% This ſeems to be a Prolepſis, or removal of an Obje&ion ; You will ſay, what is the caule of this Imperious Call ? and why, or for whom muſt thoſe Gates be opened, in ſo folemn and extra- ordinary a manner? x This contains an antwer to the Queſtion, He is no ordinary perſon, no meaner, and no other than Je-ovah, who hath given ſo many proofs of his Almightineſs, who hath ſubdued all his Enemies, and isnow returned in Triumph. Here is in this, and the foregoing Verſe, a ſacred Dialogue between ſeveral per- fons. And ſome ſuppoſe that the ſacred Muſicians, which atren- ded upon the ſervice of the Ark and Tabernacle, and were doubt- Jeſs employed in this Solemnity, 2 Sam 6. 5+ were divided into ar Quires, whereof one ſpake the former, and the other the latter Verſe.
ESSX C MS.
PSATL. XXV. The ARGUMENT,
His Pſalm ſeems to have been compoſed, when David was un. der ſome ſtraits and preſſures, when his outward affli- Qions were accompanied with inward horrors of Conſcience for his ſins, by which he had forfeited Gods fayour, and procured theſe Calamitics to himſelf, David being diſtreſſed by his Enemies, taketh his refuge in God, 1 — 6, prayeth for the remiſſion of tha Sins of his Youth, 79. He ſheweth the Goodneſs of the Lerd to the meek, to ſuch as keep his Covenant, ts ſuch as fear him, 8 IS» He prayeth for help in affiitien 16 18. and againſt bis Enemies, 19--=-21. and i0 redeem bis Church from trouble, 22. ?
| A Pſalm of David. Nto thee, O LORD, do I {oul a. a i.e, ] dire& my deſires and prayers, ( which are expreſſed by this phraſe, Pſa. 24+ 4. Jer. 22, 27. Lament. 3- 41. ) with —_ or expectation of a gracious Anſwer, which alſo it implies, eu. 24. b5. : # 2 O my God, I* truſt in thee, lee me not be afha- _ omg 5,
med 56 : let not mine enemies triumph over me. & 34. x 6 3. e. Diſappointed of my Hope, which will be reproachful to pf, :g_ , me, not without Reflection upon thee, of whoſe power and Faith- Rom, 16:
fulneſs I have made my boaſt. 11, 2 Yea, let none that wait on thee be aſhamed c ; let them be aſhamed 4 which tranſgreſs e* without a cauſe f. *Plal.119, c With me and for me : For if I be fruſtrated. all that truſt in 75S: thee will be diſcouraged, and upbraided with my Example. 4 Blaſt cheir wicked defigns and hopes. e Or, prevaricate, or dealperfi- aouſly with me, violating their Faith given tro me. f withour any provocation of mine, or without any tufficient Reaſon. 4 * Shew me thy waysg, O LORD, teach me thy paths. —__*"Pfal.58, g i. ee The way of thy Precepts, what I ought to do in my & 27. 11: Circumſtances and difficulties ; by what Methods I may obtain & 86. 11, thy Favour and help. Wharfoever thou doſt with me as to o> &119- 27- ther things, grant me this Favour, teach me my Duty, and cauſe & 143. bs me to keep cloſe to it, notwithſtanding all temptations to the con» '* trary, 5 * Lead me in thy truth b, and teach me: for thou ars yp, ,,, the God of my ſalvation 5,0n thee do I wait all the day, ** *7 þ 3. e In the true and right way preſcribed in thy Word, which is oft called Truth, as Pſa. 119. 30, John 8. 45, 46. and 16: 13. &c, Or, by or becauſe of thyTruth, i. e. Becauſe thou art faithful, do thou lead or guide me as thou haſt promſed to do» #7 i.e. Who haſt ſaved me formecly, and haſt engaged to fave me, and from whom alone I expect Salvation.
6 Remember, O LORD, * + thy tender mercies,and xp, ,. thy loving kindneiles &,for they have been ever of old 7. : &
k O conſider thy own merciful Nature, and thy former manifold & 106, i, Favours vouchſafed to me, and to other miſerable Sinners, and do & 109, 1, like thy ſelf, 7 Thou haſt been gracious to ſuch as I am, from the Jer.3 3.11, beginning of the World to this day, and to me in particular from + Heb. thy my very Infancy, ashe oft acknowledgeth in this Book; yea, from bowels, * all Eternity thou haſt had a good will to me, and therefore, do | not now deſiſt and deſert me.
7 Remember not w * the ſins of my youth », nor * Jeb, :a/ my trauſgreflions s :: according to thy mercy remember chou me, for thy goodneſs fake p, O LORD.
m So as to lay them to my Charge, nu The Sins committed in my young, and tender years, Eccle/, 11. 9,to+ which God frequent- ly puniſheth 1n riper Age. Job, 1326. Jer. 3. 25. and therefore he now prays that God would not deal ſo with him. o nor any of my ſucceeding or other ſins, which either have been acted by me, or may be imputed to me. p Being a ſinner I have nothing ro plead for my ſelf, but thy free Mercy and Goodneſs, which I now im- plore.
8 Good q and upright # is the LORD: will he teach ſinners in the way 5.
q i. e. Bountiful and gracious to Sinners, ready to do good, and delighting in it. r Or, Right, . i. 6 Holy and true, fincere in making promiſes, and in all his Declarations and Offers of Merey to Sinners, and faithful infulfilling ther. s Being ſuch an one, he will not be wanting to ſuch poor Sinners as I am, but will guide them by his word and Spirit, and gracious providence, into the way of Life and peace» By Sinners he doth not underſtand all that are 105 nor ſuch as are obſtinate and proudgand ſcornful, whom God hath declared, that he will not teach nor direct, but will leave them-to the Errors and luſts of their own Hearts, and will blind and harden them to their Ruine, asis often expreſſed in Scripture ; but only ſuch as being truely ſenſible of their Sins, do humbly and earneſtly ſeeck God for his Grace and Mercy, or ſuch as are Meek, as the next Verſe explains it ; for theſe he will nor fail ro affiſt and relieve. | 9 The meck # will he | guidein judgment « : and + cb? the meek will he teach his way x, cauſe 1030+ # 7. e. The humbleand lowly, ſuch as meekly ſubmit themſelves to Gods hand and word, and are willing and deſireous to be dire- cted and governed by him. «7, e. In the paths of Judgment, or in the right way wherein they ſhould walk, as the next Clauſe ex-
” therefore
9 Life upyour heads, O ye gates, even lift them up,ye pr this; or by the Rule of his word, which is oft called his
everlaſting doors, and the King of glory ſhall come in y. The ſame verſe is repeaced again, partly to ſhame and awa-
Ken the dulneſs of Mankind, who are ſo hardly brought to a ſeri- ous Preparation for ſuch Solemnirties 3 and part)y to ſignifie the great worth and importance of the Matter contained under theſc | expreſſions. .