The righteousness B. C 1023. B. C. 1023. A. M. 2981. 5 Thine arrows are sharp in the || the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right A. M. 2991. heart of the King's enemies; whereby sceptre. the people fall under thee. e e Psalm xciii. 2; Heb. i. 8. -f Psalm xxxiii. 5. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest g in the hearts of his people. With thy glory and thy majesty-Or, which is thy glory and thy majesty; that is, which sword or word is the great instrument of maintaining and spreading thy honour, glory, and kingdom. Or, as Bishop Patrick paraphrases the clause, "Appear like thyself in such splendour and majesty, as may serve for an emblem of that most illustrious power and sovereign authority, wherein the omnipotent Lord of all the world shall show himself among men." And in thy majesty-Being thus magnificently girt and armed; ride prosperously-March on speedily and successfully against thine enemies; because of truth, &c.-Hebrew, , gnal debar emeth, upon the word of truth, that is, the gospel; which is called the word of truth, Eph. i. 13, and may no less truly be called the word of meekness, because it is not delivered with terror, as the law was at Sinai, but meekly and sweetly; and the word of righteousness, because it brings in everlasting righteousness, and strongly excites all men to the practice of righteousness and holiness. And so the gospel is compared to a horse or chariot, upon which Christ is said to ride, when the gospel is preached, and carried about from place to place. And this may be here added, to show the great difference between the kingdoms of the world, which are managed and governed with outward pomp and glory, and the kingdom of Christ, which is a spiritual kingdom, not of this world, and like the spouse, mentioned verse 13, all glorious within, as consisting in spiritual graces and virtues, truth, meekness, and righteousness. And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things-Thou shalt do great and glorious exploits, which shall be terrible to thine enemies, as the next verse explains it, and this not by great forces, and the assistance of others, but by thine own single power, Isa. Ixiii. 3. But the phrase, thy right hand shall teach thee, is not to be taken properly, for so he taught his hand, not his hand him; but the meaning is, that his hand should show him, discover, and work before him. The LXX. render it, odnynoel oe Vavpazws, thy right hand shall guide, or direct thee wonderfully. 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath Or, O God. Isa. lxi. 1. 1 Kings i. 39, 40. writings; and the word king being here brought in probably to describe the persons against whom the arrows are shot, and the reason thereof, because they were enemies of his kingdom, and would not be subject to him. Whereby the people fall under thee-Either slain by thine arrows, or prostrate at thy feet, after the manner of conquered persons. Those that were by nature enemies are thus wounded, in order to their being reduced, reconciled, and made subject to this king; and those that persist in their enmity, in order to their being ruined and destroyed. The arrows of God's terrors are sharp in their hearts, that they may so fall under him as to be made his footstool, Psalm cx. 1; that, as they would not submit to his golden sceptre, and have him to reign over them, they may be broken by his iron rod, and slain before him. Verse 5. Thine arrows are sharp, &c.-The allusion to an earthly conqueror is still continued. The arrows mean the same with the sword, both denoting the instruments wherewith he conquers his enemies; which are the truths, precepts, threatenings, promises, &c., of his word. These, when accompanied by the influences of the Holy Spirit, are sharp and powerful, and pierce the hearts of men with conviction of sin, shame, and sorrow, producing frequently terror, dismay, and exquisite distress for a time, till sinners are humbled, subdued, and reconciled. In the heart of the king's enemies Of thine enemies, the third person being put for the second, as is frequently done in prophetical Verse 6. Thy throne, O God, &c.-It is evident that the speech is still continued to the same person whom he calls king, verses 1, 11; and here God, to assure us that he doth not speak of Solomon, but of a far greater king, who is not only a man, but the mighty God, Isa. ix. 6. For though the name Elohim, or God, be sometimes given in Scripture to some creatures, yet, in those cases, it is always clogged with some diminishing expression, signifying that they are only made, or called gods, and that only for a certain time and purpose; (see Exod. iv. 16, and vii. 1; Psalm lxxxii. 