers ever is,—confusion, terrible judgment, and destruction; “And their glory,” as the apostle saith, “is turned into shame.” But the end of the poor flock of God, even though the church be proved and tried by a thousand fires and deaths, though it appear a thousand times over to be oppressed, destroyed and extirpated is,—eternal life, eternal consolation, eternal glory! This is what the Psalmist means, when he says, “The Lord doth good to them that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts: but as for them that turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the evil doers, but peace shall be upon Israel.”

PSALM CXXVI.

_The church, celebrating her incredible return out of captivity, prayeth for, and prophesieth the good success thereof._

A Song of degrees.

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

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.

The LORD hath done great things for us; _whereof_ we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves _with him_.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from the Babylonish captivity; whether it was written after the captivity, or before it, as a prophecy to comfort the Jews with the certain hope of deliverance, and that they should not despair, is uncertain: but at what particular time it was written, it matters not.

This Psalm ends with a remarkable and glorious conclusion; which embraces, in a few words, the whole counsel and the immutable decree of God concerning his church; namely, that it behoved Christ first to suffer, and then to be raised up, and exalted of God and glorified. And so also Christians must first fill up a certain measure of afflictions before they enter into their joy; while, on the contrary, the men of the world fill up a certain measure of their joy before they are eternally punished and damned.

The church, therefore, is that poor little helpless flock, in the midst of a wicked nation. They are that little company who pray, cry, are tempted, and are afflicted by the world; who sow in tears, but reap in joy. “But,” says the Psalmist, “they went, and wept as they went, sowing precious seed; but they shall come again with joy, bringing their sheaves with them.”

These afflictions, and these deaths of the saints are very precious; hence it is that the Psalmist calls them “precious seed;” because they are followed by the most fruitful crops, and by the most abundant harvests. But we infants in grace, we poor little children, under our tears and our sighs, understand not the voice, or the mind, or the will of our heavenly Father in these afflictions: nor can we see or understand how precious this seed is in the sight of God; who calls even “death,” (which is the worst and lowest of all these seeds,) “precious;” saying, in another place, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints;” and God sets this precious seed thus sown by his children, before all the treasures of the world.

PSALM CXXVII.

_The virtue of God’s blessing.—Good children are his gift._

A song of degrees for Solomon.

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh _but_ in vain.

_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.

Lo, children _are_ an heritage of the LORD; _and_ the fruit of the womb _is his_ reward.

As arrows _are_ in the hand of a mighty man; so _are_ children of the youth.

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.

This Psalm contains a most blessed and important doctrine. It is of the same subject-matter as that contained in the book of Solomon, called Ecclesiastes. The Psalmist teaches, that all governments and commonwealths rightly constituted are the good and free gifts of God: and that none of them can be either rightly constituted, at the first, nor preserved afterwards, by any human wisdom or might: but that all these things are in the hand of God: that, where he giveth not peace, where he giveth not men desirous of the arts of peace, and wise therein, where he holdeth not the helm of the state,—that there, all human wisdom, however great, all laws, all ordinances, all might, all arms, all preparations are vain.

In the next place, the Psalmist saith, that where God blesseth not a domestic household, where he giveth not concord between husband and wife, success and happiness in the bringing up of children, diligence and faithfulness to men-servants and maid-servants; there, all labour and industry and toil are vain: concerning all which I have spoken more largely in my more full commentary on this psalm.

PSALM CXXVIII.

_The sundry blessings which follow them that fear God._

A Song of degrees.

Blessed _is_ every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy _shalt_ thou _be_, and _it shall be_ well with thee.

Thy wife _shall be_ as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive-plants round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, _and_ peace upon Israel.

This is a Psalm of consolation, wherein the Psalmist extols, with the highest praises, marriage, as a holy and godly kind of life, instituted of God himself. The Holy Spirit here comforts and encourages all husbands and wives with a divine consolation; and confirms and fortifies them against all those wrong cogitations and thoughts of human reason; which reason does not look at what good there is in marriage, but only beholds and exaggerates what of evil there may be in it; and thus blasphemes the glorious work of God in the two sexes. Hence, here arises all those blasphemous sayings among the heathen: ‘There are three great evils in life; fire, water, and woman.’ But Solomon saith, “He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing.”

This Psalm reminds husbands and wives that they should not look at the labours, the troubles, the cares, or the various temptations and trials which are to be endured in marriage; but that they should rather keep their eyes fixed on the word and will of God; from which they ought to hold themselves assured that marriage was not a human invention, nor a matter casually contrived of men; but that the whole human race were, from the beginning, created and formed of God, man and woman, and that neither of the sexes, nor their design can or ought to be altered or changed by men, by the devil, or any other creature, any more than the sun and moon and their offices can or ought to be altered or changed.

God, saith the scripture, created them male and female, and blessed them. Marriage, therefore, is that kind of life, which, as being the creation and institution of God, greatly pleases him. If, therefore, thou shalt obey God herein, and shalt keep the eyes of thy faith fixed on the good, and on the blessings of marriage; if thou shalt obey the commandment and the call of God in taking to thyself a wife, the sexes created of God will not be vile, but precious in thy sight: and all the little troubles and trials of marriage shall be drowned and lost in that divine blessedness,—the knowing that God favours husbands and wives, and is present with them; that the joining of marriage is one of his own works; and that he provides for, and defends those who are joined together.

To fortify thyself, therefore, against all that blasphemy of human reason and of the devil, by which they condemn marriage, hold thou fixed in thine heart that heavenly word, “And the Lord made them male and female, and said, Be fruitful and multiply.” And if thou fear the Lord thou shalt be happy, and it shall be _well with thee_ in marriage, even though the virulent and blaspheming mouth of the devil, and the whole world together with him, should say it shall be _evil with thee_!

PSALM CXXIX.

_An exhortation to praise God for saving Israel in their great afflictions.—The haters of the church are cursed._

A Song of degrees.

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

The LORD _is_ righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion:

Let them be as the grass _upon_ the house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaves, his bosom.

Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD _be_ upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving, wherein the people of Israel give thanks unto the God of Israel for his deliverances and consolations of every kind: seeing that from the beginning he had often mightily and marvellously delivered them from the hand of their enemies, as we have it recorded in the books of Judges and Kings; where we find that the Israelites were often oppressed by the cruel power and tyranny of their Gentile enemies, who afflicted them for a long time, and, as it were, ploughed upon their backs (as the Psalmist saith) and made long their furrows, and held them most cruelly under their yokes; until God sent them a Saviour, and delivered them both from the ploughers and the ploughs, and their yokes also.

