A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

PSAL. CII.

A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed.

THis Psalme is most probably thought to have been made in the time, when the Temple of Ierusalem lay in the ruines, the time set for the re∣building * 1.1 thereof, viz. eventy yeares, being even now almost expired; for according to this it is said, Verse 13. The set time is come, to have mercy up∣on his; that is, the City Jerusalem: and Verse 14, For thy Servants favour her stones, and the dust thereof; whereby is intimated, that yet the City and Temple lay ruined, the time of their Captivity continuing still. Iunius thinks it to have been made by Daniel; Basil will have it so a prayer, in be∣halfe of the Iewes, their City and Temple, as that it fitteth any particular person in great distresse. Ierome saith no more of it, but according to the Title, a Prayer to be used by any faithfull person, in great distresse. Au∣gustine * 1.2 will have Christ to be the poor afflicted man, that prayed thus. I rest in the first: it was a Prayer used specially neer the time of the Iewes return, and the greatest part of it fitted for one in distresse at any time, teaching him how to make his complaint, to move the Lord to pity. The parts are two.

First, A Prayer and complaint, aggravating the misery of him that pray∣eth, concluded with the brevity of his life, and Gods Eternity, Verse 1, 2. &c. to Verse 11. 12.

Secondly, The faithfuls confident resolving to his, and the comfort of all Israel in affliction, that the desolation of the City and Temple should soon have an end, Verse 13, 14. &c. to Verse 23. concluding as before with our weaknesse, and the shortnesse of our lives, yea and the mutability of the Earth and the Heavens, Verse 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. 28.

Like a Pelican. Of which also Isa. 34. 11. Zeph. 2. 14. it hath the name, saith Ainsworth, from vomiting; being thought by some, to be a Bird, that * 1.3 swalloweth shell-Fish, and after vomiteth them up again, and eateth them; which sitteth alone, and maketh a dolefull noise? Some call it a Bitturn. The desolate condition of Ierusalem, in time of the Iewes Captivity, is here∣by set forth, as of one person in extream misery, thus lamenting, and as in the verses before and after, Verse 7, 8, 9, 10. 11.

Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. This is spoken to set forth the * 1.4 greatnesse of his fall; as if he had said, Thou hast done by me, as a migh∣ty man by one weaker, wrestling with him, he lifts him first up on high, and then casts him to the ground, giving him the greater fall: which he

speaketh, not as accusing God of cruelty, but to aggravate his own misery, that he might be moved the more to take compassion upon him, and deliver him.

For the appointed time spoken of, Verse. 13. see Jer. 29. 10. Dan. 9. * 1.5

For thy Servants delight in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. Hebr. * 1.6 Pity the dust thereof; that is, such is their love to thy house, that not on∣ly when it stood in greatest magnificence, but even now that it lyeth on ru∣inous heapes, they delight in it, and grieve to see these ruines, thinking long for the time of rebuilding it again. So likewise for the spirituall Temple, [Note.] which is the Church of Christ, although it hath no outward splendor, and Christians who be the Stones of this Building, lye scattered where they may, in time of persecution; yet the faithfull delight in these Stones, as most pre∣tious, and are moved with compassion towards them in misery, and lying, as it were, in the dust; however Unbeleivers and Hereticks, because they are in more pompe and outward glory, despise them, as forsaken and judged of God,

So the Heathen shall feare thy name, and all the Kings of the Earth thy glo∣ry. * 1.7 Here he passeth from the deliverance out of Babylon, as is usuall a∣mongst the Prophets, to our deliverance by Christ; the benefit whereof he sheweth here again shall be to all Nations. For when the Lord shall build up * 1.8 Zion, he shall appeare in his glory. That is, not only at the peoples return out of Captivity, but when he shall build his Church by his Apostles and Pastours, set forth by Zion; his almighty power against all contrary powers shall appeare to his exceeding great glory: by such weake meanes, all Coun∣tries being subdued, and Emperours taken by Fishers, as Preachers are called.

This shall be written for the Generations to come, and the people which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. In that he aith, They shall be written for the * 1.9 Generations to come: It appeareth, that they concern our times under the Gospell, and that Zion should now be built more then ever.

And for the people which shall be created, they are the same spoken of, Psal. 100. 3. and Eph. 2. 10. the word Created is used in speaking of the converted to the faith of Christ, and to good works; whereas before they did all evill.

