A tong of degrec:s. | The Church celebrating and praiſing God for her return out of the Baby« lonian Captivity, 4 3. Prayeth to perfe# his work, and farerelleth the good ſucceſs ther-of. 4 — 6. Hen the LORD + turn<d again the captivity
THeb. r:- of Zion a, we were like them that dream þ. urns the 2 i, e. Brought the Captive Iſraelites out of Basylon into their rHurning. own land 6 We were fo ſurpriſed and aſtoniſhed with the report
Zion, offuch a favour, that we could not beiieve our own eyes and ears, but thougat it to be put a dream or deiuſion of our own fancies: as is uſual in matters of great joy, as Gen, 45. 26. Luke 24.11. As! 12:9. : |
_ 2 Then* was our mouth filled with laughter,and our wet tongue with ſinging : then ſaid they among the heathen,
9008! The LORD ft hath done great things for them c#
? c They did ard well might wonder at it, that an Heathen Em- fHeb.bazy PEror fhould of his own meer motion ſhew ſo much kindneſs toſo magnifies hateful and deſpicable a people as the Jews were. .
» 4w;i-h 3 The LORD hath done great things for us, whereof
_ we are glad. : | |
$.-33.3- 4 Turn again our captivity 'd, O LORD, as the
"13: 5: ſtreams of the ſouth e.
d As thou haſt brought us home, bring home alſo the reſt of our brethren wo are diſpericd and yet remain captives in Babylon, or in any other parts of the world. e As thou art pleaſed ſometimes to ſend floods of water into dry and barren grounds, ſuch as the
: all theſe bleſſings; and partly
m Which he mentions here, oy becauſe they are the chief of
ecauſe all the fore-mentioned toil and Jabour is in a great meaſure and moſt commonly undertaken for their ſakes. » They come not from the power of Nature. and fr:-m a mans converſation with his wife, or with a mulritude of Wives or Concubines,. which Solomon had, but only from Gods, bleſſing. ;even as an inheritance is n-tthe fruit of a Mans own la- bour, but the gift of his Father, or rather the gift of God, both enabling ahd inclining his Father to give it to him. o Nor are- ward of debt merited by good men, bur a reward of grace,of which We read Rom: 4. 4+ which God gives them graczouſly, as Jacob ace knowledgeth of his Children, Gen: 35. 5. And although God give Children and other outward Comforts to ungodly men in the way of common providence, yet he gives them only to his people as favours, and in the way of promiſe and covenant.
4 As arrows are itt the hand of a mighty man #4 ſo
are children of the youth 9: | | |
Fl When they are ſhot eut of a bow by a man of great ſtrength againſt his enemy,which are of great uſe and power both to offend the enemy, and to defend himſelf. q Children begotten in youth as an Husband or Wife married in their youth are called an hucband or wife of youth, Prov. 5. 18. Iſa. 43. 6. Joel 1. 8. and as a ſon Be« gotten in old age is called - Jon of old age, Gen. 37. 3. And theſe he prefers before other Children in this point, partly becauſe ſuch are commonly more ftrong and vigorous than others: and partly be- cauſe they live longeſt with their parents, and to their comfort. and ſupport, whereas Children born in old age ſeldom come to any maturity of years before their parents death.
> hs
4 OTF.
vain Þ that build itc: except the LORD keep HHeb.th | are builds
b i: e: Aſſiſt and bleſs thoſe that build the houſe, either 2n artifi- ®* of it |
vm AIC EARN WO 5
[| Or, ce rainy. ” Zec.11;
wy
Cott vt UTE FIT CIS POE PT Av. .-
£0 : *Deu: 28 4+
Sothern parts uf Canaan and the parts adjacent were: which is an . | eat So. ad |
att of thy great power and goodne1s; and no leſs will this reduct- 5 Happen that T att his oy_—_ __ oFchews tH b path 10n of thy people be, and no lels thall we rejoyce in it, and bleſs] 7 + they (hal nor be albamed s, but they [| ſhall ſpeak 11 - Pr God for it. with the enemies in the gate #. [.-- wot a
r Who hath a riumerous iſſue; which as itis a great bleſſing in it ;3,y {-1f, ſo Solomons want of it made it more valuable in his eyes.” 5 Q ſhall Such Parents fear not the reproach of barrenneſs, which wag ſubdue & grievous; eſpecially among the Jews ; of which ſee Luke 1. 25. ,g nor any other ſhame from tneir enemies. * They ſhall couragh- or drflrep ouſly plead their cauſe in courts of Judicature, which were in rhe is 5D 3 gares,
* They that ſow in tears ſhall reap in || joy f.
. f This is an Argument wherewith he prefſech the foregoing prayer, v. 4: taken from the common courle of Gods Providence, towards men of all Nations, to whom he affords viciflirudes of ſorrow and comfort, and particularly rowards husbandmen, who though oft-times they fow their ſeed corn With care and fear and
* See Jer. 31. 9, &c., Or, ſing. *
| }
A
I. CXXVIIL, CXXIX. P $
gates, Deut. 21.19. and 25+ 7. not fearing to. be cruſhed by the | might of their adverſaries, a5 weak and helpleſs perſons frequently
are, PS AL, CXXVIIL The ARGUME NI. His Pſalm contains a deſcription of the bleſſedneſs of good men.
A Song of degrees.
if be Pſalmift ſheweth the happy fate of ſuch as fear God ; in his Labour, T.
| gotr ofa Children, 3. He 5halls alſo ſee the good of Jeruſalem, and peace upon Iſrael, 4 6.
| os is every one that feareth the LORD ; that
walketh in his ways. 2 * For thou ſhalt eat the labours of thine hands # *
happy ſalt thou be, and zt ſhall be well with thee 6.
a Thy labour ſhall not be vain and fruitleſs, and the fruit of thy 1abours ſhal not be taken away from thee,and poſlefſed by others,as God threatned to the diſobedient, Deut: 28, but enjoyed by thy ſelf with comfort and fatisfation. 6b Both in this world and in. the World to come, as even the Chaldee Paraphraſt explains theſc Words.
2 Thy wife ſhall be as a fruitful vine c by the ſides of thine houſe 4; thy children like olive plants e round about thy table f.
c Like the Vine for fruitfulneſs : Or, like that ſort of Vines known by this name for its eminent fruitfulneſs, as ſome Trees a- mongſt us are for the ſame reaſon called the grear bearers, d Where the Vines are commonly planted for ſupport andother advantages. Which being applied to the wife,may ſignifie either, 1. the Wives duty to abide at home, Tit: 2. 5. as the Harlor is deciphered by her gadding abroad, Prov: 7.21, 12. Or rather, 2. thelegitimateneſs of the children, which are begotten at home by the Husband, and not abroad by ſtrangers. e Numerous, growing and flourithing, good both for ornament and manifold uſes, as Olive trees arc. / Where they ſhall fit at meat with thee, for thy comfort and