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. XLVII.

FOR the Title, see, Psal. 42. The Psalme is an exhortation to praile GOD for the propagating of the Gospel, into all Countries and Nati∣ons, whereby they wee subdued to Christs Kingdome, whereunto to be subdued, is from bondage to sin and Satan, wherein they were before, to be made free, to the rejoycing of their Soules; for which they are exhort∣ed, to praise and extol the infinite mercy of God towards them, and there∣fore the Psalme is prophetical: Some think it to have been compiled, when the Ark be was brought up to Zion, 10 be placed in the Tabernacle, bby David set up there, and it is not improbable, because then there was singing and dancing for joy, yea, David himself danced before the Ark, but God had further inlightned him to see him that was to come, even Christ Jesus, who was prefigured by the Ark, whose coming should make all Nations to rejoice, as then the coming of the Ark to Zion, made the Jews to shout for joy: For that it was not compiled meerly for that appeareth, because the subjection of the Nations is spoken of, and of all the Earth, Verse 7. And their rejoycing therefore, whereas David subdued the Nations about, it could not be meant of that, because they were but some few, and they had no joy, but sorrow of their subduing, they being by this meanes of free, made tributary.

He shall subdue the people under us, and the Nations under our feet. Having exhorted all people, or as Jerom hath it, all Nations to expresse their joy * 1.1 for Christ, Verse 1. He sets him forth as terrible, and the great King of all the Earth, according to Psal. 2. Where it is said, I have given thee the Heathon for thine Inheritance. And then addeth, Thou shalt rule them with a rod of Iron, &c. That is, By being terrible, in destroying his enemies, as he did the Jews by the Romans, Verse 2. And now he sheweth to the greater joy of such Jews, as were the happy instruments of carrying the name of Christ amongst the Gentiles, that they should by their teaching be subdued unto Christ, whereby contrary to the manner of others, sub∣dued by earthly Kings, they should also be filled with the like joy, because the beleiving Gentiles should by this meanes, be one with them in Christ, in whom, There is neither Jew nor Gentile, but all are one, Whereas there∣fore he saith. That they are subdued to them, and under their feet, he mean∣eth, * 1.2 Not that the beleiving Gentiles generally should be of lesse dignity before God, then beleiving Jews; but that the Jews should be the con∣verters of the World, that is, The holy Apostles, sent out for this end into all Nations, for which cause they should all most willingly sub∣mit

unto their Government: but after them each Congregation to their own Pasto••s and Teachers, Heb. 13. 17.

He hath chosen ourr inheritance for us, the Excellency of Jacob: By inheri∣tance * 1.3 meaning first and cheifly CHRIST and his Grace, and Heavenly King∣dom, and secondly all Kingdoms and Nations, which are the inheritance of the faithfull, because they are, and shall be possessed by them under their hea•• CHRIST JESUS to whom this was before promised, Psalm 2. For touching Christ, it is sayd, The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance: * 1.4 And touching the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 25. 34. Gal. 4. And for in∣heritiug the Earth also, Matth. 5. 5. And he sayth, He hath chosen, to in∣timate, that all Good floweth from the Grace of Election, and not from any merit of man, and he addeth, The Excellency of Jacob, to intimate, that not all that come of Jacob are chosen to this Inheritance, but the Excellence for Grace and Virtue, whom God peculiarly loveth, as such be stiled, Psalm 16. And appeareth, further Rom. 9. 6 11. 5. 7. For his loving Jacob, and ha∣ting Esau, Mal. 1. Rom. 9. And that these chosen ones are not only of Is∣rael, according to the flesh; but of all true Beleivers of the Gentiles, Rom. 11. The inheritance therefore here spoken, is called ours, not for any Right, that we have unto it of our selves, but only by the Grace of Election, through Christ Jesus.

God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of the Trumpet: This is spoken of Christs Ascension into Heaven, 40. days after his Resurrection, which was not without great Rejoycing a sign whereof is sounding with * 1.5 Trumpets and shouting; the Angells that sang at his Birth, now sounding with a Trumpet, as we may gather from that which is sayd, He shall so come again, as yee have seen him go up into Heaven: Compared with this, He shall come with a sound, with the sound of a Trumpet, and the voice of an Arch-An∣gell, * 1.6 and the dead shall rise: See also, Psalm. 68. is, He hath ascended up •••• high, &c. And there was something done in a figure of this, in the carrying up of the Ark from Kireathjearim, 1 Sam. 6. to Zion.

The Princes of the People are gathered together: Not only the common sort come together to serve the Lord, having his Ordinances in high Esteem, but even Princes and Nobles, in whom the supream power upon Earth it, * 1.7 to whom therefore Sheilds are ascribed in the next words, and sayd to be ther Lords, Princes by a metaphor, being so called; because they shelter their people from violence and wrong as a sheild. Calvin hath this also, but seemeth rather to prefer another Exposition by sheilds, being the Lords, * 1.8 understanding that his favour is over them all, that gather to him, as a shield, continually to protect them, and because they are many, and in ma∣ny places, and their dangers many, he sets it forth in the plurall Number, not as a shield, but shields. This I grant sutes well with, Psalm. 5. 12. But because he calleth them, The sheilds of the Earth, that belong to GOD, and before spake of Princes gathering to him, and concludeth, that he is greatly exalted hereby: I rather hold, as is most commonly, that the Prin∣ces here spoken of, and Sheilds are the same, by whose accession to the Church of God he is highly exalted amongst men on Earth as he is debased, when such stand aloof, and refuse to come in with others by obedience to his heavenly will, yea contrariwise persecure and destroy and despite his Church and People. But the greatest that do so, shall be debased; as he is true that hath sayd, Such as honour me, I will honour, but those that despise me, [Note.] shall be despised. Moreover, note here, the humility of the greatest, that * 1.9 belong to God, they disdain not now to gather together to the Lord to [Note.] the dutys of his Service with the meanest, as knowing that in Christ, the free and the bond are all one, but in times of freedom, they that imbrace the Faith, gather not together in corners, but in places of publck meeting about the worship of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 3. Hieron.
• * 1.2

  Gal. 3: 28.
• * 1.3

  Ver. 4.
• * 1.4

  Psal, 16. 4.
• * 1.5

  Ver. 5.
• * 1.6

  Act. 1. 11. 1 Thes. 4. 16.
• * 1.7

  Ver. 9.
• * 1.8

  Calvin.
• * 1.9

  1 Sam. 2. 30.