At the conclusion, the Psalmist prays against them; or rather, prophesies that they shall perish, and shall be burnt up like grass upon the house-tops; as it also came to pass: for all the enemies and the nations that were adversaries unto Israel perished; but Israel remained, and was afterwards lifted up with new consolations.

In the same way also all the wicked and the enemies of God and of his word, are like grass upon the house-tops; which flourishes, indeed, like a thriving garden, as if it would remain; but before it is grown up, it withers, is burnt up, and becomes of no use whatever. So also the enemies of the word, and all erroneous teachers, when they are shining in pride and magnifying themselves in their boastings against God, wither on a sudden like the falling grass; while Christians and the church of God flourish for evermore.

PSALM CXXX.

_The Psalmist professeth his hope in prayer, and his patience in hope.—He exhorteth Israel to hope in God._

A Song of degrees.

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD: Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But _there is_ forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

I wait for the LORD; my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

My soul _waiteth_ for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: _I say, more than_ they that watch for the morning.

Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD _there is_ mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

This is a very blessed Psalm and a prayer unto God, proceeding from a spirit and feeling of heart truly Davidical: for this Psalm confesses that none is righteous before God on account of his own works and merits, but only through grace and by faith in the promise of God, freely giving the remission of sins and peace by Jesus Christ: on this promise of God the Psalmist relies; and with this word of promise he supports and comforts himself when struggling in the depths of sin and hell.

And he exhorts all Israel with a loud voice, to learn and to do the same. “For (says the Psalmist) with thee only is mercy, and with thee is plenteous redemption, that thou mayest be feared:” that is, that thou mayest be worshipped with the worship of the first and greatest commandment,—with the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. “And he (continues the Psalmist) shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities;” that is, neither Israel, nor any man, shall be delivered from sin, from the power of the devil, and from death, in any other way than by the grace and the free remission of sins: but he shall, without these, remain in the deep; that is, in the kingdom of sin, death, and the devil, and under the wrath of God.

Behold in how few words this Psalm expresses the most glorious things! The Psalmist is a truly great teacher of divine truths, and of the whole sum of godliness. He has a clear and thorough view of those glorious promises. “I will put enmity between thee and the serpent, and between thy seed and his seed: thou shalt bruise his head:” and, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” The Psalmist wraps up both these promises in that one verse, “And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

PSALM CXXXI.

_David professing his humility, exhorteth Israel to hope in God._

A Song of Degrees of David.

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.

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul _is_ even as a weaned child.

Let Israel hope in the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

This is also a blessed Psalm, containing, in a few brief words, the same most important doctrine which was taught also in the preceding Psalm,—that we are not to trust in our own righteousness or works: and it attacks all proud and arrogant hypocrites, who, by human strength, attempt works beyond all human powers, namely to pacify God; and understand not the power of grace nor the remission of sins; but endeavour to pacify God by their own works.

“My heart is not lifted up,” (saith the Psalmist); as if he had said, Those proud saints (as they imagine themselves) being ignorant of all trials and temptations, and spiritual things, trust greatly in their own works, and know not what sin is, nor what the anger and judgment of God are. But I, being broken down and humbled by these things, know what they are. For whenever I leave off to trust closely and wholly to the promise of grace; as often as I cease to suck the breast of mercy and promised pardon, my rest is gone, and I begin to weep and howl with distresses and straits of conscience; just as a little newly-weaned infant cries unceasingly, night and day, for the breast of its mother which it has lost.

The sum therefore of all true religion and godliness is this, “Let Israel hope in the Lord:” that is, there is no other salvation, there is no other consolation, there is no other sure peace of conscience for any mortal, than the apprehending and embracing the promise of grace. Take care, therefore, that thou neglect not this true mother’s breast for thy soul; take heed that thou lose it not out of thy mouth; for this breast alone is that which can relieve, refresh, and quiet thirsting and sinking consciences, in any of their agonies on account of sin. Christ alone is eternal life, peace, and consolation!

PSALM CXXXII.

_David in his prayer commendeth unto God the religious care he had for the ark.—His prayer at the removing of the ark, with a repetition of God’s promises._

A Song of Degrees.

LORD, remember David, _and_ all his afflictions;

How he sware unto the LORD, _and_ vowed unto the mighty _God_ of Jacob;

Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

I will not give sleep to mine eyes, _or_ slumber to mine eyelids,

Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty _God_ of Jacob.

Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the fields of the wood.

We will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool.

Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou and the ark of thy strength.

Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

The LORD hath sworn _in_ truth unto David, he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

For the LORD hath chosen Zion: he hath desired _it_ for his habitation.

This _is_ my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

I will also clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.

His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

This Psalm is a prayer, in which Solomon and the people of Israel beg of God to preserve the priesthood and the kingdom: that is, that he would maintain the true religion, the true worship of God, and a prosperous and happy state of the kingdom among that people. In a word, it is a prayer to God that he would be pleased to preserve the ministry of the word above all things; and then also the laws, the magistrates, and the public peace: for where these two things, the word and the laws, are rightly constituted and preserved, there all things go well with a kingdom.

In the eleventh verse, the Psalmist, turning his eye, as it were, to the promise, feels the fullest assurance that he is heard. For God had promised by oath that he would dwell in that place, namely, in Jerusalem or Zion; and would bless both the priesthood and the kingdom, if they would keep the commandments of their God, and obey him.

Why the Psalmist calls, in the sixth verse, this habitation of God, Jerusalem, “Ephratah,” and “the fields of the wood,” is explained in my more full commentary elsewhere, on these “Psalms of Degrees.”

PSALM CXXXIII.

_The benefit of the communion of saints._

A song of degrees.

Behold, how good and how pleasant _it is_ for brethren to dwell together in unity!

_It is_ like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard; _even_ Aaron’s beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, _and as the dew_ that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, _even_ life for evermore.

This Psalm contains an important doctrine, and an exhortation unto concord in the church, and also in the state; and especially an exhortation unto unity in the Spirit; concerning which Paul speaks, Phil. ii.; and also, it exhorts unto agreement in doctrine, and unto peace in general. Let the wise, the strong, and the holy, (the Psalmist would say,) bear with and support the simple, the weak-minded, and the infirm; which is indicated and implied by the two similitudes of “ointment” and “dew.”

The Psalmist alludes to the priesthood and the kingdom. For divine harmony and agreement in the priesthood, or in the doctrine of the truth, is a great and lovely gift of God, and diffuseth a fragrance like precious ointment; and this fragrance descendeth or runneth down; that is, unity in the doctrine of truth, runs down from the high priest Aaron, down his beard, and even unto the skirts of his clothing; that is, down to all other teachers of the truth.

