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THis Psalme being made as it shoulde séeme, [Di.] after the time of the Iudges when either Samuel or Dauid restored Gods worship, may be deuided into two principal parts. In the first the Prophet [unspec 1] exhorteth the faithful people to praise the Lord, shewing thē that they haue good causes and reasons so to doe, from verse 1. to the ende of the 7. In the second hée taketh vpon him the person of God, instructing the people
how to walke, shewing withall their disobedience, by whiche not onlye Gods loue was contemned, but they themselues depriued of wonderfull benefites, from verse 8, to the end of the Psalme.
[Se.] The Title of this Psalme is expounded in the Title of Psalme 8. and Psal. 73.] Verse 1. Sing ioyfully [i. chearefully and with a good courage: q.d. praise him by all the meanes ye can, and in al places, specially in the holy and pub∣like assemblies, and that for the benefites you haue receaued from him] vnto God our strength [i. vnto him who alone giueth vs strength, to doe the things we doe] sing lowde [vz. that all may sée and heare, as it were] vnto the God of Iaakob [i. vnto him that is a good and gracious God, to al his faythfull peo∣ple that come of Iaakob: putting the name of the father both for himselfe & all [unspec 2] his posterity.] Ver. 2. Take [vz. vnto you, or into your mouthes] the song [vz. of praise and thanksgiuing: q.d. sing prayses to God] and bring forth [vz. to be playde vpon] the Timbrell, the pleasant harpe, with the violl [vnder the lawe they vsed musicall instruments to expresse their ioy withall, sée Iudges 11, 34. & some other places: vnder this scholemastership it pleased the Lord to kéepe his people till Christes comming: and by these thrée he meaneth all of the like: q.d. With all Instruments of Musick expresse and set out the gladnes of your [unspec 3] hart.] Verse 3. Blow the Trumpet in the newe Moone [q.d. bée as earnest to serue GOD now, as if it were at any time of our solemne Feastes: Sée Le∣uitticus 25, 15. Num. 10, 10. and by one feast he vnderstandeth all, and so must [unspec 4] bee vnderstoode all that followeth in this verse.] Verse 4. For this [vz. to sing reioyce and to vse musicall instruments, is testimony of thankfulnesse, as also the obseruation of feasts] is a statute [vz. that God himselfe hath appointed, as appeareth Exodus 23, ver. 14, 15, &c, sée also Numb. 28. and 29. chap. al∣most thorow out] for Israell [vz. to obserue and kéepe] and a law of the God of Iaakob [i. a law which he that is the God of Iaakob hath published.] Verse 5. [unspec 5] He [vz. God] set this [i. ordeined and appointed this kind of seruice & worship as verse 4. of this Psalme] in Ioseph [i. amongst the Israelites: putting Io∣seph the father of Ephraim and Manasses, two excellent Tribes, for all the tribes, and this he doth as I suppose for two causes, not only because that Io∣sephs stock was counted ye chéefe (before that Iudah was preferred) because hée was the means yt al their fathers were maintained in Egipt in the time of the famine, but also because they had the largest possessions in ye whole land of Ca∣naan as appeareth Iehosh. chap. 16. and 17] for a testimony [i. in stéede of a te∣stimony & witnes vnto them how he would be serued] when he [this worde, he, may be referred eyther to God or to the people, but I rather refer it to God, who is sayde to come out of the land of Egipt not only in the person of his peo∣ple, but also because he brought them thence in a mighty hande, and outstret∣ched arme, manifesting in the same his mighty power] where I hearde a lan∣guage that I vnderstoode not [i. in which place, vz. of Egipt, I was a straun∣ger, for this is a spéech vsuall ynough in the scriptures, to note and signifye a stranger by, and this sodaynly altering the person (which also would be mar∣ked)
from the third to the first, must be vnderstood of God, not yt god knewe not their tongues, or vnderstood not their language, for he knoweth all things: but he sheweth, to the end he might testifye his good will, that his peoples wantes were as his owne, and all this he doth to the end he might amplify the benefite of their deliueraunce, which was so much the greater, by how much it is verye gréeuous to remaine amongst those whose lips and language we vnderstande not.] Ver. 6. I [vz. the Lord] haue withdrawne his shoulder from the burthen [unspec 6] [i. from most hard bondage, of which, see Exodus 1, 14. and chap. 6. ver. 9. and he nameth the word shoulder, because men commonly carry burdens vpon it] and his hands haue left the pots [i. the