Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The means, duties, ordinances, both secret, private and publike, for continuance and increase of a godly life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. Wherein are discovered many blessed medium's or duties, in their right method, manner and proceedings; that so a Christian (the spirit of Christ assisting) may walk on in the holy path, which leads from his new birth to everlasting life. / Drawn, for the most part, out of the most eminently pious, and learned writings of our native practical divines: with additionals of his own, by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes.

PSAL. 120. The Title, A Song of Degrees.

The Title of this Psalm hath more relation to the ceremony and maner of singing, then to the matter and contents of the Psalm, and I do not finde so many different opinions touching the reason of the Title in any other, as in this.

Some suppose this and the 14 others next following to be so called, for that they were sung in some high and eminent place: Some refer it to the extension or lifting up of the voyce in sing∣ing, or rising of the tune, that they might be better heard of the people; so Calvin: Some, that they were sung by the Priests and Levites, after the form and melody of some known and esteemed song, beginning with this Title: Some later Ex∣positors conceive nothing to be meant hereby, but the excellency of the Psalms above the rest, because those places are accounted chiefest, whereunto we do ascend by degrees, therefore the word is used in the plural number [degrees,] as being choice Epigrams, as one would say, Most excellent Sonnets; because the Hebrews use to express the superlative degree or excellency of a thing, by substantives of the plural number, as here, A Song of degrees,

(i.) an excellent Song; so the Canticles of Solomon, called A Song of Songs, (i.) excellent; so the Lord is called The God of gods, Deut. 10.17. Lord of lords, Apoc. 19.16. (i.) without all com∣parison, above all other gods or lords: Daniel called him a Man of desires, Dan. 9.23. (i.) to be esteemed or desired above others; in this sence Iunius takes it: Others think they were composed for Psalms of Thanksgiving, at the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon; and in that Ierusalem was scituated amongst hills, whence soever they came, they must rise or ascend to come to it, as they do that climb up an hill; these songs therefore were appointed to be sung at every ascent and cleft, as the places they went up did arise, and for this cause called Psalms of Degrees.

Carolus Siggonius de rep: Hebreorum (whose judgement is more to be approved, as more agreeable to the truth) under∣stands them to be so called, for that they were sung by the Priests and Levites, upon the several stairs that went out of the great Court or Porch where the people were, into the higher or inner part of the Temple, whither none but the Priests might come; and in Nehemiah 9.4. mention is made of the stairs whereon the Le∣vites stood in the solemn feasts, crying unto God, &c.

For Solomon in building the Temple of Ierusalem, made cer∣tain Terresies, stairs or steps rising one above another, 2 Chron. 9.11. by which the Priests and Levites went up from that outward and great open Court or room adjoyning to the Temple, 2 Chron. 4.9. (where the people prayed, brought and attended the Sacri∣fice, called, Iohn 10.29. Solomons porch, or the Court of the people, because it was open to all the people) into an higher room or place in the Temple, called The inner Court, or Lords House, 2 Chron. 24.21. or Atrium Sacerdotale, because none but the Priests must enter thither: Now upon every feast day, the Levites, or they of them appointed for the song, sung these 15 Psalms, upon each stair one, being in number 15, as they went up into that Court of the Temple, making a pause upon each stair, from whence they had the Title of Psalms of Degrees.

This ceremony was used then as an outward means of prepa∣ration to the worshipping of God, to admonish all people to do it with chearful hearts, renewed and lifted up to him by faith, from whence Cyprian observes, that in the Church Liturgy of his

time, the Deacon called upon the people to lift up their hearts un∣to God, using this speech, Sursum corda.

Notes

• Deut. 10.17.
• Apoc. 19 16.
• Dan. 9.23.
• Neh. 9.4.
• 1 Chron. 9.11.
• 4.9.
• Iohn 10.29.
• 2 Chro. 24.21