4. I will make mention &c.] The accession of the nations to the Church is generally supposed to be here predicted. God declares by his Prophet, "I will make mention of," or cause to be remembered, "Egypt and Babylon," the old enemies of Israel, "to" or "among them that know me," that is, in the number of my worshippers; "behold, also, Philistia and Tyre, with Arabia;" these are become mine; "this," or each of these, "is born there," that is, in the city of God; they are become children of God, and citizens of Zion. Bp. Horne. — Rahab] Meaning Egypt. The Hebrew word HIS foundation is in the holy mountains. 13. — the lowest hell.] Extreme dangers; the grave. Dr. Wells, Green. This prayer should excite those who are in affliction and distress to call upon God for help with profound humility, and firm confidence in his mercy and power; beseeching Him not only to deliver them from the evil which press sore upon them, but, above all, to give them grace to please and obey Him. We ought likewise in our troubles to meditate upon God's infinite goodness, and consider that "he is full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." This will support us under all our trials, fill us with joy and consolation, and afford us, even in the midst of trouble, reason to praise and bless Him. Ostervold. Psalm LXXXVII. This Psalm contains a brief comparison, first, between Zion, the place of God's worship, and all Judea besides; and then between it and all heathen countries. Dr. Hammond. Ver. 1. His foundation &c.] That is, Zion is of God's founding. See Isa. xiv. 32; and Psalm cxxxii. 13. Dr. Chandler. 6. The Lord shall count, &c.] In the Book of Life, that register of heaven, kept by God Himself, our names are entered, not as born of flesh and blood by the will of man, but as born of water and the Spirit by the will of God; of each person it is written "that he was born there," in the church and city of God. Bp. Horne. 7. — all my springs &c.] And the burden of the song, thus joyfully sung in praise of Zion, was to be this; "All my springs," or fountains, "are in thee." In thee, O Zion, is the fountain of salvation, and from thee are derived all those springs of grace which flow by the Divine appointment, while the world lasts, for the purification and refreshment of mankind upon earth. Bp. Horne. If "the Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob," so should we. For the prosperity, therefore of the Church, we and all the world ought to pray. And while we pray for the Church with our lips, let it be our unfeigned endeavour to adorn her by our lives. So shall we make the proper return for the mercies we have received; so shall we draw down more and more of the Divine favour continually upon our king, our country, and ourselves; so shall we convince the world of this great and important truth, that the Christian is the loyal subject, and the Churchman the true patriot. Bp. Horne. Psalm LXXXVIII. This Psalm is a continued detail of melancholy complaints, on account of some grievous G 2 — Mahalath] See the note to the title of Psalm liii. — Leannoth.] This word means "interchangeably." Dr. Wells. Or, according to others, "to create dejections," to raise a pensive gloom or melancholy in the mind. Mudge. — the Ezrahite.] That is, a descendant of Zerah the son of Judah. Dr. Wells. Ver. 5. Free among the dead.] That is, set at liberty, or dismissed from the world, and separated from all communication with its affairs, as dead bodies are. Bp. Horne. This alludes to the separation of lepers, who were as much removed from all society as if they were really dead. Fenton. — whom thou rememberest &c.] That is, "whom Thou rememberest no more as living objects of Providence upon earth;" in this sense, they are "cut off from God's hand," which held and supported them in life. Bp. Horne. Ver. 2. — Mercy shall be built up &c.] That is, God's mercy, and his regard to the truth of his promises, are as fixed and unchangeable as the very heavens themselves. Travell, Bp. Patrick. 3. I have made a covenant &c.] This covenant God made with David by the Prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. vii. 12, &c. The covenant relates to David's "seed," and to the "establishment of his throne," in that seed; literally, in Solomon, for a time; spiritually, in Christ, for ever. Bp. Horne. 6. Thou hast laid me &c.] Thou hast thrust me down into a deep and dark dungeon, which I can compare to nothing but a grave. Bp. Patrick. 6. — the sons of the mighty] The mighty angels. Bp. Wilson. 8. — or to thy faithfulness &c.] Or whose faithfulness is equal to thine? Green. 10. — shall the dead &c.] Shall the dead arise out of their graves, and live here among men and celebrate thy praises? Bp. Hall. 12. — in the land of forgetfulness? In the grave, where all things are forgotten? Bp. Wilson. 