6; and it is nowhere put simply and absolutely for any person but him, who is God, blessed for ever, Rom. ix. 5. Is for ever and ever-Namely, properly, and in thine own person, in which, as he lives for ever, so he must necessarily reign for ever; whereas David, whose throne was said to be established for ever, 2 Sam, vii. 16, was a mortal man, and therefore that promise was not intended of, nor could be fulfilled in, his person, without including his seed, and especially the Messiah. And, as he here gives to the Messiah the name of God, which was never given to David nor Solomon, so he ascribes an everlasting kingdom to him, in such a sense as was never given to them. So Dan. ii. 44, and vii. 14. The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre-The sceptres of earthly princes are often swayed with great injustice and manifold iniquities, which lay the foundation of their overthrow; but thou rulest with exact righteousness and equity, and therefore thy throne is established, Prov. xvi. 12. Verse 7. Thou lovest righteousness, &c.-Thou not only doest that which is good, and avoidest that which is evil, which even bad princes and men may do, and often actually do for political and prudential reasons; but thou doest these things from a pure and internal principle, from a sincere and most fervent love of righteousness, and an implacable hatred of all wickedness. The Lord Jesus has made it ap pear, by the holiness of his life, the merit of his allusion to Solomon's glorious garments and palaces. death, and the great design of his gospel, that he The heavenly mansions may not unfitly be called loves righteousness; for by his example, his satis- ivory palaces, as elsewhere, in the same figurative faction, his precepts, and the influences of his grace manner, they are said to be adorned with gold and and Spirit, he has brought in an everlasting righte- precious stones; from which mansions Christ came ousness: and his hatred to wickedness is equally into the world; into which Christ went, and where manifest, for never did God's hatred to sin appear so he settled his abode after he went out of the world; fully as in the sufferings of Christ. Therefore God, and from whence he poured forth all the fragrant thy God-According to thy human nature, John gifts and graces of his Spirit. Although there is no xx. 17; though in respect of thy divine nature thou necessity to strain every particular circumstance in art his fellow, Zech. xiii. 7, and one with him, John such poetical descriptions; for some expressions x. 30. Hath anointed thee-Because thou hast may be used only as ornaments, as they are in paragiven so many and great proofs of thy love to bles; and it may suffice to know, that the excellences righteousness, and of thy hatred to sin; and that of the King Christ are described by things in which not only by the constant course of thy life, but also, earthly potentates place their glory. Whereby and especially, by thy death and passion, therefore they have made thee glad-Or, thou art made glad God hath raised and exalted thee far above all men by the sweet smell of thy garments out of those and angels, to a state of joy and endless glory ivory palaces, or the effusion of the gifts and graces at his right hand; which is fully expressed by the of thy Spirit from heaven; which, as it is a great oil of gladness. For anointing doth not always blessing to those who receive them, so doth it resignify the conferring of inward gifts and endow-joice the heart of Christ, both as it is a demonstraments, but sometimes only the designation or in- tion of his own power and glory, and as it is the inauguration of a person to some high dignity or em-strument of bringing souls to God. ployment, as Ezek. xxviii. 14, and elsewhere. This Verse 9. Kings' daughters were among thy hoseems to be the true sense of the clause, and is, for substance, the same thing which is expressed in other words, Phil. ii. 8-10, namely, the glorious exaltation of Christ, in reward of his obedience unto death. It is true, however, that Christ, as man and Mediator, in order that he might govern his kingdom in that perfectly righteous manner here intended, was anointed by God with his Holy Spirit, in a peculiar manner; was endowed with gifts and graces above his fellows, above all those that ever were anointed, whether prophets, priests, or kings, whether men or angels; to the comfort and refreshment, not only of his own heart, but of the hearts of all his people. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, and that out of his fulness his people should receive grace upon grace. Verse 8. All thy garments smell of myrrh, &c.-Wherewith they used to perfume their garments, Gen. xxvii. 