And this “dew of Hermon” signifies literally that dew which revives the flower of Lebanon; and, spiritually, the concord of Lebanon; that is, of Jerusalem. For, as the natural dew fructifies Lebanon, and all the places near unto Lebanon, so concord in divine and spiritual things causes a kingdom to flourish and prosper.

Wherever, therefore, concord in a state and in its church flourishes, there God dwells with all his grace and blessing; but where there are dissensions, divisions, and discord, there is the dwelling of Satan.

PSALM CXXXIV.

_An exhortation to bless God._

A song of degrees.

Behold, bless ye the LORD, all _ye_ servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.

Lift up your hands _in_ the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.

The LORD, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.

This again is a very short and brief Psalm, but it contains a most blessed doctrine. It teaches and exhorts priests and Levites, to perform the duties of their office diligently, and to be constant and careful in the worship of God; that they be instant day and night in teaching and exhorting by the word; as Paul exhorteth Timothy to the continual preaching of the word; saying, “be instant in season and out of season.” As if he had said, Be thou ever at the duty of thy office; teach, exhort, rebuke; exercise both thyself and others unto godliness by a constant preaching of the word; and continue therein, even though some be turned unto fables, and others despise thee.

For where the pure word of God is not sought and learnt, there, most certainly, is no worship of God; there, of necessity, perishes all true religion; and there as surely perishes also, the good and prosperity of the nation; which is certainly either deserted of God, or involved in darkness, errors, and the power of the Devil. But where the word of God continues in truth, and the scriptures are rightly set forth, there God gives his blessing. And although Satan will there greatly oppose himself to, and will afflict both the church and the state; yet God, who made the heavens and the earth, and who is therefore greater than all creatures and the Devil also, preserves that state and that church; and, on account of their holding fast his name and his word, he saves them, even though they be ungrateful and unworthy of his salvation.

Let all ministers, and preachers, and bishops therefore, know, that this Psalm, beginning “Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord,” &c. pertains unto them; teaching them to know that the highest worship of God is the preaching of the word; because, thereby are praised and celebrated the name and the benefits of Christ.

PSALM CXXXV.

_An exhortation to praise God for his mercy, for his power, for his judgments. The vanity of idols. An exhortation to bless God._

Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise _him_, O ye servants of the LORD.

Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God,

Praise the LORD; for the LORD _is_ good: sing praises unto his name; for _it is_ pleasant.

For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, _and_ Israel for his peculiar treasure.

For I know that the LORD _is_ great, and _that_ our LORD _is_ above all gods.

Whatsoever the LORD pleased, _that_ did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain: he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

Who smote the first-born of Egypt, both of man and beast.

_Who_ sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.

Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings; Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:

And gave their land _for_ an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.

Thy name, O LORD, _endureth_ for ever; _and_ thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.

For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.

The idols of the heathen _are_ silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there _any_ breath in their mouths.

They that make them are like unto them: _so is_ every one that trusteth in them.

Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron:

Bless the LORD, O house of Levi; ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.

Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

This Psalm is a Psalm of thanksgiving; exhorting all priests and ministers of the word to preach and to praise God in his great and marvellous works, done in Egypt and in the land of Canaan, that the people might not forget God and his wonderful works, and be turned unto idols, and false kinds of worship; which very soon takes place through security or contempt; where the word of God is not taught diligently and with a great willingness and fervor of heart; as we have already seen in the preceding Psalm.

But where God judges a people; as the Psalmist sets it forth, verse 14; that is, when God by the mouth of his ministers, judges and condemns our sin; there he manifests his grace unto us; there is a ground of firm consolation for afflicted consciences; there God is found and known, (for he is found in no other places and doctrines than these!) there, to a certainty, he will be propitious and merciful to his servant. But, where the word of God is not; there God is silent; for where he doth not preach, he doth not judge; and there, to a certainty, is the wrath of God and blindness. “Therefore,” (as saith the Psalmist) “Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, all ye servants of the Lord:” that is, preach the word and explain it, with all diligence; and proclaim the works of the Lord.

PSALM CXXXVI.

_An exhortation to give thanks to God for particular mercies._

O give thanks unto the LORD; for _he is_ good: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

O give thanks to the LORD of lords: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him that made great lights: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him that smote Egypt in their first-born: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

And brought out Israel from amongst them: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

With a strong hand, and with a stretched-out arm: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him which divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

To him which smote great kings: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

And slew famous kings: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

_Even_ an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever:

And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy _endureth_ for ever.

This Psalm is a blessed and general thanksgiving for the infinite, unspeakable, and never-failing mercies of God, both with respect to the body and the soul. In this golden and glorious Psalm, the Psalmist’s design is to embrace and set forth a summary, as it were, to all priests and ministers of the word; as a pattern for the subject matter of all sermons, exhortations, and Psalms to be delivered to the people: that all false and wicked doctrine might be avoided, and also all false worship of God; and that God might be worshipped truly with that worship required by the first commandment of the Decalogue.

For this ought to be the sum and substance of all true worship,—“Let us praise the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever:” that is, praise, laud, and proclaim, without ceasing, the infinite largeness of his grace. Learn ye, from his word, that as he hath promised, so he is ever present with us, and continually bestows his blessings upon us; and that the riches of his goodness are boundless and inexhaustible.

To fortify our hearts, therefore, against the devil, (whose whole aim and employment is to destroy in our hearts faith in God, and the knowledge of his goodness and mercy, and to cast us under doubting and sorrow,) the Psalmist repeats this holy sentence at the end of every verse—“For his mercy endureth for ever:” by which words, so often repeated, the holy man wishes to impress and fix on our hearts the doctrine of grace and the worship of the first commandment: as if he had said, it is the infinite goodness of God, and not any human works or merits of your own, that has done all these wonderful things for you. It is the pure and unspeakable greatness of God’s goodness and grace, that pours forth all these things upon you, and therefore they are poured forth upon you freely and without any merit or deserving of yours, and even while you are wholly undeserving of such mercies.

In this repeated expression also the Psalmist refers, after the manner of the prophets, to the promise of Christ to come; for it was from no works of men, nor from any merit of theirs, that the promise of Christ was given unto Abraham, which said, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”

Learn, thou, therefore, to rehearse and impress upon thine own heart, and on the hearts of others also, this repeated conclusion of each verse; that it may be a bulwark for thee against the devil, who is ever maliciously jeering our temptations, and saying, that it is not the _mercy_ of God, but his _judgment_, that “endureth for ever.” Hypocrites and enthusiasts sing not, nor can sing, this blessed conclusion of the verses, “For his mercy endureth for ever.” They can only sing, ‘For our goodness endureth for ever.’ But do thou, Christian brother, hold fast this doctrine of a Davidical heart; the truly divine and heavenly doctrine of the remission of sins; a remission “enduring for ever,” and which sin can never destroy; which alone overcomes the devil and all errors, and which alone can give the conscience rest under all temptations, and the agonizing conflicts of death.