10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces.] Thou hast overthrown the proud Egyptian in the Red sea. Bp. Hall. 12. — Tabor and Hermon. These mountains, the first lying on the west, and the second on the east of Judea, are here put for the eastern and western parts of the world. Green. 13. — prevent thee.] Come before Thee. Bp. Wilson, Old Translation. 15. Blessed is the people &c.] Blessed are the people, whose ears are inured to the cheerful sound of the sacred trumpets of God in their solemn feasts and sacrifices. Bp. Hall. 16. — thy terrors have cut me off.] Have overwhelmed me. Bp. Patrick. As the comforts which true religion affords are the only sure support against the evils and calamities of the world, to which every condition of life is more or less exposed; so the terrours of religion, being very grievous in themselves, exclusive of these comforts, add weight to all our miseries, and are a burden too heavy for a man to sustain. But surely there is something monstrous in such terrours! They come not from religion by natural birth: for it is much easier to believe that all we see is chance and fortune, and religion itself a vain thing, than to believe that an all-wise and all-powerful Being has formed us to be miserable. And yet, in fact, this is often the case; we see many rendered unhappy by such fears and jealousies: and of all the fears incident to man these are the most fearful, and give us the quickest sense of misery; they are what the Psalmist has here described them to be, "distraction." Bp. Sherlock. Psalm LXXXIX. Ethan, speaking in the person of his prince, describes his reliance on the faithfulness of God to fulfil his covenant with David, and on the power of God to perform wonders for the deliverance of his people. He then represents, that, notwithstanding his The psalmist praiseth God for his favour to the kingdom of David. trary events, 46 he expostulateth, prayeth, and blesseth God. I WILL sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness † to all generations. 19. Then thou spakest &c.] Thou spakest by way of vision of thy holy Prophet Samuel, and saidst, I have ordained to give help and victory unto my people, by my strong and mighty champion, David. Bp. Hall. 22. — shall not exact upon him;] Shall not subdue him. Rosenmüller. c Numb. 10. 6. d 1 Sam. 16. 12. God's favour to the kingdom of David. PSALMS. The psalmist prayeth, and blesseth God. 25. I will set his hand &c.] I will extend his conquests and dominion from the Mediterranean sea to the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Dr. Wells. 27. Also I will make &c.] I will raise him to the highest dignity among those whom I shall call my sons; and I will exalt him above all other kings in the world, so that he may be a most eminent type of my Son Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Travell. Bp. Patrick. 36. His seed shall endure &c.] His family shall never be extinct, but shall hold the royal dignity as long as the sun shineth. Bp. Patrick. 39. Thou hast made void &c.] Thou seemest not to regard the covenant made with thy faithful servant David, but hast permitted the authority of his successor to be profaned, and his crown trodden under foot. Bp. Patrick, Travell. 47. Remember how short &c.] O let the natural shortness of my life plead with Thice for mercy, and do not let it appear as if Thou hadst made man only to be miserable and to die. Travell. 50. Remember, Lord, the reproach &c.] The Jews, when this Psalm was penned, were in a low estate: the very heathen reproached them for vainly expecting their mighty Deliverer, the Messiah, whom they said God had promised to David, and out of his loins. Bp. Wilson. 51. —reproached the footsteps &c.] That is, have pursued the steps of thine anointed with revilings. Mudge, Merrick. Or, according to the Chaldee, mocked at the tardy advent of thy Messiah. Bp. Horne. The posterity of David were to enjoy God's favour, or be deprived of it, as they proved obedient or disobedient to his law. When they became rebellious, idolatrous, and profligate, the rod was lifted up, and due chastisement inflicted, sometimes by the immediate hand of Heaven, sometimes by the instrumentality of their heathen adversaries; famine and pestilence, war and captivity, were at different times employed to reclaim backsliding Israel. But still the "covenant" of God in Christ stood sure; the Jewish nation was preserved, through all changes and revolutions, "till the Seed came to whom the promise was made;" nor was Jerusalem de- Ver. 1. — our dwelling place] Our place of refuge. Mudge, Old Translation. 3, 4. — and sayest, Return, &c.] That is, Thou restorest men to life. "For a thousand years, &c." that is, though the time of their restoration is remote, it is equally certain; for a thousand years are to Thee as one day. 4. — a watch in the night.] See the note on Exod. xiv. 24. 