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. LXXXIX.

Of Ethan the Ezrachite, it hath been spoken before in speaking of Heman, they had their name from Zarach their Father. 1 Chron. 2. 4.

THis Psalm is propheticall touching Christ the son of David, and seemeth to be grounded upon 2. Sam. 7. for the promises there made are here recounted, and God is therefore praised, V. 8:

He taketh occasion from magnifying God for his mercy in Christ, to proceed to his mighty works, in ruling the raging Sea, and subduing Aegypt, set forth under the name of Rahab, as Psalme 87. and making Hea∣ven, and Earth, and day, and night.

The North and South thou hast created: Hebrew, The North and right hand, as the South is called, because men turning their faces to the East, used to pray, and then the South was on their right hand; Thabor, a great mountain in Galilee westward, Josh. 19. 22. Hermon, another beyond Jordan, Eastward, Psal. 42. 7. so that here by the other two quarters of Heaven are meant, West and East, and because when they prayed, they tur∣ned their faces to the East; it was called, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 before, and the west Achor behind.

Lastly, He is praised for executing Justice and Judgment, which are said to be his habitation, And mercy and truth to go before him, Mercy, in Christ promising, Truth, in performing this his promise, before that he taketh men and condemneth them, as by sin they deserve.

Blessed are the people, that know the Joyfull sound: This is by some ex∣pounded of the sounding with Trumpets, used to call Assemblies to the Ta∣bernacle, over sacrifices, and in time of war to be remembred by God: But Jerom better holds it to be an allusion to the sounding and shout∣ing, at which Jericho fell down, prefiguring the falling down of Ido∣latry,

and sin, before the joyfull sound of the Gospell; and the people a∣mongst whom this was wrought are blessed: As knowing this by experience in themselves to their comfort, They shall walk in the light of thy countenance; That is, Have joy in God, as they that are in the most comfortable light of the Sun, after much dark and peircing cold weather. And from hence he prosecuteth this argument of comfort.

Vers. 16, 17, 18. They shall rejoice dayly in thy name, and in thy righte∣ousness shall be exalted. Where, by thy Name, he meaneth the name Christ, by which we Christians are called, and by thy Righteousness, Christs righte∣ousnesse, whereby we are Justified.

For the Lord is our defence, and the holy one of Israell is our King. That is, the same, that is our Righteousnesse, is our King.

Then coming to shew this from the beginning, he saith, Then spakest thou in vision to thy holy one, meaning to Samuel, an holy Prophet, when this holy one was first appointed, in his Type David, to be King, 1 Sam. 16. 12. I have layd help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people: This was not meerly David, for he was but little of stature; but Christ: although it agreeth in some sort to David also, for although he were little, yet he had strength to do great things, to kill the Lion, and the Beare, and the great Giant Goliah, and so was a mighty help to Israel, before terrified by Goliah exceedingly; and he was but as one of the common sort before, till that God had exalted him to the Kingdome. But most fully doth this agree to Christ, whose might is such, that even Devills are subdued unto him, and upon him is help layd to save eternally all such as come unto him. And his exaltation was ye•• more notable, from a Servant to be Lord, not over one, or a few King∣domes, but over all the world; as Psal. 2. Matth. 28. 18. Ephes. 1. 21. 22.

I will beat down his foes before him, and plague them that hate him: This, and Verse 22. were not verified to David, and all the Kings coming of him: For many of them through their own default were beaten down before their Enemies, and had Tribute exacted from them, and finally tha•• Kingdome vanished. But to David it was fullfilled in person, and in his Son Christ, all whose Enemies, and the enemies of his Church, have been and shall be bea∣ten down, so that finally Christians shall not be subject to exactions of Infi∣dells any more, but rule and raigne, as Revel. 20. and 1 Cor. 15. All enemies shall be put under his feet.

I will make him my first born, the most high above the Kings of the Earth.

Here the amplitude of Christs dominion is prophesied of, neither can it be applyed to David or Solomon, because that although their Dominion was extended far and wide, yet it never reached so far, as is here said that Christs should do.

If his Children shall forsake my Law: Here a case is put of Davids poste∣rity proving wicked; as indeed they did: Yet in this case he promiseth not to cast them off so; but that his Throne should still continue, although they should for this be sharply corrected. Whereby he meant, that how∣ever the Crown shall lye troaden under foot many years, as it did, after the Babylonian Captivity, yet his Kingdome should not be exitnct for ever, but flourish again under his seed Christ, that was to come, and to raigne ever∣lastingly, Esa. 9. 6. 7. Of his Kingdome there shall be no end: And so here is promised the everlasting continuance of the Gospell, and Christians, that are called, as his Brethren, so his Children, and he their everlasting Fa∣ther; Esa. 9. 6. 53. 10. They sin indeed often times, and for their sins suffer by persecuters, but shall never be rooted out, but after a while reflourish a∣gain. Of the Judgments to come upon Davids posterity for sin, and upon Christians, he next prophesieth at large, Verse 38, 39. &c. to Verse 45.

which is to be understood, as forseen by the spirit, and therefore spoken of, as if already done, although it were not fulfilled, till many yeares af∣ter. And in this afflicted estate he sheweth, how the Church should call upon God, and blesse him, in assured expectation deliverance, Verse 46, 47, 48. &c. to the end of the Psalme.

Notes

• Vers. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
• Ainsw.
• Job. 23. 8. Esa. 9 12.
• Vers. 14.
• Vers. 15. Ainsworth. Num 11. Hieron.
• Vers. 19.
• Vers. 23.
• Vers. 27.
• Vers. 30.
• Vers. 46, 47, &c.