PSALM CXXXVII.

_The constancy of the Jews in captivity.—The prophet curseth Edom and Babel._

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us _required of us_ mirth, _saying_, Sing us _one_ of the songs of Zion.

How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget _her cunning_.

If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase _it_, rase _it, even_ to the foundation thereof.

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy _shall he be_, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

Happy _shall he be_, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

This Psalm is a prayer in the persons of the captives of Babylon; whether we understand it as having been written after the captivity, or before it in the way of prophecy. The captives here pray for the city of Jerusalem; that is, for the place of the word and the worship of God; for all these things had been destroyed by the Babylonians.

This Psalm shows us that the first concern of all that fear and know God should be the preservation of a place for the ministration of the word, and for the true religion and true worship of God. For, as here, when Jerusalem is destroyed, Babylon and Edom, and all other wicked nations rejoice, and triumph over the grief and the tears of the people of God, which adds great bitterness to their afflictions. But such enemies shall never enjoy their triumph unpunished of God. They themselves shall be laid waste in their appointed time, and shall be utterly overthrown and laid in ruins and in ashes; their flourishing youth shall be destroyed by the sword, their children shall be dashed against the stones, and neither age nor sex shall find mercy. But Israel and the people of God shall remain for evermore. In this manner fell Babylon, that queen of nations: and in the same manner also shall fall all the Babylonians and Edomites in our day, who rejoice, like their forefathers, in the afflictions and calamities of the true church of God.

PSALM CXXXVIII.

_David praiseth God for the truth of his word.—He prophesieth that the kings of the earth shall praise God.—He professeth his confidence in God._

A Psalm of David.

I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, _and_ strengthenedst me _with_ strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great _is_ the glory of the LORD.

Though the LORD _be_ high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The LORD will perfect _that which_ concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, _endureth_ for ever: forsake not the work of thine own hands.

This is a Psalm of general thanksgiving unto God for all his help against enemies: and it prays that the kingdom of Christ may come; and it prophesies also that even kings and nations shall hear the gospel, shall render thanks unto God for the same, and shall know and worship him in truth; and shall acknowledge the eternal kingdom of Christ, namely, his exaltation over all things, and over every name that is named; and that he succours, helps, and saves humble, tempted, and afflicted sinners.

In the conclusion of the Psalm, the Psalmist prays, “Forsake not the work of thine own hands;” that is, Raise up, establish, and preserve this promised kingdom of Christ, for the sake of which thou hast chosen this people.

PSALM CXXXIX.

_David praiseth God for his allseeing providence, and for his infinite mercies.—He defieth the wicked.—He prayeth for sincerity._

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known _me_.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted _with_ all my ways.

For _there is_ not a word in my tongue, _but_, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

_Such_ knowledge _is_ too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot _attain_ unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou _art_ there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou _art there_.

_If_ I take the wings of the morning, _and_ dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light above me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light _are_ both alike _to thee_.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully _and_ wonderfully made: marvellous _are_ thy works; and _that_ my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, _and_ curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all _my members_ were written, _which_ in continuance were fashioned, when _as yet there was_ none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

_If_ I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me, therefore, ye bloody men.

For they speak against thee wickedly, _and_ thine enemies take _thy name_ in vain.

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if _there be any_ wicked way, and lead me in the way everlasting.

This is a high and glorious Psalm of thanksgiving, wherein the Psalmist, with a marvellous fervour of spirit, touches on that all-high matter,—God’s predestination of all things; and proclaims that incomprehensibleness of the divine wisdom and goodness, whereby, in a wonderful manner, he himself and all men, with all their affairs, all their works and all their thoughts, both the greatest and the least, were predestinated of God from everlasting. This manifold wisdom of God is incomprehensible to flesh and blood!

“Thou, O Lord (saith the Psalmist) hast searched me out and known me; thou knowest me altogether; thou understandest my thoughts long before they are conceived by me. Wherever I move, whithersoever I go, thou surroundest me on every side; and being ever present with me, thou beholdest all my undertakings, and my works, and my ways, and all that I think of doing or undertaking. There is no speech, not even the least word, upon my tongue, but thou, O God, knowest it, before I utter it. Thine eyes beheld me, when yet imperfect in my mother’s womb; and thou didst wonderfully form and fashion me there.” And (ver. 6) the Psalmist exclaims, “Such knowledge is too high and wonderful; no mortal thought can attain unto it.”

Here, it is as if the Psalmist had said, it is not in the capacity or powers of any mortal to think or determine how he will lead his life, what he will undertake, what he will do, what he will speak, what he will think, where he will go, or to, or from, or in what place he will turn; but all our acts, motions, and thoughts, are nothing less than the works of God ever present with us, doing and ruling all things as he will. And hence (ver. 19.) he utters his indignation against the wicked; saying, “Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God.” Here he burns with zeal against hypocrites, who, being ignorant of all the works and words of God, and utterly blind and mad, ascribe all their doings to their own works and merits.

These mortals are perpetually putting forth and boasting of their own ability and works, and are ever relying on their own doings and merits, and ascribing unto themselves that glory which belongs to God alone; whereas they have not one of their words in their own power, as of, or from, themselves; but all their words and thoughts are in the hand of God.—This glory, I say, they arrogate to themselves, when they are all the while so far from the wisdom of God and his divine works, that they neither know themselves nor any one part of themselves; nor understand how they were formed or fashioned in the womb of their mother; nor what their own body is, nor what are its properties and organs; nor what their eyes are, nor what their brain is; nor what the origin and nature of that motion is, by which their body is moved; and, in a word, when they know not what the soul and this natural life are; nor whence arise all those various motions and affections of the mind within, nor how they are uttered outwards by the tongue.

When, therefore, this whole that we are, and this all that we do, are not our own wisdom or doing, but God’s; and since we cannot comprehend these earthly things; since, I say, we neither can know nor do any one of these earthly and corporal things, as of ourselves; how awful a sin is that enormous arrogance, whereby we profess that we have so much power in ourselves and in our free-will, that we can understand God, and do his divine and spiritual works, and deliver ourselves from sin, and death, and hell.

Wherefore (ver. 20.) the Psalmist utters his holy indignation against such hypocrites and teachers of human works and doings; saying, “Thine enemies speak blasphemously against thee, O Lord, and they are proud and lifted up against thee without cause. Guard thou me, and prove and try me, that I may continue in the right way; the way that is true and eternal;” that is, in the way of the knowledge of the word of thy grace.

