Fervency and diligence of the Meſſhas in the proſecution of his buſineſs, who having rooted and deſtroyed the: main body of his enemies forces, purſues thoſe that fled with ſuch eagerneſs, that he will nor loſe any time in refreſhing himſelf, as might ſeem neceſ[- fary afrer ſuch Cor and hard ſervice, bur will content himſelf with drinking alittle water out of the brook which he finds in his way, that being a little refreſhed therewith, he may proceed with more vigour and efficacy in his work: And fo this place alludes to the Hiſtory of G:deens 309 men, who only leaped a little of the water 3 of whom ſee Jud. 7» Or, 2, metaphorically, to expreſs the humiliation and Paſſion ofthe Meſlias, and thereby to prevent a great miſtake which might ariſe in mens minds concerning him from rhe great ſucceſſes and viftories here aſcribed to him, which might induce them to think that the Meſſias ſhould be exempted from all ſufferings, and be crowned with conſtant and perpetual Triumphs. To confute this conceit, he intimates here, that the Meſſias, before he ſhould obtain that power and glory mentioned in the foregoing verſes, ſhould have a large portion of afflitions in the way to it, or whilſt he was in the way or courſe of his life, before he came to his end orreſt, and ro that honour of ſitting at his tathers right hand. Waters in Scripture do very frequently __ afflictions or ſufferings, as Pſal: 42, 7, &c: To arink of them ſignifies to feel or bear them, as /ſa. 51: 17. Jer. 25+ 15. and 49. 12+ Mat: 20. 22. and in this caſe it may note Chriſts willing ſubmiſſion to thems A 6rook or river of water is oft uſed jn Scrip- ture to expre's a great abundance either of comforts, as Pſal: 36.8. or of tribulations, as Pſal; 18: 4. and 124+ 4.. and therefore may be more fitly uſed in this place than a cp, by which the afflitions of other men are commonly expreſſed, to intimate that the ſuffer- ings of the Meſſiah were unſpeakably more and heavier than the ſufferings of other men, and thar he ſhould drink up not a ſmall cup, butthe whole river or Sea of his Fathers wrath due to our ſins þWhich word may note either the effe& or the conſequent of his ſufferings. 2 7.2. Shall be delivered from all his Sorrows and ſufferings, and exalted ro great glory and joy and felicity, as this phraſe uſually ſignifies, as Pſal. 3. 4- and 27. 6. Jer. 52. 31. and oft elſewhere ; as on the contrary, to hang down the Head is a ſigni» fication of great gricf and ſhame, as Lament. 2. 30,
PSALM S.
PS AL GAL The ARGUMENT. Z Hh excellency of this Pſalm appears, as from other things, ſo
from the Pialmiſts care to Gigeſt the ſeveral parcels of it into
an exact order according to the order of the letters of the Hebrew Alphaber, thar ir might be better fixed in the memories of thoſe who read it, Ir is a ſhort yet full commemoration of Gods works: The Pſalmif by his own Example exhorteth all men to Praiſe God, 1. re« hearſeth his glorious and wonderful works, 2 4+ his keeping Cove nans with them that fear him, 5 9. wheſe fear is the begin= ning of wiſdom, 10. ys ary ye the LORD. TI will praiſe the LORD «+
with my whole heart, in the afſembly of the up. right a, and z» the congregation, s Of the ſincere worſhippers of God, of the Iſrael of God, ag this very word is explained, Num: 23: 10. where they who are cal. led Iſrael in one clauſe, are called righteous or upright in the next. And this title he gives to the Aſſembly orCongregation of 1ſ-aelires, partly becauſe many of them were ſuch,and he was obliged in cha- rity to judge all of them to be ſo, of whom he had no evidence to
the contrary; partly becauſe upright perſons do moſt exerciſe and
delight themſelves in this duty of praiſing God ; and hypocrites, though ſometim>s they gave themſelves to prayer, yet are very apt to negle& the duty of thankſgiving; partly becauſe this*dury of prarſe 25 molt comely for the upright, Pſal. 33. 1. and partly becaufe Davids heart was moſt united to rhe ſincere Jaelites, and his de- fire was, as far as he could, to aſſociate himſelf with ſuch in the worſhip and ſervice of God.
2 The works of the LORD 6b are greatc, ſought out d of all them that have pleaſure therein e.
b Either, ' 1, The works of Creation : or rather, 2- The works of his Providence in the World,and eſpecially in and for his Church and people ; of which he ſpeaks in the reſt of the Palm. «© For the++ inire power and wiſdom and goodneſs manifeſted in them. a Highly valued and regarded, as this very word and phraſe is uſed Deut: 11: 12, Iſa; 62: 12, Or frequently called to mind, and dili- gently meditated upon, when others either never regarded them, or inſtantly forget them : or found out, as this word is taken, I/a: 65. 1- the antecedent being pur for the conſequent, which is fre- quent 1n Scripture, as Rom: 12; 2+ where proving or trying ( for ſa the Greek word there ſignifies) is put for approving, which follows afterit. And, found out, ( 5. e: ) truly and throughly underſtood, both as to the nature of them,and Gods counſels and ends in them; whereas the works of God are oft-times not apprehended or mind-= ed, orare miſtaken and miſconſtrued, by ungodly men, e Of all them who take delight in obſerving and conſidering the works of
God. ; = work f is * honourable and righteouſneſs hb endureth for ever 3. F Either all his works, of which ſee the Note on wv. 2. or that eminent branch ofthoſe works, his providence towards his people, as 1t 1s expreſſed afrerwards. g Becoming the Divine Majeity,and bringing glory to him from all that obſerve and conſider it. þ His Juſtice or faithfulneſs in performing his word. i Hath always been and will ſtill be evident to his people in all generations and in all conditions, even when he afflits them, and ſcems to deal moſt ſeverely, and to break his promiſe with them. 4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembr-
ed k: the LORD 3s gracious and full of compaſiion 7.
_& Either, 1. by theſe memorials which he hath left of them in his word; Or rather,2.by their own wonderful nature,and the laſt- ing effetts and benefits flowing from them,which are ſuch as can«- not caſily be forgotten. 1 Towards his people, as appears from his works and carriage towards us, in ſparing and pardoning and reſtoring and preſerving us when we have deſerved to be utterly deſtroyed.
5 He hath given * meat »» unto them that fear himn: ,
he will ever be » mindful of his covenant 0.