making of pots of earthlye claye: and by making of pots, which was one péece of their slauerye, hee vnderstandeth all the rest, as setting vp of buildinges: making of Tyle or Bricke, gathe∣ring of Strawe, sée Exodus 5. verse 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. Sée also Exodus 1. verse 11, and 12.] Verse 7. Thou calledst [i. prayedst, vz. vnto me] in affliction [i. in [unspec 7] the time of thy trouble and oppression, or when thou wast afflicted of others, Sée Exodus 2, 23.] and I deliuered thée [vz. out of that hard bondage where∣in thou wast: and marke howe hee speaketh of the people, as of one person, because they were all but one bodye] and aunswered thée [i. shewed the testi∣monies and signes of my fauour, in graunting thée thy requestes] in the se∣crete of the thunder [i. after a secrete and wonderfull fashion, but yet in suche sorte notwithstanding, that they had very manifest signes, by which they knew that GOD succoured them, some referre to that which is written. Exodus 14, 24. but I take it more generallye] I prooued thée [i. by experience I knew, what a one thou wast, not that GOD was ignoraunt of it before] at the wa∣ters of Meribah, Sée Exodus 15, 22, 23, &c. Psalme 95, 8.] Verse 8. [unspec 8] Heare [vz. me speaking vnto thée, by my word and law manifested vnto thée] O my people [i. the people whome I haue so tenderlye loued] and I will pro∣test vnto thée [i. I will not only open my will vnto thée, but also make a solemn contracte with thée, to the ende that my wordes maye haue the greater weighte and authoritie] if thou wilte hearken vnto mée [vz. speakinge vn∣to [unspec 9] thée in my Lawe, then lette this bee fulfilled that followeth.] Verse 9. Let there bée no straunge God in thée [i. let there be no idols or images in all thy Lande: hee calleth them straunge Gods, because straungers from the couenaunte, i. other people besides the Iewes, did worship them: and hee cal∣leth them Gods, not because they were so, but because the Idolaters supposed them to be so, or that there was a certayne Deitye inclosed within them, Sée 1. Corinth. 8. ver. 5.6.] neyther worship thou anye straunge God [q.d. bee con∣tente with mée alone. I expound this verse thus, that in the first parte hee for∣biddeth the occasion of idolatrie, which are images, idols, &c. and in the second he forbiddeth the thing it selfe.] Ver. 10. For I am the Lord thy God [here hee [unspec 10] sheweth a reason of the former verse: q.d. there is no other but I, and I am God alone, sée Isaiah 45, verse 5. and hee laboureth in this parte of the verse, not onelye to proue himselfe to be the true God, but also to strengthen their
fayth, first by Gods eternity, noted in these words, I am the Lord, secondly by the couenant which he made with thē, noted in these words, Thy God, & thirdly by the workes which he did for thē, noted in these words, Which brought thée out of the Land of Egipt, vnderstanding by one singular worke all the rest of the graces that God had at any time bestowed vpon them] open thy mouth wide [i. largely and abundauntly aske euen whatsoeuer thou wilte according to my will, standing fast in my seruice and religion. The Hebrewes vnderstande by this speech boldnesse, trust, liberty, and importunity in prayer, and not amisse] and I will fill [i. I will giue thée whatsoeuer thou shalt aske (sée Ioh. 15. ver. 16.) and besides put songes of prayse into thy mouth for benefits receaued.] Verse [unspec 11] 11. But my people would not heare my voyce [i. would not obey the thinges that by my word I commaunded them. Whereby we sée that to heare, and not to perform, is as much as in contempt not to heare at all] and Israel would none of me [vz. in déede and truth, though they made a shew as though they reue∣renced and loued me alone, the truth of this appeareth in Exodus, Leuiticus, [unspec 12] Numbers, Deutronom, and the Booke of Iudges.] Verse 12. So I gaue thē vp [q.d. séeing nothing I could doe for them or to them, coulde reclaime them or bring them to goodnesse, I layd the bridle as it were in their own necks, and let them run their full swinge to wickednesse] vnto the hardnesse of their harte [i. vnto all licentiousnesse and iniquity that their harde hartes setled in sinne could deuise] and they haue walked [i. their conuersation hath bin] in their own counsels [i. according to their owne deuises and imaginations, and not accor∣ding [unspec 13] to my prescript and rule.] Verse 13. O that my people had hearkened vn∣to me [i. had obeyed my voyce and lawes giuen vnto them, and this God spea∣keth after the maner of men, testifying what a great loue he had to them, and how acceptable their obedience should haue bin, sée Deutron. 