PSALM CXL.

_David prayeth to be delivered from Saul and Doeg.—He prayeth against them.—He comforteth himself by confidence in God._

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;

Which imagine mischiefs in _their_ heart: continually are they gathered together _for_ war.

They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison _is_ under their lips. Selah.

Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man, who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords: they have spread a net by the way-side: they have set gins for me. Selah.

I said unto the LORD, Thou _art_ my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

O GOD the LORD, the strength of my salvation; thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, _lest_ they exalt themselves. Selah.

_As for_ the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow _him_.

I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, _and_ the right of the poor.

Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

This Psalm is an ardent prayer against those hypocrites, who not only cause many offences, and lay many nets and snares for them that go on the right way, but proceed with terrible threats and unceasing cruelty against all who will not approve and follow their errors and wicked ways.

The Psalmist therefore here prays that God would be pleased to disappoint their counsels and purposes, and all the wicked plots which they form, and devise, and to turn them on themselves and on their own heads; that all these enemies of the people of God may perish with that horrible judgment with which Pharaoh perished in the Red Sea, who, being at the same time struck with lightning from heaven, and overwhelmed with the waves of the sea, was utterly destroyed.

This Psalm affords an abundant consolation to the godly; as the Psalmist saith in its conclusion, “The wicked shall fall into their own nets, whilst that I at all times escape.”

PSALM CXLI.

_David prayeth that his suit may be acceptable, his conscience sincere, and his life safe from snares._

A Psalm of David.

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee _as_ incense; _and_ the lifting up of my hands _as_ the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Incline not my heart to _any_ evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let the righteous smite me; _it shall be_ a kindness: and let him reprove me; _it shall be_ an excellent oil, _which_ shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also _shall be_ in their calamities.

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth _wood_ upon the earth.

But mine eyes _are_ unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

Keep me from the snares _which_ they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

This Psalm also is a fervent prayer, wherein the Psalmist prays to be delivered from wicked teachers, who pretend to speak of peace, and craftily use soft and flattering words, after they have found that they can prevail nothing by terrors and threats. “Let the righteous,” saith he, “smite me:” that is, I had rather that true and faithful teachers should rebuke and condemn me, and reprove my ways, than that hypocrites should flatter me and applaud me as a saint.

And farther, (saith the Psalmist) although I suffer affliction for the sake of that true and sound doctrine to which I cleave, and though, by afflictions returning again and again, my bones be broken in pieces and scattered like clods of earth before the penetrating and dividing plough; yet I had rather be reproved and smitten by godly and true teachers, and so acknowledge my sin, and rest upon the promise of God, than hear all the flattering words of those hypocrites who deceive themselves and others; and who pretend to have peace with God, when there is no such peace unto them. For all such teachers and their hypocrisies shall be hurled, as it were, from a mighty precipice, and they shall suddenly be dashed to pieces and shall perish together; their glory shall be hurried into confusion, and their end shall be utter destruction; and then it shall appear how bitter their pleasing doctrine is.

PSALM CXLII.

_David sheweth that in his trouble all his comfort was in prayer unto God._

Maschil of David; a Prayer when he was in the cave.

I cried unto the LORD with my voice: with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

I poured out my complaint before him: I shewed before him my trouble.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path; in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

I looked on _my_ right hand, and beheld, but _there was_ no man that would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou _art_ my refuge, _and_ my portion in the land of the living.

Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors: for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shall deal bountifully with me.

This Psalm is a prayer; wherein the Psalmist, being now surrounded with peril on every side, cries unto God out of prison, as it were, by reason of the great cruelty and malice of false teachers, who persecuted him on account of the word.

As the people of Israel were a stiff-necked people, their Cainish malice and bitterness had so hardened them, that they stoned, rejected, and killed the true prophets, on account of their preaching of the word, and maintaining the true worship of God; and had given themselves up to hypocrisy and idolatry; and all this, their histories of them testify; as does Christ also, (Matt. xxiii.) and Stephen. (Acts vii.)

Hence, as these things were fully known, so we find most of the Psalms grievously complaining of the cruel malice of false prophets and hypocrites. And just in the same way, from the very beginning, hypocrites and false teachers have afflicted the true church of God; and the true saints in all ages found it necessary to cry unto God continually, against all such hypocrites and Cainish pretenders to saintship. All this is abundantly testified by the histories of the times of Elijah and king Ahab and Jezebel; when all the true prophets of the Lord were compelled to flee and to hide themselves, to escape the furious cruelty of these adversaries; all which histories might have been adduced as examples in this Psalm. And the recent times of the Arian heresy afford also a plain example of the same persecution and malice, when all the catholic bishops were compelled to flee; for Satan neither can nor will endure the pure word of God!

PSALM CXLIII.

_David prayeth for favour in judgment.—He complaineth of his griefs.—He strengtheneth his faith by meditation and prayer.—He prayeth for grace, for deliverance, for sanctification, for destruction of his enemies._

A Psalm of David.

Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, _and_ in thy righteousness.

And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground: he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that hath been long dead.

Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me: my heart within me is desolate.

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works: I muse on the work of thy hands.

I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul _thirsteth_ after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

Hear me speedily, O LORD; my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

Teach me to do thy will; for thou _art_ my God: thy Spirit _is_ good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I _am_ thy servant.

This is a prayer, expressing the deep feelings of an afflicted and agonizing conscience. The Psalmist, being in the midst of the sense and peril of sin, and terrified at the judgment of God, begs of God not to enter into judgment with him, and firmly cleaves to the promise of mercy, and of the remission of sins. He complains, on the other hand, of hypocrites and teachers of the law and of works; by means of whom, as his instruments, the devil terribly harasses the godly, and loads them with various trials and straits of mind and conscience, and endeavours to draw them away from the certainty of the divine promise unto doubt; in which state, consciences are horribly shaken with fear and darkness, and the dread of the wrath of an unappeased God.

“The enemy,” saith David, “hath persecuted my soul; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead; therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me.” Here David refers to those straits into which consciences are cast by those who lay upon them burdens too heavy to be borne, (as Christ saith concerning the Pharisees, Matt. xxiii.) And yet will not so much as touch them with one of their fingers. And hence this Psalm blessedly shows that there is no sure or solid consolation for consciences, save for those who depend on the promise of the free remission of sins, and on the word of God’s grace: “Enter not,” saith David, “into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.”

That afflicted hearts and consciences can find rest in no other way than this, all the scriptural histories bear witness. All the holy patriarchs, from the beginning of the world, were justified before God by the free, unmerited imputation of righteousness, and not by their own works; as Peter also testifies (Acts xv.) concerning the law, “Why tempt ye God; to lay upon us a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. But we believe that by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, as they.”

