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. LXXVII.

On Jeduthun of Asaph.

TOuching Jeduthun, see before, Psal. 39. Jerome saith that these words of Asaph are not in the old Copies.

Basil will have this Psalm to be concerning the Jewes in captivity; and this * 1.1 is not improbable, because vers. 7. he saith; Will the Lord cast off for ever? but he correcteth himselfe, vers. 10. saying, This is mine infirmity, I will re∣memember the yeares of the right hand of the most high. For the Church of God was then so long in misery, that it made the Prophet, who wrote this, foreseeing it by the Spirit, to speak so, as it were through some despair: But considering that there was a time set, viz. 70. yeares; he correcteth himself, confessing it to have been his weaknesse, because the number of years when Gods people should be delivered was set, and that number they should not passe, but come at the end thereof into the favour of God againe to be de∣livered.

I cried unto God with my voice, and he gave eare unto me: Before that he * 1.2 complaineth, he beginneth with an acknowledgement, that God had in times past heard his prayers; that recounting this, he might now be the more con∣fident, and not dispaire. And it is necessary for every one of us to keepe a [Note.] remembrance likewise, of that which God hath done for us, for the further confirmation of our faith, when we are in greatest straights, and are long suf∣fered thus to lye therein. For whosoever was the Writer of this Psalme, he propoundeth himselfe as a leader to the Church of God, and every one of the faithfull being in distresse. And as Jerom noteth, he did well at such times to cry unto the Lord, whether he had lost his Goods, or his Country, or his * 1.3 Liberty, for he that crieth to the Lord, and hath him, hath all things. [Note.]

My soare ran down in the night and ceased not, my soule refused to be com∣forted, * 1.4 Hebr. For my soare, is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 My hand, and therefore by Calvin ren∣dred, My hand was poured out, or streched out, expounding it, I lifted up my * 1.5 hands unto God in prayer, not only in the day, but in the night also continu∣ally, although I found no comfort, a notable example for us to perservere in [Note.] prayer, even when we cannot prevaile for a gracious answer, but are still un∣der * 1.6 Sufferings, for at length we shall, as the Widdow with the unjust Judge.

I considered the dayes of old, I cast to remembrance my song in the night: * 1.7 That is, both the gracious dealing of the Lord with his people in delivering them out of Egypt, and what matter of praise hath in times past been mini∣stred unto me, making me to break out into singing even in the night: And hereupon I have made a diligent search, why I should now cast away hope of obtaining mercy any more, vers. 7. and finde that it is nothing but my * 1.8 owne weaknesse whereby it cometh to pass, that I thus feare a rejection for ever, vers. 10. seeing God will never be unlike to himself, full of grace and * 1.9 mercy to his people, as he hath alwayes heretofore been, vers. 11, 12, 13, &c. to the end of the Psalm.

Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary. saith Calvin, not seeing how a∣ny * 1.10 good construction can be made of these words, if it be rendred Sanctuary, read it, in sanctity, or holinesse; but this is far from the mind of the Prophet: And if by Sanctuary wee understand Heaven, the sense will be good thus; Thy way is on high, farre exceeding the reach of man, and therefore he

must be instructed from above, that would see into the reason of Gods do∣ings; or though he cannot, he must acknowledg the righteousnesse thereof; howsoever, resolving that this is the cause, for that they are so sublime. Or by the Sanctuary, understand the Sanctum Sanctorum, which was some resemblance of Heaven, as the word is used before, Psal. 73. 17. 68. 24. For as the things in heaven are hidden from our eyes, only wee see them by faith: So the things in the most holy place, none might goe in or see them upon paine of death, but the high Priest only, and that but once in a year.

Who is so great a God as our God? This is not spoken, as granting that there be more Gods, but to convince them of extream folly that worship a∣ny other god, or that submit not unto God, acknowledging the justice of his wayes, although they cannot see into the reason, sith he is so great and high, and so are his wayes, that man cannot comprehend them.

Thou hast redeemed thy people with thine arme, the sonnes of Jaacob and Jo∣seph: * 1.11 That is, out of Aegypt with a stretched-out arme, smiting the Ae∣gyptians. And this People he distinguisheth into two, Jaacob and Joseph, Ju∣dah and Israel, whose head was Ephraim, that came of Joseph, and was most populous.

The waters saw thee, the waters saw thee and feared. Here he instanceth * 1.12 in some particular most mighty acts done by God for his people, when he re∣deemed them out of bondage in Egypt: he first divided the red Sea, then the river Jordan: and the waters are said to have seen & feared by a Prosopopeia, because they did, as if they had seen God coming to passe through them with his people, and therefore gave way by dividing themselves out of feare and reverence: which is spoken for the reproof of those men that will not see to [Note.] feare so mighty a God, but by hardning themselves, incur his heavy wrath and displeasure.

The clouds powred out water, the skies sent out a sound, thine arrowes also went abroad. Heb. for Skyes is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly signifying thin things, me∣taphorically * 1.13 the Clouds: and so it is best to render it, because that from Clouds, and not from the Skyes, the Thunder cometh. It is most probable, as Calvin hath it, that the hideous tempest sent upon Egypt, when Thunder and Lightning, Haile and Raine with Fire, fell to the destruction of Come * 1.14 and Cattel, and all things in the fields, is meant.

The voyce of thy thunder was in the heaven, &c. The earth trembled and * 1.15 shooke. This is further added, to shew the greatnesse and dreadfulnesse of God the more, the thunder and lightning upon mount Sinai being meant, Exod. 20. 18. and the quaking of the mount, Ch. 19. 18.

Thy way is in the Sea, thy foot-steps are not seen. That is, the way whereby thou leadest thy people through the red Sea; which returning to the course * 1.16 again, the print of the foot-steps there made remained unseen ever after.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Basil.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 1
• * 1.3

  Hieron.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.5

  Calvin.
• * 1.6

  Luke 18.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 5. Vers. 6.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.9

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.10

  Vers. 13. Calvin.
• * 1.11

  Vers. 15.
• * 1.12

  Vers. 16.
• * 1.13

  Vers. 17.
• * 1.14

  Calvin.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 18.
• * 1.16

  Vers. 19.