9. For all our days &c.] For we constantly feel some effect or other of thine anger, whereby our lives decline exceeding fast. Bp. Patrick. 11. Who knoweth &c.] But who is there that duly fore thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 13. Return, O Lord, &c.] Return, O Lord, at length, from thy severity against us; and let thy servants feel thy gracious pardon. Bp. Patrick, Travell. 16. Let thy work &c.] He prays God to shew them and their posterity those glorious works which heretofore He had exerted in behalf of his people, and to shine upon and prosper what they were doing. Mudge. 17. And let the beauty &c.] Let the countenance of the Lord our God smile upon us; and prosper Thou the work of our hands. Green. This Psalm is remarkable for affording us much useful instruction. In it we have the governour of a numerous people sequestering his mind from the management of publick affairs to private meditations; from beholding the present outward appearances, to considering the real nature and secret causes of things: in the midst of all the splendour and pomp, of all the stir and tumult about him, he observes the frailty of human condition, he discerns the providence of God justly ordering all; this he does not only in the way of wise consideration, but of serious devotion, moulding his observations into pious acknowledgments, and earnest prayers to God. Thus doth that great and good man teach us all, (more particularly men of high estate and much business,) to find opportunities of withdrawing Or, as a meditation, † Heb. As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years. Ver. 1. He that dwelleth &c.] "To dwell in the secret place of the Most High," is a figurative expression, and signifies no more than to put ourselves under the Divine protection. Green. 3. Surely he shall deliver &c.] Leaving the former sentence unfinished, the Psalmist turns and addresses the same person whom he had been describing: "He indeed shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, from the destroying pestilence." Bp. Lowth. 4-7. He shall cover thee &c.] This imagery is beautiful and diversified, and at the same time uncommonly solemn and sublime. Bp. Lowth. 8. Only with thine eyes &c.] The meaning is, that the righteous person all along spoken of, himself secure from the judgments of God, should in safety behold the destruction wrought by them upon impenitent and incorrigible sinners. Bp. Horne. 12. — lest thou dash &c.] Lest any the slightest harm should befall thee. Bp. Patrick. See the quotation of these words at Matt. iv. 6. 13. Thou shalt tread &c.] The most noxious and venomous creatures shall have no power to hurt thee, but thou shalt subdue and trample them under foot. So shall Christ triumph over the "dragon, that old serpent," Rev. xx. 2, and He shall make his faithful servants victorious "over all the power of the enemy," Luke x. 19. Travell. — the dragon] See the notes on Deut. xxxii. 33; Psalm xlv. 19; and Lam. iv. 3. 14. Because he hath set &c.] In the former part of the Psalm the prophet spoke in his own person; here God Himself is plainly introduced as the speaker. Bp. Horne. — because he hath known my name.] Hath acknowledged my power, and relied on that alone for protection. Bp. Patrick, Travell. How much man stands in need of the protection of Heaven, appears from a survey of the dangers to which he is continually exposed. Various are the terrours of the night, manifold the perils of the day; from diseases, whose infection makes its progress unobserved; from assaults, casualties, and accidents, which can neither be foreseen, nor guarded against. The soul has likewise her enemies ready to attack and surprise her at all hours. Avarice and ambition are abroad watching for her in the day; while concupiscence, like a pestilence, "walketh in darkness." In adversity she is disturbed by terrours; in prosperity still more endangered by pleasures. But Jesus Christ has overcome the world, to prevent us from being overcome by it. Bp. Horne. Ver. 4. — thy work.] The following part of the Psalm shews that by "God's work" here, the Psalmist means, his providence in the government of human affairs. Rosenmüller. 3. The floods have lifted up, &c.] The meaning is, Our numerous enemies are risen up against us, and threaten to overwhelm us, like a furious storm. Travell. The rage and clamour of the enemies of God's people is frequently represented by the raging and roaring of the sea. Green. 4. The Lord on high &c.] The king of heaven is stronger than all earthly potentates, and will subdue them under his feet. Poole. This Psalm teaches us, that God rules with glory and magnificence over all the world; that his throne is established in righteousness; that his power infinitely