“I remember,” says David again, “the days of old, I meditate on the works of thy hands;” as if he had added, ‘By these, thy works from the beginning, I comfort and support myself in all my temptations: for all the great saints from the beginning were saved, not by any merit of their own righteousness, but by grace alone: they were delivered from sin and from the wrath of God, by faith in Christ the promised seed: as Abraham also was, by the same grace of God in Christ, called out of idolatry.’ Joshua xxiv. 2, 3.

Therefore God leaves here no ground for any mortal’s boasting in his own works and merits: and yet, by this doctrine of works Satan hath never ceased to distress and torment consciences, contrary to the manifest words and works of God.

PSALM CXLIV.

_David blesseth God for his mercy both to him and to man.—He prayeth that God would powerfully deliver him from his enemies.—He promiseth to praise God.—He prayeth for the happy state of the kingdom._

A Psalm of David.

Blessed _be_ the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, _and_ my fingers to fight:

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and _he_ in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

LORD, what _is_ man, that thou takest knowledge of him! _or_ the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

Man is like to vanity: his days _are_ as a shadow that passeth away.

Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows and destroy them.

Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand _is_ a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltry _and_ an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

_It is he_ that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand _is_ a right hand of falsehood:

That our sons _may be_ as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters _may be_ as cornerstones, polished _after_ the similitude of a palace:

_That_ our garners _may be_ full, affording all manner of store: _that_ our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:

_That_ our oxen _may be_ strong to labour; _that there be_ no breaking in, nor going out; that _there be_ no complaining in our streets.

Happy _is that_ people that is in such a case: _yea_, happy _is that_ people whose God _is_ the LORD.

This is a blessed Psalm of thanksgiving for kings, princes, and all magistrates. David here, as a king and a magistrate himself, who had to govern the state and carry on wars, confesses that all prosperous and happy government, all success at home and abroad, all the arts of peace, and all victory in war, are the good gifts of God; and that a man can no more effect these things by human wisdom or strength, or by any ability of his own, than he can hold the millions of minds of nations bound unto himself, and make their multitudes obey him alone: for what could any mortal man do towards preserving whole kingdoms, and cities, and provinces in quiet from sedition and commotions amid all the infinite malice of the devil and the world? Every mortal man would fail, like a vanishing shadow, before the thought of such an undertaking.

But the God of all majesty, as Isaiah saith, is the Lord of all the kingdoms and kings of the earth. He, as Daniel saith, removes and establishes kingdoms. That monarch of heaven and earth also taketh down one king and sitteth up another. And he it is, who, in the time of peace, curbs the wills and holds the minds of the multitude, and stills all civil commotions like the waves of the sea, against all the raised winds of the devil. And it is the same God also, who, in the time of war, terrifieth the enemies of a nation, and maketh their hearts to tremble, when he thunders in the heavens, when he touches the mountains and great hills of nations and of peoples: he is terrible; and who can stand before him? When he strikes the hearts of the enemy with fear, it is easy for us to conquer. But what human wisdom or power can strike this terror, or do or ordain such mighty things?

David then prays against the deeds of his own people, and rebukes their ungodliness. The Israelites, because they had that especial honour and glory of being the people of God, were above all people of a stiff-neck; proud, seditious, avaricious, envious, unbelieving, and disobedient; and all these things they manifested in their conduct to Moses, to David himself, and to other godly kings. And although they saw David, in the same manner as Moses before him, with the manifest presence of God, and with great and divine miracles, governing the state, and conducting wars successfully, in the midst of the assaults of enemies on every side; yet falling into pride and security, from a confidence in their high title, as the people of God; they showed themselves to be no better than those of their forefathers, of whom Moses saith, “Ye have always been a rebellious and stiff-necked people before the Lord, from the day that I first knew you.” For the people of David were carnally affected and ungodly; and were as if they had said, ‘Command, and command again, if thou wilt; expect, and expect still; and why dost thou preach unto us faith, whereas we all the while continue in affliction? Those whom God favors, and to whom he shows mercy, he blesses: to them he gives wives, children, riches, houses, lands, and all things, and happiness in all things; and happy are the people that are in such a case.’ Nor were false prophets wanting, to dwell upon temporal promises in their preaching, and to withstand the true prophets; denying that those were the favorites of God who were not blessed with temporal prosperities; and saying that all the saints of God were so blessed.

Against these, therefore, David now most fervently prays, and encourages himself in heart and in faith by his past experiences of God’s mercies and deliverances. “If, (saith David,) thou hast aforetime delivered me from the sword of Goliath, and hast given me the victory, as thou hast done also unto other kings; so now defend me from this ungodly, hardened, and unbelieving people; who neither regard God nor his civil ministers; who care not with what evils a good king is surrounded in his government, nor what perils of war prevail, nor what blessings of peace are enjoyed; but are an ignorant and unfeeling herd; the very dregs and sink of men: yea, very swine, who regard nothing but their belly; whom it is more difficult to rule, than to conduct the most fierce and perilous wars.” Exactly like unto these are some of our nobles and citizens and countrymen now; who, for the sake of their belly, trample and spit upon all true religion and good learning; and indeed on all things human and divine.

David here attacks these ungodly ones with a most severe rebuke; calling them “strange children;” hereby cutting up that glorying of theirs, wherein they boasted of being the children of Abraham, and the peculiar people of God: and yet were all the while worse than any heathen nation, and were false children and strangers; for they honoured God with their mouth and with their lips, while their heart was far from him.

PSALM CXLV.

_David praiseth God for his fame, for his goodness, for his kingdom, for his providence, for his saving mercy._

David’s Psalm of praise.

I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Great _is_ the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness _is_ unsearchable.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

And _men_ shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

The LORD _is_ gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The LORD _is_ good to all and his tender mercies _are_ over all his works.

All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

Thy kingdom _is_ an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion _endureth_ throughout all generations.

The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all _those that be_ bowed down.

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

The LORD _is_ righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

The LORD _is_ nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

This is a very blessed Psalm of thanksgiving for the kingdom and dominion of Christ, which God was about to raise up among the people of Israel: for it was on account of Christ, that this whole people was from the beginning chosen out of all other nations; and on account of Christ also that the law was given unto them, and the whole Mosaic worship established.

This Psalm also most especially urges forward that highest and most excellent of all works, the peculiar and most glorious worship of God, which the first table of the decalogue demands; that is, the sacrifice of praise. The Psalmist in the most exalted expressions proclaims the power of God, and his infinite mercy; which is above all his works.

