6, 23, Oc. Joel 2, 179, + Who uſed frequently and ſulemnly to intercede with God on the behalf of the people. So the general expreſſion is here uſed ſynecdochically for this particular kind of prayer : ſuch Synecdoche's being very frequent in Scripture. « M'fesr, Exod. 32 and ellewhere; Aaron, Numb. 16. Samuel, 1 Sam. 7: 9. and r2. 19. Compare Jer. 15. Is
7 He1pakeunmochem xin the cloudy pillar: they kept his reſtimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them y.
x i e. To ſome of them ; for the expreHon is only indefinite,
and thereforedoth nor neceflarily reach to all of them ; to Mſes fre |
quently 5 to Aaron, Ex:d4 19, 24. and 33+ 9, 10, If. Numb. 12. 5. And for Sew, he anſwered him if not by words yet really and by his Actions, thundering againſt the Philiitios, x Sam. 7. 9, &c. which ſuppoicth a Cloud, if not a Cloudy pillar. y Thisis added, not only tor their commendation,bur for the Inftruttion of the 1- fraclires ; to reach them that God will not hear the Prayersof them
Who do nor keep his Commandments. . 3 Thou aniweredit them z, O LORD our God:
theu waſt a God that forgaveit them &@, though chou
tookzit vengeance of their j11vecirions 6, | to wit, in the performance of that promiſe to me,
» 8: £ LM a
.
z The Interceſſours before mentioned. # Either 1. Moſes and Aaron, who did ſin, and whoſe Sins God did pardon, yet fo that he did puniſh them with excluſion from the land of Canaan ; of which ſce Numb 20, 12. Deut 32+ 50, 51+ Or rather, ' 2+ the people for whom they prayed; which though not exprefled, may be ealily un« derſtood from the following werds, and from the Hiſtories to which ' theſe words relate. for this forgiving was evidently the effect of Gods anſwering the Prayers of the perſons above mentioned. And therefore as their Prayers recorded in Scripture were not for the pardon of their own ſins, but for the pardon of the peoples ſins, ſo this forgiveneſs granted, was for the ſins of the people; And whereas the people ate not here mentioned ; it muſt be remembred, that in Scripture the Relative is frequently put without the Ante» cedent, as it is Namb, 7. 89, and 114. 2. Prov: 14. 26. b This clauſe limits and explains the former, Thou didſc forgive the fins ; Of the people not abſolutely and univerſally, for thou didſt puniſh them ſeverely, bur ſo far as not to inflict that total and final de= ſtruction upon them which they deſerved, and thou. hadſt threat« ned. See Exod. 32. 10, 14, 34-
9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worſhip at his holy
hill c : for the LORD our God is holy. c Either in Zioz ; or in his Church typified by it, and oft called
Zion, FS AL 0G
Tie ARGUMENT. | His Pſalm ſeems to have been compoſed for the uſe of the Iſraelites in their thank-offerings, or upon other ſolemn oc- cations of praiſing God, as the title ſpeaks 3 but withal ic hath a further proſpect even to the days of the Meſſiah, as ſome of rhe Hebrew Doctors acknowledge, and to the calling of the Gentiles whom he invites to join with them in the praiſes of Ged their
Lord and maker, A
' A Pſalm of || praiſe. . fond
n Exhortation to praiſe God joyſully, 1, 2, for his greatneſs, power, 3, thankſgie 4+ goodneſs, and faithfulneſs to his Church, 5. | ViNg.
MA a joyful noiſe 4 unto the LORD þÞ all ye + Heb. 4
lands 5. | G # Partly with Voices and Songs of rejoicing and thankſgiving ; _ and partly with Muſical Inſtruments as the manner then was. 6 All the Inhabirants of the Farth. Or, a# the land, z, e. all the people of Iſrael dwelling in this Land. Although his invitation ſeems to be more general, extending alſo to the Gentiles, of whom many, even in thoſe days joined themſelves to the Church of God.
2 Serve the LORD with gladnefs ; come before his preſence with ſinging,
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God ; it is he that , | hath made us c, || and not we our ſelves 4 ; * we arehis || Or, #
people, and the ſheep of his pafture. ny _ | c Both by Creation, and by Adoption and Regeneration, where- E 24 by he made us his People, which alſo is called a creation or making, "7. 3 as Deut» 32. 6: Iſa 29. 23. and 43. 7. Eph, 2. 10. d Therefore 3%» 37+ we owe him homage and ſervice, and him only and not other gods who made us not. FA FE arp 4 Enter into his gates d with ' thankſgiving, and into
his courts with praiſe: be thankful unto him, and bleſs
his name. ; 4 The Gates of his Courts; for the people might enter no fur. ther, and the Courts had walls and Gates as well as the Houſe.
5 For the LORD zs good; his mercy #s everlaſting: and his cruth endureth F to all generations.
F3A LL. CI. generation The AR GU ME NT. and gener : [ \His Pſalm was compoſed by David between times of God's 750 promiſing the Kingdom to him and his actual and plenary poſleſsion of it, as appe th from wv. 2, and from the contex- ture of the Pſalm, wherem he ſpeaks not of his preſent practice, bur of his purpoſe for the future, and ſolemnly declares his Refo= lution, and obligeth himſelf to theſe things, when he ſhall be in a Capacity to pur them in Executions _ A Pſalm of David. | David maketh a wow to praiſe the Lord, x. to walk pirfefFly for an Ex» ample, 2. to deſtroy all the wicked, 3-='=5y and io delight in the faithful of the Land, 6--=-8, ; | Will ſing of Mercy and judgment a: unto thee, O [| LORD, will I ſing.
s Either, 1. of God towards me ; of Gods mercy towards me, and of his juſt judgments upon mine Enemies, Or 2 of mine to- ' wards my people, I will in my Song declare my obligation and | full purpoſe to execute mercy and judgment in my Dominion ; which are the two Pillars of Government ; of which he ſpeaks in the following Verſes. Interpreters are much divided which to chuſee Poſsibly both may be joined together: and the, Senſe may be this, I will praiſe thee O Lord, as for all thy o: her excellencies, ſo particularly for thoſe two Royal Perfections of Mercy and Juſtice or Judzment, which thou haſt ſo eminently diſcovered in the Go- vernment of rhe World, and of thy people I/r22!; and I will make it my care and buſineſs to imitate and follow thee as in other things, ſo eſpecially in thoſe vertues which are ſo neceſſary for the diſcharge oft my truſt, and the good Government of thy and my people. : - | | ; 2 I will behavemy ſelf wifely inaperfe& way b; O- when wilt thou comeunto me c! I will walk within my