To heare the groaning of the Prisoners, and to deliver those that were appoin∣ted * 1.10 to dye. Hebrew, The Sons of Death. For this the Lord looked down from Heaven, Verse 19. when he loosed and set at liberty his people, imprisoned in Babylon, groaning and longing after a return into their own Country; and again, when by converting Countries and Nations to the faith, he deli∣vered them from their spirituall Enemies, Sin and Satan; as in the Song of Zachary: That being delivered from the hands of our Enemies, we might serve him without feare. And for Death, we were subject hereunto, till that Christ dying for us, destroyed him that had the power of Death, that is the De∣vill, * 1.11 &c.

He hath weakened my strength in the way, he hath shortned my dayes. This is * 1.12 the voice of the Iewes, as of one person, being yet in Captivity; where by many oppressions their strength was wasted, and their lives by this means made the shorter. Verse 24. Take me not away in the midst of my dayes, thy yeares are throughout all Generations. It is not hereby intimated, that any are cut off, before they have fulfilled the time by God appointed unto them: but the faithfull then looked unto the time of the Messiah his com∣ing, and to have their lives worne out, before that they counted a cutting off in the mids of their dayes, as Calvin noteth; because they attained not to the fulnesse of the time, set for that deliverance: but because he is * 1.13 speaking of their miseries in Babylon, and the time set for their deliverance from thence; it is to be understood, first of that: Let me not be wasted and decay, by the Enemies oppressions, before that time cometh, in the dayes of this

my Captivity, any time within that time being meant by the midst; as Christ is said to have been in the heart, or midst of the Earth, when he was put only into a Sepulcher, neerer the superficies.

Secondly and mystically of the deliverance, by the coming of the Messiah: * 1.14 Some understand it only in generall, of man in misery pleading with God, as much weakened and brought neer to Death hereby. For his Plea, not to be cut off, because Gods yeares are throughout all Generations, the meaning is not, therefore make me likewise to continue throughout all Generations: for he acknowledgeth his dayes to have a midst, a beginning and end; But forsomuch as thou my God and Father art everlasting without change, take pity upon me, that have but a short time in this World, and make my life more comfortable, by delivering me from misery, and exempting me from the danger, wherein I now dayly am, of being cut off sooner then ordinary; because thy promise to thine is to satisfie them with long life, and then to shew him thy Salvation. And in this Psalme, Verse 28. The Children of thy Servants * 1.15 shall continue, and their seed bee ablished befor thee. Which though Basil applyeth to the Seed, Christ, yet it is plainly meant of the Children of Isra∣el, who the Prophet doubted not should return from Captivity, and injoy the Land of Canaan again; and their Seed, all true Israelites, afterwards at the coming of the Messiah, establishment in grace here, and in glory for e∣ver hereafter: In which sense, if we understand him speaking in this place, in his Plea, that God is everlasting; a desire is intimated in the person of the Church, to be made everlasting also, in grace and glory, although the bodily life be but short and momentany.

Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth, &c. To prove God ever∣lasting, * 1.16 he here commemorateth first the Eternity, a parte ante, before the World was: for he that made Heaven and Earth, must needs be before them, and therefore Eternall. Secondly, He saith, that Heaven and Earth shall wax old, and decay and perish, as a Garment, but the yeares of God * 1.17 shall have no end; and for change, there shall never be any in him, Jam. 1. 17. Thus comparatively setting forth his Eternity, a parte post. For God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 essence, and he saith to Moses, I am that I am: Intimating unchange∣ablenesse, being the same, and not younger or older for ever. And by the Apostles applying this to Christ, Heb. 2. 10. it appeareth, that this is spoken to him the Son of God, by whom all things are also said to have been made, John 1, 2. And for the Heaven and Earth waxing old, and being changed as a Garment that is old, which is not from worse to better, but from better to worse; this sheweth plainly, that when the Apostle, Rom 8. speaks of the Creature to be brought into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, he meaneth not the Heavens and the Earth, but Creatures capable of Sal∣vation; as there I have shewed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Basil. Calvin. Iunius.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 13. August.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 6. Ainsw:
• * 1.4

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 14.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 15.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 16.
• * 1.9

  Vers. 18.
• * 1.10

  Vers. 20.
• * 1.11

  Heb. 2. 15.
• * 1.12

  Vers. 23. Hebr. He hath afflicted my strength.
• * 1.13

  Calvin.
• * 1.14

  T. W.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 91. 16.
• * 1.16

  Vers. 25.
• * 1.17

  26, 27.