Annotations upon the five books immediately following the historicall part of the Old Testament (commonly called the five doctrinall or poeticall books) to wit, the book of Iob, the Psalms, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon ... / by Arthur Jackson ...

PSALM LXXIV.

The Title. MAschil of Asaph.] See the Notes on the Titles of the 32. and 50. Psalms. Because it is clear that this Psalm sets forth the sad condition Gods people were in, either when Jerusalem was ta∣ken and the Temple was burnt by the Chaldeans, (which the mention that is here made vers. 6, 7. of destroying and burning the Temple seems to imply) or when the Temple was at least defaced and pillaged and profaned by Antiochus, 1 Mac. 1.21, &c. (which to many seems most probable, because then they had no pro∣phet amongst them, as is said here vers. 9. whereas at the Babylonian captivity they had divers prophets;) either we must say, that it was composed by some of the posterity of Asaph, or by some other holy man of God that lived in those times, and that it was committed to them who were singers in the Temple, or that, if it were made by David, or Asaph himself, it was written as a prophe∣sie of the great miseries that were in future times to come upon the people of God.

Vers. 1. Why doth thine anger smoak, &c.] See the Note Deut. 29.20: against the sheep of thy pasture; that is, thine own people, for whom thou hast undertaken to provide as a shepheard for his flock, and hast accordingly disposed of them in a rich and fruitfull soil, the land of Canaan.

Vers. 2. Remember thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old, &c.] To wit, ever since thou madest a Covenant with Abraham and his seed; or, ever since thou didst deliver them from their bondage in Egypt, when they were first re∣duced by thee into the form of a common-wealth, and had laws and a form of government prescribed them, whereby they were to live under thy obedience as thine own peculiar people: the rod of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed; that is, thy people who are thy peculiar portion, or the land which thou hast given thy people, for their portion; for in that expression, the rod of thine inheritance, he alludes to the custome of measuring out portions of land by a pole or rod, as elsewhere to measuring by a line or cord, see the Note Deut. 32.9, and Psal. 16.6. Yet if we read it (as it is in the margin of our Bibles) the tribe of thine inheritance, then I conceive that thereby is meant the tribe of Judah, amongst whom God chose to dwell in a speciall manner; which appears more plainly by the following words, this mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt; wherein also the people of God expresse this to be their greatest grief, that the worship of God should be sup∣pressed by their enemies.

Vers. 3. Lift up thy feet unto the perpetuall desolations, &c.] That is, Come in speedily, and with chearfulnesse and courage, to see and revenge the desolati∣ons

which the enemy hath made, and which are like to be perpetuall, unlesse thou, Lord, art pleased to interpose thy self; or, come in to trample and tread down the enemy, that hath made such desolations amongst us. It is in effect the same with that Psal. 68.1. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, &c. Even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the Sanctuary; that is, the Temple: yet some extend this also to their synagogues. What the Chaldeans did in this regard, see in 2 Kings 25.9, &c. and what Antiochus Epiphanes did, see 1 Mac. 1.21, &c. and 2 Mac. 6.1, 2, &c.

Vers. 4. Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations.] To wit, in the Tem∣ple; it may be extended to their synagogues also. It is meant of the clamours of the enemy, when they destroyed Gods people and his holy place; of which like∣wise there is a like complaint Lam. 2.7. they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.

They set up their ensigns for signs.] To wit, of their victory; glorying, in a man∣ner, as if they had vanquished the Lord Jehovah, whose house they destroyed. And it may be also that these signs, which they set up of their conquest, are co∣vertly opposed to the ceremoniall signs, whereby formerly God had testi∣fyed his presence there; as if they had said, In stead of the sacred signs of Gods dwelling there, the enemy set up their signs in token that they had now subdued that place.

Vers. 5. A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.] Divers Expositours understand these words thus, That the more active and indu∣strious any man was in cutting down the timber and other wooden work of the Temple, the more famous and highly esteemed he was amongst their enemies. But because of that which is by way of opposition added in the following verse, But now they break down, &c. our Translation will not so well bear this expositi∣on: but rather the meaning seems to be this, A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees; that is, formerly men were famous for contributing their help in a laborious way to the building of the Temple, by cutting down trees that stood thick together in the woods, or the greatest and best timber-trees, and by hewing and squaring them for the building after they were cut down.

Vers. 6. But now they break down the carved work thereof at once.] That is, all the carved work of the Temple, not sparing any part thereof; or, they all at once strive who shall be forwardest in this sacrilegious work. And very observable it is which is noted by a learned Interpreter, to wit, that the words in the originall rendered in our Translation with axes and hammers, are not properly Hebrew but Syriack words, purposely to hint thereby the time when & the persons by whom this was done.

