Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. VI.

Vers. 1. THen said Solomon, The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darknesse.] The annotations of this chapter unto the 41. verse, see 1. Kings 8.12. &c.

Vers. 41. Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength.] In these words Solomon doth as it were invite the Lord in the ark, the signe of his presence, to enter and take possession of the Temple as his resting place, that is, the place of his settled abode; and that because the ark was now no longer to be removed from place to place, but to continue there: and herein he seems to allude to the prayer which Moses used at the removall of the ark, as they travelled through the wildernesse, Numb. 10.35. Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, &c. And he calls the ark, the ark of Gods strength, as else∣where it is called Gods strength and glory, Psal. 78.61. He delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand, because it was the signe of Gods presence amongst them, as their strength and defence, which had been manifested by many mighty works which the Lord had wrought, as it were by the presence of the ark; as the dividing of Jordan, and the fall of the walls of Jericho, &c. Now because we find this last clause of Solomons prayer, Psal. 132.8, 9, 10. that Psalme it may well be was composed by Solomon upon this occasion of the de∣dication of the Temple. See the note, 1. Kings 8.54:

Let thy priests, O Lord, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoyce in goodnesse.] The first clause may be understood two severall wayes, either of Gods saving and preserving the priests, Let thy priests, O Lord, be clothed with salvation, that is, let thy salvation be as a garment to defend them, or as a robe to adorn them, (for it is indeed an honour and glory to men, that the great God of heaven and earth should make such precious account of them, as to be alwayes watchfull over them to preserve and save them) or else of the preservation and salvation of the whole people, this being a decking and glorious ornament to the priests, that they stood as typicall mediatours betwixt God and them, and were the instrumentall meanes of their preservation and, salvation; even as it is now the glory of the mi∣nisters of the Gospel, that they are the meanes of saving soules: whence it is, that S. Paul saith of the converted Thessalonians, that they were his joy, his glory, and crown of rejoycing, 1. Thes. 2.19.20. Indeed in Psal. 132.9. this clause is ex∣pressed thus, Let thy priests be clothed with righteousnesse; but even that also the most Expositours understand of Gods righteousnesse in saving and defending his priests: as for that last clause of this verse, it is meant doubtlesse of the goodnesse

of God▪ let thy saints rejoyce in goodnesse, that is, let thy holy people rejoyce in thy goodnesse and bountie to them in all regards; yet because the goodnesse of God to his people consists chiefly in his making them good, even this may be also com∣prehended in this request of Solomons, that Gods people may rejoyce in goodnesse and grace, rather then in outward blessings.

Vers. 42. O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed.] That is, deny not the request of me thine anointed; because when petitioners are denyed their requests, their faces are turned away with shame and confusion: hence is this phrase, turn not away the face of thine anointed.

Vers. 42. Remember the mercies of David thy servant.] That is, the mercies which thou hast promised to David.