understood of man as created in God's image; but since the
transgression it is peculiar to Christ, as the apostle applies it
(Hebrews 2:6), and if those who have their blood and dignity restored
by the work of redemption, which is the next part of man's
exaltation. Joseph Caryl.
Verses 5-8. Augustine having allegorized much about the
wine-presses in the title of this Psalm, upon these words, "What is
man, or the son of man," the one being called (Heb.), from
misery, the other (Heb.), the Son of Adam, or
man, saith, that by the first is meant man in the state of sin
and corruption; by the other, man regenerated by grace, yet called
the son of man because made more excellent by the change of his mind
and life, from old corruption to newness, and from an old to a new
man; whereas he that is still carnal is miserable; and then ascending
from the body to the head, Christ, he extols his glory as being set
over all things, even the angels, and heavens, and the whole world as
is elsewhere showed that he is. Ephesians 1:21. And then leaving the
highest things he descended to "sheep and oxen;" whereby we
may understand sanctified men and preachers, for to
sheep are the faithful often compared, and preachers
to oxen. 1 Corinthians 9. "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the
ox that treadeth out the corn." "The beasts of the field" set
forth the voluptuous that live at large, going in the broad
way: the fowls of the air, the lifted up by pride: "the
fishes of the sea," such as through a covetous desire of riches
pierce into the lower parts of the earth, as the fishes dive to the
bottom of the sea. And because men pass the sea again and again for
riches, he addeth, "that passeth through the way of the sea,"
and to that of diving to the bottom of the waters may be applied (1
Timothy 6:9), "They that will be rich, fall into many noisome lusts,
that drown the soul in perdition." And hereby seem to be set forth
the three things of the world of which it is said, "they that love
them, the love of the Father is not in them." "The lust of the heart"
being sensuality; "the lust of the eyes," covetousness; to which is
added, "the pride of life." Above all these Christ was set, because
without all sin; neither could any of the devil's three temptations,
which may be referred hereunto, prevail with him. And all these, as
well as "sheep and oxen," are in the church, for which it is said,
that into the ark came all manner of beasts, both clean and unclean,
and fowls; and all manner of fishes, good and bad, came into the net,
as it is in the parable. All which I have set down, as of which good
use may be made by the discreet reader. John Mayer.
Verse 6. "Thou hast put all things under his feet."
Hermodius, a nobleman born, upbraided the valiant captain Iphicrates
for that he was but a shoemaker's son. "My blood," saith Iphicrates,
"taketh beginning at me; and thy blood, at thee now taketh her
farewell;" intimating that he, not honouring his house with the glory
of his virtues, as the house had honoured him with the title of
nobility, was but as a wooden knife put into an empty sheath to fill
up the place; but for himself, he by his valorous achievements was
now beginning to be the raiser of his family. Thus, in the matter of
spirituality, he is the best gentleman that is the best Christian.
The men of Berea, who received the word with all readiness, were more
noble than those of Thessalonica. The burgesses of God's city be not
of base lineage, but truly noble; they boast not of their generation,
but their regeneration, which is far better; for, by their second
birth they are the sons of God, and the church is their mother, and
Christ their elder brother, the Holy Ghost their tutor, angels their
attendants, and all other creatures their subjects, the whole world
their inn, and heaven their home. John Spencer's "Things New and
Old."
Verse 6. "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works
of thy hands," etc. For thy help against wandering thoughts in
prayer. . . . . . labour to keep thy distance to the world, and that
sovereignty which God hath given thee over it in its profits and
pleasures, or whatever else may prove a snare to thee. While the
father and master know their place, and keep their distance, so long
children and servants will keep theirs by being dutiful and
officious; but when they forget this, the father grows fond of the
one, and the master too familiar with the other, then they begin to
lose their authority and the others to grow saucy and under no
command; bid them go, and it may be they will not stir; set them a
task, and they will bid you do it yourself. Truly, thus it fares with
the Christian; all the creatures are his servants, and so long as he
keeps his heart at a holy distance from them, and maintains his
lordship over them, not laying them to his bosom, which God hath put
"under his feet," all is well; he marches to the duties of
God's worship in a goodly order. He can be private with God, and
these not be bold to crowd in to disturb him. William
Gurnall.
Verses 7, 8. He who rules over the material world, is Lord
also of the intellectual or spiritual creation represented thereby.
The souls of the faithful, lowly and harmless, are the sheep of his
pasture; those who, like oxen, are strong to labour in the church,
and who, expounding the Word of Life, tread out the corn for the
nourishment of the people, own him for their kind and beneficent
Master; nay, tempers fierce and intractable as the beasts of the
desert, are yet subject to his will; spirits of the angelic kind,
that, like the birds of the air, traverse freely the superior region,
move at his command; and those evil ones whose habitation is in the
deep abyss, even to the great leviathan himself, all are put under
the feet of King Messiah. George Horne, D.D.
Verse 8. Every dish of fish and fowl that come to our table,
is an instance of this dominion man has over the works of God's
hands, and it is a reason of our subjection to God our chief Lord,
and to his dominion over us.
HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse 1. "O Lord, our Lord." Personal appropriation of
the Lord as ours. The privilege of holding such a portion.
"How excellent", etc. The
excellence of the name and nature of God in all places, and under all
circumstances.
Sermon or lecture upon the glory of God
in creation and providence.
"In all the earth." The universal
revelation of God in nature and its excellency.
"Thy glory above the heavens."
The incomprehensible and infinite glory of God.
"Above the heavens." The glory of
God outsoaring the intellect of angels, and the splendour of
heaven.
Verse 2. Infant piety, its possibility, potency, "strength,"
and influence, "that thou mightest still," etc.
The strength of the gospel not the
result of eloquence or wisdom in the speaker.
Great results from small causes when the
Lord ordains to work.
Great things which can be said and
claimed by babes in grace.
The stilling of the powers of evil by
the testimony of feeble believers.
The stilling of the Great Enemy by the
conquests of grace.
Verse 4. Man's insignificance. God's mindfulness of man.
Divine visits. The question, "What is man?" Each of these themes may
suffice for a discourse, or they may be handled in one sermon.
Verse 5. Man's relation to the angels.
The position Jesus assumed for our
sakes.
Manhood's crown—the glory of our nature
in the person of the Lord
Jesus.
Verses 5, 6, 7, 8. The universal providential dominion of our
Lord Jesus.
Verse 6. Man's rights and responsibilities towards the lower
animals.
Verse 6. Man's dominion over the lower animals, and how he
should exercise it.
Verse 6 ( second clause ). The proper place for all
worldly things, "under his feet."
Verse 9. The wanderer in many climes enjoying the sweetness of
his Lord's name in every condition.