Vers. 7. They have cast fire into thy Sanctuary.] How this was done by the Chaldeans is evident 2 Kings 25.9: and concerning the times when Antiochus Epiphanes tyrannized over the Jews it is expresly said, that the gates of the Tem∣ple were burnt with fire, 1 Mac. 4.38.. So that I see not why from this place any should confidently conclude, as yet some have done, that this Psalm cannot be

understood of the desolations that were made by Antiochus, but of the destructi∣on of the Temple by the Babylonians.

Vers. 8. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together, &c.] That is, all their holy places, wherein they use to meet to worship God, according to that which follows, they have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land, or rather, all the peo∣ple of Israel, not sparing any. This was inwardly the desire and purpose of their hearts, when they were pouring forth their rage upon the people of God.

Vers. 9. We see not our signs, &c.] That is, the signs of Gods favourable pre∣sence amongst us, as his own peculiar people, which formerly we enjoyed: where∣by may be meant, 1. the miracles that he had frequently wrought in former times for their deliverance, and for the destruction of their enemies; which in∣deed are often called signs and tokens in the Scripture, as Psal. 78.43. he wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan; and so also Psal. 135.9: and 2, their sacred ceremonies, which were signs of Gods dwelling amongst them, and of all the covenant blessings which they enjoyed above other nations, as the Ark, the Urim and Thummim, their sacrifices and sacraments and sabbaths, and all other legall rites, which were also signs and shadows of good things to come: and 3. the signs whereby the prophets were wont to shadow forth the things which they foretold were to come to passe. And this some conceive is added, as in oppositi∣on to what they had said before of their enemies vers. 4. they set up their ensigns for signs; as if they had said, Whilst we daily see the signs of our enemies subduing us, our signs, of Gods favourable presence amongst us, we see not. And then it follow∣eth, there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long: where by their not having any prophet may be meant, that they had no ordinary teacher, to instruct and comfort them in their great afflictions; and by their not having any that knoweth how long may be meant, that they had none endued with an extraordinary spirit of prophesie, that could inform them how long their troubles would continue; according to that Lam. 2.9. the law is no more, her pro∣phets also find no vision from the Lord. Or else both clauses may intend the same thing, to wit, that they had not, as formerly, any prophet amongst them. Now however it be clear that thus it was with the Jews under the tyranny of Antiochus Epi∣phanes, for which see 1 Maccab. 4.46; yet I see not why it may not be also meant of the Babylonian captivity. For though Ezekiel and Daniel were prophets amongst the Jews in Babylon, yet because it is evident that Ezekiel began not to prophesie till the fifth year of Jehoiachins captivity, Ezek. 1.2, and that we read not of his prophesying any longer then till the 25. year of that captivity, Ezek. 40.1. or at the most till the 27. year, Ezek. 29.17: and for Daniel, we read not that he taught the people as a prophet, and when and how long he prophesied is very uncertain; it may well be that for a time, either before or after the prophesying of Ezekiel and Daniel, they were in Babylon without any prophet at all amongst them.

Vers. 12. For God is my king of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.] That is, openly in the view of all men all the world over. And hereby the Church encou∣rageth

her self in that prayer in the foregoing verse, that God would pluck his right hand out of his bosome to destroy her enemies; namely, because God was her king (however now for a time he afflicted her, and seemed to withdraw him∣self from her) and so had been of old (see the Note above vers. 2.) and because all the salvation, that had been ever wrought for any upon the face of the earth, was his work; and the same therefore he could doe for his people again. See also the Note Psal. 44.4.

Vers. 13. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength; thou brakest the heads of the dra∣gons in the waters.] That is, Thou hast destroyed Pharaoh, his Nobles and ar∣my: who are tearmed Sea-dragons or Crocodiles, in allusion either 1. to the cruelty of the Egyptians in slaying the male-children of the Israelites; or 2. to their pursuing them through the red sea; or 3. to the situation of Egypt, that lay close upon the sea, and was besides plentifully watered with that great river Nilus, wherein there were many Crocodiles and Sea-dragons, as is evident by a like expression which the prophet Ezekiel useth concerning Pharaoh, Ezek. 29.3. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lyeth in the midst of his rivers.