5. verse 29. Deut. 32.29. Isaiah 48.18] and Israell had walked in my wayes [i. had ordred his conuersation according to my commaundements: which he calleth wayes, be∣cause they are as pathes or beaten wayes that we are to treade in all the dayes [unspec 14] of our life, neuer being weary of going in them.] Verse 14. I would soone [i. ve∣ry quickly: q.d. then my power should haue sodaynly appeared, to their com∣fort, but specially for iudgement vpon the wicked] haue humbled [i. cast downe and ouerthrowne: it is a metaphor taken from thē, that in humblenesse throw themselues down at others féete, meaning that God in iudgement would haue brought them very low] their enimies [i. al their enemies, of what state condi∣tion or multitude soeuer they had ben] and turned [vz. from mine own people, vnto their aduersaries] mine hand [i. my power and might, executing iudge∣ment and vengeaunce: q.d. My power and fierce wrath should haue lighted vp∣on [unspec 15] their enemies, and not vpon them.] Verse 15. The haters of the Lord [i. the wicked and vngodly people, which sundry times oppressed them, as appeareth in the booke of Iudges] shoulde haue bin subiect [vz. eyther willinglye or con∣streinedly, chuse them whether: it is true that the worde signifyeth a counter∣feit subiection, by which he noteth the hipocrisie of the enemies] vnto him [i. to
the people of God, speaking of them all in one person as it were, of whiche sée verse 6, 7 of this Psalme] and their time [i. the time of their prosperity and flo∣rishing: and marke here the sodaine chaunge of the number, and here he spea∣keth of the people of God] should haue moured for euer [i. cōtinued and abode in that state continually, according to Gods promise made vnto them.] Ver. 16. [unspec 16] And God [marke the sodayne chaunge of the person, from the first to the third, God speaking of himself in the third person] would haue fed them [i. nourished and maintained his people, with the fat of Wheate [i. with the best and picked wheat: for you shall haue the worde fat and fatnesse so vsed sundrye times in scripture, vnderstanding by wheat also not onely corne, but also whatsoeuer else was necessary for the maintainaunce of lyfe, sée Deutronom. 32. verse 14.] and with honie out of the Rock would I haue satisfied thée [q.d. rather than they shoulde haue wanted, I woulde haue made barren places such as Rockes are, plentifull, and that euen with things not onlye for profite, but for delight and pleasure, noting by this maner of spéeche, that they shoulde haue had all thinges both pleasaunt and profitable for the maintaynaunce of their lyfe, if their naughtinesse hadde not stopped the course of his goodnesse and mercy.
Ver. 1.2.3 teach that we should not be only thankefull to God, [Do.] but that the sa∣crifice of thanks giuing which we wil render vnto him, must be yéelded coragi∣ously & chearfully, because the Lorde requireth at our handes both the thing it selfe, & the maner of the performance of it. Ver. 4 teacheth that Gods com∣maundment is the only ground & warrant vnto vs, that the seruices which we render vnto him are acceptable in his sight. Ver. 5. teacheth first that Gods re∣uealing of his will & word to any people is a plain testimonye of his grace and fauour, also yt Gods accounteth the afflictions of his people as his own. Ver. 6. teacheth that God alone is he that deliuereth his people from all dangers and distresses. Ver. 7 teacheth yt the Lord is nigh to earnest supplicatiōs & requests of his poore afflicted ones. Ver. 8.9 teacheth that our obediēce to God is no bet∣ter manifested by any meanes then by remouing al idolatry, & al the occasions therof whatsoeuer. Ver. 10. setteth out Gods large liberalitie towards his peo∣ple, who many times giueth more then they do aske. Ver. 11. describeth the ma∣lice, corruption & stubbornesse of mans hart. Verse 12. sheweth how God iustlye punisheth sinne by sinne, and that there are no ways so hurtful to man, as those which he himselfe deuiseth. Verse 13 expresseth Gods singuler care & loue, that he hath to man and his saluation. Ver. 14.15. teach that obedience faithfully per¦formed to the Lord, not only draweth from him iudgements against all the e∣nemies of his people, but continual fauour and flourishing to themselues. Ver. 16. teacheth that those that feare and serue the Lord shall want nothing that is good, and that rather then Gods children shal want, the Lord wil extraordina∣rily nourish and maintaine them with abundaunce of al things both profitable and pleasaunt.