A right godly and learned exposition, vpon the whole booke of Psalmes: wherein is set forth the true diuision, sence, and doctrine contained in euery Psalme: for the great furtheraunce and necessarie instruction of euery Christian reader. Newly and faithfully set forth by a godly minister and preacher of the word of God.

Psalme 136.

IN this Psalme the Prophet doeth exhort all the faithfull people, [unspec 1] [Di.] to praise God, first, for the excellency of his nature, and singular [unspec 2] maiesty: ver. 1.2.3.26. secondly, for his workes of creation and pro∣uidence, [unspec 3] generally and particularly: ver. 4.5.6.7.8.9.25. Third∣ly [unspec 4] for his great iudgements vpon the enemies of his people. ver. 10.15.17.18.19.20. and fourthly for his excéeding fauour towards his owne ser∣uants. ver. 11.12.13.14.16.21.22.23.24.

This Psalme hath no title, as many such wee haue had heretofore, [Se.] as Psal. 104.105. and sundry such like.] Ver. 1. Praise ye the Lord [vz. O yée faythfull people] because he is good [vz. towards al, but specially towards you] for his mercy [vz. which is the first course of all his goodnes] indureth for euer [i. shall neuer haue end. This sentence is repeated in euery verse of this Psalme, not as idle, superfluous, or vaine, but to shewe, that Gods goodnes is the foun∣taine, both of al our praises, and al his works, which doctrine, because it ought to be perpetual, therefore did the Leuites sing this Psalme, or some other of the same argument or matter dayly in the olde Church of the Iewes, as ap∣peareth, 1. Chron. 16.41. and it séemeth also to shewe, how much we should con∣tinue, in the acknowledging of gods graces. Ver. 2. Praise ye the God of gods [unspec 2] [i. he that is aboue all, that haue any diuine or heauenly offices, whether they be men as magistrates, or Angels, or any other thing which hath the name of God giuen vnto it, sée Deut. 10.17.] for his mercy [vz. towardes all, but spe∣cially towards his owne people] indureth for euer [all this is expounded be∣fore.] Ver 3. Praise ye the Lord of Lords [i. he that hath the fulnes and perfec∣tion [unspec 3] of rule and authority in him, for whatsoeuer other men haue, they haue it from him because it pleaseth him to bestow the same vppon them, sée 1. Tim. 6.15. Reuelat. 17.14.] for his mercy indureth for euer [this is expounded before, and therfore we shal not néede to repeate it againe.] Ver. 4. Which [vz. God [unspec 4] our Lorde] onely [i. by himselfe alone, and his owne power, none ioyning with him as assistant] doth great wonders [vz. euen as we our selues know, and can report.] Ver. 5. Which by his wisedome [i. most wisely, and with great vnder∣standing, [unspec 5] yea, wich such wisedome and prouidence, as is wonderfull: Sée Pro∣uerb. 3.19. wee may vnderstande also by wisdom, his eternal sonne, sée Pro. 8.

from ver. 22. to the ende of the 31.] made [vz. in the beginning, as Gene. 1.1.] the heauens [vz. and all thinges therein conteined, for so large doe I take the [unspec 6] worde to be here, as Psal. 124.8.] Ver. 6. Which hath stretched out the earth [i. the continent and firme land] vpon the waters, sée Psal. 24.2. hee meaneth that God hath caused the waters, to withdraw themselues from of the earth, to the [unspec 7] end it might be a place for men to dwell therein: sée Gene. 1.9.] Ver. 7. Which made great lights [vz. two, as Gene. 1.16. of which he speaketh afterwards par∣ticularly, and they are called great, because they are in our iudgments in déed, [unspec 8] greater then the other.] Ver. 8. As [vz. for example] the sunne to rule the day [i. to shine in it, and to make it light, whereas otherwise it woulde be all dark∣nes.] Verse. 9. The moone and the starres to gouerne the night [i. to shyne and [unspec 10] shewe forth themselues in that season.] Verse. 10. Which smote [vz. with his plagues Egypt [i. the lande and the people inhabiting it] with their first borne [unspec 11] [i. all their first borne, from man to beast: Sée Psalme 135.8.] Verse 11. And brought out Israell [vz. who was kept in captiuity and thraldome putting Is∣rael, for the Israelites] from among them [i. quite and cleane out of their com∣pany [unspec 12] and land, this history is written, in the 13. chapt. of Exod.] Ver. 12. With a mighty hand [i. with such great power, as the Egiptians coulde no way re∣sist] and stretched out arme [i. with singular fauour and pro••ection ouer his owne, and great iudgements vppon the wicked, for the arme serueth both for [unspec 13] defence, and for striking.] Ver. 13. Which diuided the red Sea into two parts [unspec 14] [vz. that his people might passe through it, Sée Exod. 14.22.] Verse 14. And made Israell [i. the Israelites, hee speaketh thus of them all, as though they were but one man, because they were but one body] to passe through their id∣dest [unspec 15] of it [i. of the waters so diuided.] Verse 15. And ouerthrewe [vz. by his almighty power] Pharaoh [vz. who was king of Egypt] and his hoste [i. the people which hee had gathered together, to pursue the Israelites, in their flight, yea hée so destroyed them, that there was not one of them left] in the red Sea [the place is named, for the certainetie of the historie also.] Verse [unspec 16] 16. Which [vz. God] led [vz. carefully and tenderly as a father his children, or a shepheard his flocke] his people [i. the Israelites, whome he had cho∣sen, to bée a peculiar people to himselfe, as Psalme 135.4.] through the wil∣dernesse [i. through sundry wildernesses, putting one for many, as Sin, Pha∣ram and others, as whosoeuer will reade the historie of their iourneyes, in [unspec 17] Numbers 33. shall plainely perceiue.] Verse 17. Which smote [sée Psal. 135.8.10.] [unspec 18] great kinges [i. kinges of great power.] Verse. 18. And slewe [vz. by the sworde of his captaines, and people, sée Psalm. 135.10.] mightie kinges [i. kinges of wonderfull might and force, howe great and mightie soeuer they [unspec 19] were.] Verse 19. As [vz. for example] Sihon king of the Ammorites [i. one [unspec 20] Sihon, that gouerned that people.] Ver. 20. And Og the king of Bashan [i. he [unspec 21] that ruled in the lande of Bashan.] Verse 21. And gaue [vz. freely and of his owne goodnesse] their lande [i. the lande, which they and their people in∣habited] for an heritage [i. by the right of inheritance as it were, so that the