Vers. 14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, &c.] That is, of Pharaoh; see Isa. 27.1, and 51.9. But why are there many heads here ascribed to Leviathan? I answer, either 1. thereby the better to represent the dreadfulnesse of this ad∣versary of Gods people, by setting him forth not as an ordinary whale, but as some many-headed monster, or as a Sea-monster, that had a head as bigge as many heads, as the Elephant is for this cause called Behemoth, that is, Beasts, see the Note Job 40.15; or, 2. to expresse hereby the destruction of Pharaohs Princes and Captains together with himself, and that either by tearming them the heads of Pharaoh, or by speaking of them as of so many severall Leviathans, Thou brakest the heads of the Leviathans, that is, of every one of those Sea-monsters, Pharaoh and all his great ones with him. And gavest him to be meat to the people in∣habiting the wildernesse; of which expression there are severall expositions given by Interpreters: as 1. that being drowned in the red sea, and so made meat for the fish therein, they hereby became meat also for the people inhabiting the ad∣jacent wildernesse, that lived much upon the fish of that sea; or 2. that their dead carcases being cast upon the shoar, (as is expressed Exod. 14.30.) became meat for the birds and beasts of prey that were in the forementioned wildernesse, who are called here the people inhabiting the wildernesse, as elsewhere the ants are called a people not strong, and the conies a feeble folk, Pro. 30.25, 26. and the locusts a strong nation, Joel. 1.6. and indeed this exposition I conceive very probable; or 3. that the Israelites being gotten safe over the red sea, or the nations that dwelt in the wildernesse there, did even glut and satiate themselves with the spoil of their dead carcases, and did long after live upon the wealth which they got by that means.

Vers. 15. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood, &c.] Some understand this of Gods causing fountains and rivers to break forth out of the earth in severall places, for the watering of the ground. But rather it is meant of Gods miracu∣lous

cleaving the rocks in the wildernesse, that springs and rivers of water might thence break forth for the use of Gods people there, Exod. 17.6. Numb. 20.11. And so likewise the following clause, thou driedst up mighty rivers, some under∣stand of the ordinary drying up of rivers, when God is so pleased: but rather it is meant of Gods dividing Jordan before the Israelites; wherein it is said that he dryed up mighty rivers in the plurall number, either because many rivers did run into Jordan, or rather because Jordan had at that time overflowed all her banks, and so became as it were many severall rivers.

Vers. 19. The day is thine, the night also is thine, &c.] To wit, as being created and governed by thee, and that for thine own service: thou hast prepared the light and the Sun; where by the light is meant either the light wherewith the night is en∣lightened (which was last named in the foregoing clause) to wit, the moon and stars; or else rather that light which God did create the first day, Gen. 1.3. and which afterwards he placed in the Sun, vers. 13.

Vers. 17. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth.] That is, Thou hast created and established the whole world, even to the utmost bounds thereof, East, West, North and South; or, thou hast appointed how far the earth should extend, which is prepared for the habitation of man, the bounds whereof were so esta∣lished, that the raging seas could not break through them; or, by the borders of the earth may be meant the bounds and borders that God hath set severally to divide one kingdome and country from another, and to allot each nation the li∣mits of their dominion and habitation. However that which the Church would hereby imply, is, that if God were so carefull for the world, they hoped he would be much more carefull for his own peculiar people, and would not suffer strange nations to break through the borders of that land, which he had allotted them for their dwelling.

Vers. 18. Remember this, &c.] As if they had said, Though thou passest by o∣ther things, yet let not this be forgotten, to wit, this which follows in the next words; that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people, that is, a base, worthlesse, wicked people, have blasphemed thy name.

Vers. 19. O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked.] That is, the life of thy Spouse, thy turtle-dove: for the Church is here com∣pared to a turtle (as elsewhere to a dove, see the Note Psal. 55.6.) because it is the least and the most mournfull of all doves, and most constant to her mate. And this (say some Expositours) suits better with the condition of Gods peo∣ple, when Antiochus made warre against them, than when they were captives in Babylon, because then they were already delivered up into the power of their enemies.

Vers. 20. Have respect unto the Covenant, &c.] To wit, whereby thou hast en∣gaged thy self that this land should be given to our fathers, and us their poste∣rity, that thou wouldest protect us and blesse us therein, and that if for our sins we were driven from thence, thou wouldest upon our repentance bring us back again from the utmost coasts of the earth, Deut. 30.3, 4: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty; that is, in those countries where the people

enjoy not the light of thy word, and so live without the knowledge of thee the true God, (such as Babylon was, wherein the Jews were held in captivity) there reigneth nothing but cruelty and oppression, every house is a den as it were of beasts of prey, full of robbers and murtherers, and in every house they cruelly oppresse thy poor people: Or else thus, In those lands which lye under the dark∣nesse of such sore afflictions as ours doth now, being invaded by a barbarous peo∣ple, and where God hides himself from his people, and so their enemies appre∣hend that they may as in secret commit what wickednesse they please, all places are filled with the cruelty of bloudy enemies.

Vers. 22. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause.] The ground of this expression is either, because in any wrong done to Gods people, God was chiefly injured, especially when they were persecuted for Gods sake; or, because the enemy did not only oppresse them, but also blaspheme the name of God; or else because the maintaining Gods worship amongst them was the chief thing they desired, and that haply by bringing them again into their own land.