afety. |
4 Behold, that thus ſhall the man be bleſſed, that fear.
eth the LORD- 5 The LORD ſhal bleſs thee out of Ziong : and thou ſhalt ſce:the good of Jeruſalem & all the days of thy life.
g From the Ark in Zion, and with thoſe Spiritual and everlaſt- ing Bleffings which are to be kad no where but in Zion, and from the God whodwelleth in Zion, and with all other mercies which thou ſhalt ask of God in Zio. h The proſperity of that City to which thou belongeſt, and which is the only ſear of Gods ſpecial preſence and of his Worſhip, whoſe felicity therefore is very de- lightful to every good man, and upon whoſe peace the peace and ſafety of every member of it depends, as every Seaman is concern= ed in the ſafety of the Ship, in which he is. :
6 Yea, thou ſhalt lee thy childrens children, and
Pſ.125.5 peace upon Iſrael z.
| a, }J.1O-
£ Not only upon Jerzsſalem and the parts adjacent, but upon all
the Tribes and people of 1/racl.
P $S At L.- CXXITIX.
The ARGUMENT , | \ His Pſalm contains a joyful and thankful remembrance of the Curches former and. manifold calamities from barbarous ene-
mies, and of Gods wonderful mercy in delivering them out of their hands.
A ſong of degrees.
The various and manifold afflitions of the Church deſcribed, but delive- red cut of all, 1 4: The haters thereof curſed and devoted to Judge ment, 5 8. 2
Any a time have they afflited me from my
youth b, may * Iſrael now ſay.
a Mine enemies or oppreſſors; which is eaſily underſtood both from the nature of the thing, and from v. 3- where they are ex- preſſed under the name of plowers, b From the time that I was a -people, when I was in Ezyp? and came out of it, which is called the time of Iſraeli youth, Fer. 2. 2: Ezck. AL 3
2 Many a time bave they aflited me frommy youth: yet they have not prevailed againſt me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back e : they made long their furrows 4d.
c They have not only thrown me down and trod me under foot, but have cruelly tormented me, wounded and mangled me, and had no more pity upon me than the plowman hath-upon the earth which he cuts up at his pleaſure. He ſaith, »pou my back, either
| becauſe they did literally ſcourge the Captives upon their backs
' with ſuch cords as are mentioned wv. 4. although we do not read that the Ifraelitiſh Captives were thus uſed by any of their enemies; .or by way of alluſion to that uſage, which made a ſort of furrows In their backs upon which they uſed tolay on their ſtrokes. 4 They ofc repeated their injuries and prolonged my torments. 4 The LORD z5 righteons ez he hath cut aſunder the * cords f of the wicked.
*pr...., © Faithful or merciful, as that word is frequently uſed.f Where- "P1499 with the plow was drawn; by which bad wh they God ſtopped in their courſe, So he. perliſts in the ſame Metaphor ofa plough.By
theſe cords he underſtands all their plots and endeavours. 5 Let them all be confounded and turned backs that
hate Zion.
g Forced to retreat with ſhame and diſappointment. 6Terchem be as the graſs upon che houſe-tops þ. which withereth afore it groweth up 4.
þ Which there were flar, and therefore more capable of Graſs or o_ Corn growing between the ſtones, than ours are. i Which
aving no deep roor,never comes to maturity. And ſo all their de- figns thall be abortive, and never come to perfeRion.
JOr,much. *Pl124.5.
| 1s good ground of hope for all contrite and. returning ſinners.
137 Pſal. CXXX, CEXNE-
7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his band ; nor he that bindeth ſheaves, his boſom. a
8 Neither do they which go by ſay, The bleſfing of the LORD beupon youk: we bleſs you in the name of the LORD.
k Which was an uſual ſalutation given by paſſengers to reapers, as Ruth 2:4. So the meaning is, It never continues till the karveſt
Comes. P S-A L. CXXX. The ARGUME NT. £ hem Pſalm was campoſed by the Prophet when he was confliQ. ing with horrors of his Conſcience for the guilt of his Sins, and imploring Gods mercy and Pardon. A ſong of degrees. The Pſalmiſt being troubled for, and acknowledging his Sins profeſſth his kepe in God, 1 6, and exhorteth [rac] to hope alſo in him, 7, 8; OT * of the depths &@ have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
Being overwhelmed with deep diſtrefſes and terrors and ready to deſpair.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentiveto the voice of my ſupplications.
3 * It thou, LORD, ſhouldeſt mark iniquities bs, O LORD, who ſhall ſtand c ?
6 Obſerve them accurately, and puniſh them ſeverly, as they de- ſerve. c In thy preſence, or at thy Tribunal. No man can acquit himſelf or eſcape the ſentence of condemnation, becauſe all men are ſinners, Eccleſ. 7, 20. Jam: 3: 2. To ſtand is a judicial phraſe,and notes a mans being abſolved or juititied upon an equal tryal, as Pſal: 1. 5+ Rom; 14. 4: Where it 1s oppoſed to falling.
4 But there 3s forgiveneſs with thee d,that thou maveſt be feared e.
d Thou art able and ready to forgive repenting ſinners. e Not with a flaviſh, but with a Child-like fear and reverence. his Grace and Mercy of thine 1s the foundation of all Religion and Worſhip of thee in. the World, without which men would deſpe- rately proceed on in their 1impious courſes without any thought of Repentance.
5 1* wait for the LORD f; my foul doth wait, and
in his word g doT hope. *P(27.ig F T hat he would manifeſt his favour to me in the pardon of my & 40. 1,
ſins. g Whercin he hath declared his merciful nature, Exod 34. 6,
7 and his gracious purpoſe and promiles for the pardoning of
ſinners.
6 My ſoul waiteth for the LORD, more than they that wait forthe morning þ: || I ſay more than they that watch for the morning. [[Or,whic
h Whether Souldiers that keep the night-watches in an Army Tt un or City, or the Prieſts or Levites who did ſo in the Temple; who ##* mm being wearied with hard ſervice and want of convenient reſt, dili« $- gently look for and fervently deſire the morning when they may be ditcharged. Compare P/al, 119. 148.
7 Ler Iſrael ; hope in the LORD : for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him 5s plenteous re- demption &.
z Every true Ifraclite by the encouragement of mine example: k Abundantly wufficient tor all perſons who ſhall accept it upon Gous terms, and for the remiſſion ofall his ſins; and therefore here
*Lam, 3, FFo Jon. 2.2,
FPC.143-2
8 And he ſhali redeem / Iſrael zz from all his iniqui- ties ». 4