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PSAL. CXXXVII
THis Psalme was made by some godly man, in the time of the Babylonian Captivity, which was long, even seventy yeares, and therefore they had need of something to stir them up, not to fall from their religion, being o∣vercome by the tediousnesse of their exile, or being allured by the pleasant∣nesse and fruitfulnesse of that Country. The Vulgar Latine prefixeth for the Title, A Psalme of David: when as indeed it hath none; and as Calvin * 1.1 noteth, there is no probability that it is Davidss who lived so long before; but rather some other holy man, living then in Babylon, and speaking both in his own and the Iewes living there; because when David speaketh in a propheticall way, he speaketh not thus, but in another manner. Whereby one may perceive it to be propheticall, whosoever made this, doth first in it set forth their sorrow and misery in those dayes, Verse 1, 2, 3, 4. And here because it is said, We hanged up our Harps, &c. Basil moveth a question, * 1.2 how it came to passe, that being carryed away by their Enemies in hostile manner, they could be permitted to carry their musicall Instruments with them, or had any mind in that time of mourning so to do? and answereth, that it was by a divine dispensation, the Babylonians in permitting them, respecting nothing, but to make themselves merry, to make them play here∣upon, even then, when they had more cause to weep; as the Philistims brought forth Samson their Captive sometime to play before them. For the River by which they sat, it is to be understood, that the great River Eu∣phrates * 1.3 ran through Babylon, and of this it is meant, and of the Willowes growing here, as they commonly do about Rivers, upon which they hanged up their Harps, reserving them to some more joyfull time, when returning to Ierusalem again, they might use them in praising God, as they had formerly done; and to keep up the memory of that pious custome, God in his provi∣dence would not have them to be there without them, nor to passe all their time without any solace hereby, when they were in private amongst them∣selves, though before their Enemies to make themselves a laughing stock, they refused to do it, as followeth, Verse 3, 4. Secondly their singular affecti∣on to Ierusalem, the holy City and place of Gods Habitation. Verse 5, 6. * 1.4 Yet if I forget the O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Here are direfull imprecations, wherewith he curseth himselfe, that made this Psalme, to move others to the like affections, if he took joy in any thing, till that the people being restored, fell to the building of Ierusalem again. Lastly, * 1.5 here▪ is a Prayer against Edom and Babylon: and if it be demanded, why Edom is so much inveighed against, we may gather from many places, that although Esau, of whom they came, were Israels Brother, yet they were most infest Enemies to Israel, and when the Babylonians came against the Iewes, they stirred them up all that they could against them, without any favour to exercise all cruelty, as Obadiah. 1. 8. 9. &c. Ezek. 25. 12. Ier. 49. 7. Lam. 4. 12. wherefore justly is God prayed to take revenge upon them, as well as upon Babylon, and accordingly it was both threatned by Isaiah, and other Prophets; and history sheweth that it came to passe.