people might lawfully possesse it.] Verse 22. Euen an heritage [i. to be a most [unspec 22] certaine inheritaunce, for so much I take the doubling of the woorde, to im∣port] vnto Israell his seruaunt [i. vnto the Israelites, which did serue and worshippe him, and vppon whome hee had bestowed this honour, to bee his seruants, because to serue him is to bée a king, for the storie of all these mat∣ters, conteined here from verse 10. to the ende of the 22. Sée Exod. chapters 12.13.14. &c. Sée Psalme 78. from ver. 12, to verse. 56. also Psalm 105. verse 27. to the ende thereof. Sée Psalm. 106. almost throughout. Psalme 135. verse 8.9.10.11.12. also Numbers 21. Deutronomie 3. Iosh. 12. and many other places.] Verse 23. Which remembred vs [i. shewed by effect that hee thought vpon vs, [unspec 23] and had care ouer vs: as Genesis 8.1.] in our base estate [i. when wee were af∣flicted and oppressed on euery side, for to such a lowe ebbe, are Gods children many tymes brought.] Verse 24. And hath restored vs, from our oppres∣sours [unspec 24] [i. from the power and tyrannie of such as did oppresse vs: the meta∣phor of restoring is notable, not onely declaring their miserie, who were taken captiues and prisoners, to bee vsed according to the pleasure of those that had taken them, but also expressing Gods mercy, in deliuering his people out of the same: and Gods power, because the enemy coulde not gain∣stande it.] Verse 25. Which giueth foode [i. graciously, and plentifully pro∣uideth [unspec 25] for] to all fleshe [i. not onely men, but also all beastes and creatures: sée Psal. 104.27.28.] Ver. 26. Prayse ye the God of heauen [i. the true and [unspec 26] onely GOD, whose seate and dwelling place is in the heauen of heauens: and by this title hée discerneth God, from all counterfeite and forged Gods in the earth.]

Verse. 1. Teacheth vs, both to prouoke others, and also our selues, [Do.] to prayse God for his excellent goodnes. Ver. 2. teacheth vs to prayse him for his excel∣lent nature, and incomprehensible maiesty. Ver. 3 teacheth vs to praise him for his large and great gouernment. Ver. 4 teacheth vs that God alone is he that doeth notable things howsoeuer he vseth men as meanes in the performance thereof. Ver. 5 teacheth vs that al that God doeth, he doeth in most exact wise∣dome, & vnderstanding. Ver. 6 teacheth vs that it is by Gods power, that the waters ouerflow not the earth. Ver. 7. Teacheth vs, that euen the light which we enioy, is a singular gift of God. Verse 8. Sheweth that the sunne shineth in the day, by the order which GOD hath set, and not for any naturall cause. Verse 9. Teacheth vs the selfe same thing, touching the moone and the starres in the night season. Verse 10. Teacheth vs that God spareth not the wicked in his punishments. Vrr. 11. Teacheth vs that it is a singular bene∣fite of God, to deliuer his people, from idolaters, and out of an idolatrous land. Ver. 12. Sheweth that God doeth it by his only power, which none is able to resist. Verse. 13, Teacheth vs that God will make the whole course of na∣ture, giue place vnto his Seruauntes. Verse 14.15. Teach, that Gods children, goe in safety, where the wicked manye tymes perishe and are ouer-whelmed. Verse 16. Teacheth vs, not onely that GOD doeth

sundry wise proue the fayth and patience of his seruantes, but mercifully pro∣uideth for them in the places of greatest daunger. Ver. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Tea∣cheth vs y^t as there is no power or strength, able to withstand God in his pur∣poses & attemptes: so god for his peoples sake, and this assured loue towardes them, wil spare to plague none, though neuer so high, and to doe wonderfull and great thinges. Verse. 22. Teacheth vs, that whatsoeuer God giueth vs in this lyfe, hee doeth it to this ende, that wée shoulde imploy it and our selues wholy to his seruice. Verse 23, 24. Doe teach vs that GOD doeth not onely thinke vppon his people for their good, but also graciously performeth their deliueraunce. Verse 25. Doeth excellently set out Gods prouidence ouer all his creatures. Verse 26. Teacheth, that wee must not pray to, or praise any, or giue thanks to any, but to the true God onely, which dwelleth in heauen.