The whole Psalm presents to us a wonderful display of the eloquence of the Holy Spirit; setting forth, by a great depth of feeling, and by a luxuriant abundance of words and expressions, the glorious height of the worship of God embraced in these words of the first commandment of the decalogue, “I AM THE LORD THY GOD!” And the Psalm prays that men may acknowledge the kingdom of Christ, “That thy power,” says David, “may be known unto men, and the glorious majesty of thy kingdom:” that is, that it may be known by the gospel, that there is no other deliverance from the power of the devil, and from sin and eternal death, than by faith in the word of thy mercy and grace, given unto us in Jesus Christ.

The power and kingdom of Christ lies hidden under the outward appearance of the cross and of weakness; and the word of the gospel is a contemptible doctrine with the wise and powerful of the world; for “the gospel,” as Paul saith, “is the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery.” And again, saith he, “Christ crucified, is, unto the Jews, a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” But when this kingdom is, by the preaching of the word, and by the teaching and the confession of the saints, made known before the world, it is proved to be the kingdom of God and the power of God.

That which the Psalmist saith, (verse 14) pertains especially unto the kingdom of Christ, which is a kingdom that “upholdeth all that fall, and lifteth up all them that are down;” for Christ is the king of the afflicted, of the poor, of the fallen; and the king who justifies sinners and raises the dead: by whom God is reconciled unto us, and hears us as a father; fulfilling the desire of them that fear him, and feeding and clothing us whom the world hateth, and guarding and defending us against the gates of hell.

From a worshipping admiration therefore, of the largeness of the grace of God, the Psalmist breaks out into this fervent wish and prayer, “and let all flesh bless his holy name;” as if he had said, the blessings and riches of the kingdom of Christ are immense and unsearchable; as Paul also saith, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”

PSALM CXLVI.

_The Psalmist voweth perpetual praises to God.—He exhorteth not to trust in man.—God, for his power, justice, mercy, and kingdom, is only worthy to be trusted._

Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Put not your trust in princes, _nor_ in the son of man, in whom _there is_ no help.

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Happy _is he_ that _hath_ the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope _is_ in the LORD his God:

Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein _is_; which keepeth truth for ever:

Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

The LORD openeth _the eyes of_ the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

The LORD shall reign for ever, _even_ thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving; and it contains a blessed doctrine; namely, that we ought to trust in God, who alone can defend; and who does defend faithfully all those that trust in him, and all those whom the world hates and casts out. And the Psalm shows, that we ought not to trust in any man, not even in kings or princes, nor in the mighty, nor in the rich, as the world do. For (as the Psalmist saith) “it is God alone that can mightily and gloriously deliver out of affliction,” and all trust in man is deceitful and vain; for (to say nothing about the vanity of such trust in all other particulars) no man knoweth any thing certain respecting his own life!

PSALM CXLVII.

_The Prophet exhorteth to praise God for his care of the church, his power, and his mercy:—to praise him for his providence:—to praise him for his blessings upon the kingdom, for his power over the meteors, and for his ordinances in the church._

Praise ye the LORD: for _it is_ good to sing praises unto our God; for _it is_ pleasant, _and_ praise is comely.

The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by _their_ names.

Great _is_ our LORD, and of great power: his understanding _is_ infinite.

The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving: sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

He giveth to the beast his food, _and_ to the young ravens which cry.

He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

He maketh peace _in_ thy borders, _and_ filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

He sendeth forth his commandment _upon_ earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, _and_ the waters flow.

He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

He hath not dealt so with any nation: and _as for his_ judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a very blessed Psalm of thanksgiving for the various unequalled and infinite mercies and gifts of God.

In the first place, it thanks him for that especial mercy—his regarding in, and miraculously delivering out of, afflictions, the nations of Israel, his peculiar people, and the city of Jerusalem, though placed in the midst of Gentile enemies.

In the next place, it blesses God for that great and unspeakable mercy, his giving throughout all the earth, to the godly and to the ungodly, to the grateful and to the ungrateful, all necessary food and gladness of heart, as Paul saith, Acts xiv. 17. “Filling the hearts of men with food and gladness.”

And more especially the Psalmist renders thanks unto God for his refreshing, reviving, and comforting with his consolations, the hearts of the godly when distressed and weakened by the devil, and burnt up, as it were, by the greatness of the temptations; and for helping them in all times of their temptation, affliction, and labour.

Again, it thanks him for giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, both unto the evil and unto the good; and for giving food unto men and unto all the beasts of the earth; even so, that he suffereth not even the ravens to hunger.

And above all, the Psalmist gives thanks unto God, because he hears and regards the godly, who call upon him; and that, especially in Jerusalem; which is the place of his name and of his word; and because he giveth Jerusalem, his city, civil peace, and a happy state of government.

Further, the Psalmist praises God for health of body and his blessing therein, and for the good bringing up of children, and domestic order and prosperity. And also for defence against all outward enemies, and for the preservation of the boundaries of their land, and for national peace and happiness. And, finally, he blesses God for the richness and fertility of the land of Judah, and for the abundance of its fruits.

The chosen people of God, and the elect places of his Zion have the privilege, above all other nations, of being blessed with the word and the worship of God. Wherefore they, above all others, show forth the works of God and his wonders among the people. And all the creatures of God, and his daily wonders, and blessings of rain, snow, dew, frost, &c. are more clearly known where his word and worship are, than among idolatrous nations, who have neither the prophets, nor the Spirit, nor the word, nor see his works, though they daily enjoy his creatures and all his heavenly gifts and mercies; on all which abundant gifts and mercies they feed like swine; for as they are ignorant of the word, they are altogether ignorant of God.

PSALM CXLVIII.

_The Psalmist exhorteth the celestial, the terrestrial, and the rational creatures to praise God._

Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that _be_ above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

Fire and hail; snow and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

Both young men and maidens; old men and children:

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory _is_ above the earth and heaven.

He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; _even_ of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a Psalm of thanksgiving; wherein the Psalmist calls upon, and exhorts all creatures, both in heaven and in earth, to praise God; calling more especially on his saints, the children of Israel, among whom is the word and the worship of God.

In this Psalm you may remark this blessed doctrine, that all orders of men, all kinds of life, which are created of God, are good,—that is, kings, magistrates, judges, young men, old men, &c. For if to hold the office of a magistrate and to hear and judge causes were of itself wicked, then such magistrates could not call upon and praise God, nor would the Holy Spirit exhort them in this Psalm to that praise of God. And where there are magistrates and laws, kings and princes, there also there are subjects, town-sergeants and constables. And there also there must be artificers in the cities, and men-servants and maid-servants, and countrymen, and soldiers, &c. And, again, where there are young men and old men, there are also wives and children, and so whole families and households.

All these things are good and holy gifts of God, and by no means to be condemned or refused, as the pope blasphemously saith they are. All these things, moreover, show that their all-high and Almighty Creator is good; and that all these his good creatures ought to speak his praise, to sound it forth with thousands of tongues, and to celebrate this infinite goodness and the countless and unspeakable mercies of God!

If, therefore, thou desirest, contrary to the blasphemous doctrine of the pope, and all like him, to know how supremely good all the creatures of God are, from the least of them even to the greatest of them; then, suppose to thyself that one of these creatures, out of the universal whole, were deficient or wanting, for one short moment; suppose there were no fire or no sun for a moment’s space even; suppose there were no women, no infantine offspring;—suppose, I say, any deficiency of this kind: by this thought thou wilt immediately feel that no one can sufficiently praise God, even for one of his creatures? And how many creatures has he formed! What worlds of goodness has he created!

PSALM CXLIX.

_The prophet exhorteth to praise God for his love to the church, and for that power which he hath given to the church._

Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, _and_ his praise in the congregation of saints.

Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

_Let_ the high _praises_ of God _be_ in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

To execute vengeance upon the heathen, _and_ punishments upon the people;

To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

This Psalm is also a Psalm of thanksgiving for that infinite goodness of God, his being merciful to his people; and for assuring them, by his word, and by his promises of his good will towards them; and that he will hear them, regard them, and have mercy upon them. To which immense goodness of God, no thanks of his people can be equal. And that treasure of mercy, which is greater than the whole world unto afflicted consciences,—that God freely promises to his people his blessing, in the seed of Abraham, and the remission of sins; and does not regard their unworthiness in the gift;—that treasure of mercy, I say, is greater than the mind of man is capable of conceiving.

This Psalm, therefore, (if we may so speak) is properly a Psalm of the New Testament. Hence the Psalmist saith, “Sing unto the Lord a new song:” showing that all praise is to be sung unto the king of Israel and of Zion; whom all ought to laud with rejoicing, “upon their beds:” that is, in the churches and temples where they meet for worship; as the prophet Isaiah also mentions their temples, their altars, their beds, and their couches, where Israel committed fornication; that is, worshipped their idols.

And that also pertains to the New Testament where the Psalmist saith, “And a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the heathen, and to bind their kings with chains.” This is not to be understood simply of the Jews or of the Mahometans, with respect to any earthly tyranny; but this is the vengeance promised in the scriptures; which the seed of Abraham, that is, the Israelites and the apostles, should execute by the sword of the Spirit, by which they should destroy idolatry in so many nations, and should put to shame the wisdom of the whole world, as the apostle Paul saith. 2 Cor. x.

PSALM CL.

_An exhortation to praise God with all kinds of instruments._

Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

This is a Psalm of praise, written for the people of Israel, (to praise God in his holiness, or in his sanctuary): that is, to praise him for that infinite and unequalled mercy, of erecting his sanctuary, his tabernacle, his ark, his mercy-seat among the Israelites; and thereby making Jerusalem the place of his dwelling. For God dwelt in that place, the city of Jerusalem, as in the heaven of his habitation. Hence other prophets call that people “the heavens,” and the place of the habitation, of the name, and of the word of God. Because the presence, the power, and the majesty of God are there, where he manifests himself forth by his acts and his wonderful works.

The Psalmist then mentions many musical instruments, which were used by the people of Israel in their worship, according to the appointed ceremonies of the Levitical worship and priesthood. But among Christians and the people of the New Testament, the trumpet, psaltery, the harp, the timbrels, are the gospel itself in the ministration of the word.

CONCLUDING ADMONITION.

I would, in conclusion, have all godly souls (whom Satan, without ceasing, harasses with temptations,) to bear in mind that all the laudatory Psalms, or Psalms of thanksgiving, are also promises of God, designed to lift up, to sustain, and to refresh afflicted consciences, and to furnish them with arguments against the devil; assuring them that God is the God of peace, of life, of consolation, and not the God of misery, cruelty, and damnation. For when David and other saints thus joyfully, and with all possible abundance of expression, praise God, they thereby show forth unto all the afflicted, that God never forsakes his own in their temptations, but pities all such; and that he gives them breathing-times in their conflicts, succours them in their distresses, beholds their contrite hearts, gives them in due time an end of their afflictions, delivers them from all evils, and oft-times most sweetly and marvellously comforts them.

Wherefore, every thanksgiving in the Psalms, is at the same time, a promise of grace, and a sweet doctrine to the tempted and the afflicted: because thereby is shown, by the example of David and of others, that God regardeth the afflicted, heareth all that call upon him, and giveth peace unto them in all the various afflictions under which they labour.

Learn thou well then how to gather, throughout the book of Psalms, the blessed argument against the devil, contained in the words, “PRAISE YE THE LORD!” It was this that comforted David himself while praising God: for they are not the dead that praise the Lord, nor they that are swallowed up of sorrow, nor they that go down into hell!

As therefore God ceaseth not, during this short and momentous life, to try and prove his church, by causing her to undergo these many and great offences, temptations, and afflictions, and these most bitter hatreds of Satan and of the word; so he will, as surely, most marvellously and excellently comfort her from heaven, and deliver her, and save her!

All, therefore, that believe, how many soever they be, and how many or great soever their afflictions, are ever lifted up by the consolations of God. And hence God will comfort us also, and all saints; and he will open our mouths to praise him; that Satan may be confounded in all his devices and in all his works, and that Jesus Christ, the Lord our God, may be glorified! who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, One God, blessed for evermore. Amen.

THE PRINTER

TO THE GODLY READER, GREETING.

Behold, we here present unto thee, good Reader, the summary Commentary of Doctor Martin Luther, collected from his mouth by those that heard him, with all possible care and diligence. We could scarcely obtain leave from the holy author to edit this commentary in his name: because he felt that many things were wanting in this extemporaneous explication, which a diligent writing down might have rendered more perfect and more clear. But as he was satisfied that the sense and substance of each Psalm were every where faithfully given, and that a very important part of the true religion was here copiously handled; he was, under these assurances, the more willing to overlook any thing that might be wanting in the way of greater correctness, and loftier language and expression.

We hope, therefore, that this our labour will not be unacceptable to the lovers of the Holy Scriptures and divine things. For they will here see how blessedly this great man opened and taught the word of God, and what his only aim and object were therein. And they will also be the better enabled to judge of the writings of others. For while others devote all their labours, pains, and aims, to thrust their books upon the world; they never, in those books, touch in the least upon those things which form the substance of the true religion! Reader, farewell! May thy soul be blessed by our labour!

PRINTED BY L. AND G. SEELEY, THAMES DITTON, SURREY.