27. This may denote those glorious and sweet-smelling virtues, which, as they were treasured up inwardly in Christ's heart, so did they manifest themselves outwardly, and give forth a grateful smell in the whole course of his life and actions; his doctrine also was a sweet savour unto God and men, 2 Cor. ii. 14, 15. Out of the ivory palaces-The king is here supposed to reside in his ivory palaces, and his garments are so fragrant that they not only perfume the whole palace in which he is, but the sweet savour is perceived by those that pass by them; all which is poetically said, and with || nourable women-Among them that attend upon thy spouse, as the manner was in nuptial solemnities. As the queen is the church in general, so these honourable women are particular believers, who are daily added to the church, Acts ii. 47. And although the church is made up of particular believers, yet she is distinguished from them for the decency of the parable, as the whole is often distinguished in our minds from the parts of which it consists, and as the daughters of Jerusalem are distinguished from the spouse in the book of Canticles, though the spouse (the church) be wholly made up of them. And these believers may be said to be kings' daughters, because, among others, many persons of royal race embraced the faith, and because they are, in a spiritual sense, kings unto God, Rev. i. 6. On thy right hand-The most honourable place; did stand the queen-In the posture of a servant; to show that although she is a queen, yet she is also his subject to serve and obey him. Or, rather, as, nitzebah, signifies, is placed, or seated, which seems more agreeable to the dignity of a queen, 1 Kings ii. 19, and of a spouse at the nuptial solemnity. In gold of Ophir-Clothed in the richest garments, made of the choicest gold; by which he designs the graces wherewith the church is adorned. Verse 10. Hearken, &c.-The prophet, having hitherto spoken to the bridegroom, addresses himself now to the bride or queen. O daughter-He speaks like an elder person, and as her spiritual 13 The King's daughter is all glorious with- dren, whom thou mayest make princes in all in her clothing is of wrought gold. : father and counsellor; Consider, and incline thine ear-He useth several words signifying the same thing, to show his serious and earnest desire of her good, and the great importance and difficulty of practising the following counsel. Forget also-Comparatively; thine own people, and thy father's house -He alludes to the law of matrimony, Gen. ii. 24, || and to what Solomon said, or should have said, to Pharaoh's daughter, to wean her from the idolatry and other vices of her father's house. But this, as well as the rest of the Psalm, respects Christ, and is a seasonable and necessary advice and command to all persons that desire to be united to him, whether Jews or Gentiles, to cast off all their old errors and prejudices, all those superstitious, or idolatrous, or wicked opinions, or practices, which they had received by long, and ancient, and, as they might suppose, venerable tradition, from their fathers, and to|| give themselves up entirely to Christ to be instructed by him, to receive his doctrine, and obey his precepts, though they might seem new to them. Reader, art thou coming to Christ to give up thy name to him? Remember, thou art now entering into a new state; let old things, therefore, pass away; regard no more thy connections with earth; let the love, and, if possible, the very memory of thy former condition, be obliterated from thy mind; hate, comparatively, father and mother, and all that is dear to thee in the world; that is, love them less than Christ, and his honour, and thy interest in him, Luke xiv. 26. Verse 11. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty-So shalt thou be amiable in the eyes of thy husband, and truly acceptable and dear to him, who, having purchased and betrothed thee to himself, justly requires thy whole heart, thy undivided love; and his affection, and the complacency which he will take in thee, will abundantly recompense thee for the loss of thy father's house. For he is thy Lord-As he is thy husband, and also as he is thy King and God, he is thy Lord, and justly claims thy unlimited service and adoration: therefore worship thou him-Not only submit to his government, but give him divine honours: worship him as God and Lord. Honour the Son, in obedience to the divine command, even as thou honourest the Father: nay, in honouring the Son thou wilt honour the Father: for if thou confess that Christ is Lord and the earth. pay thy homage to him accordingly, it will be to the glory of God the Father, Phil. ii. 11. Verse 12. The daughter of Tyre shall be there— That is, the people of Tyre; as the daughter of Zion or Jerusalem, is put for their inhabitants: he mentions the Tyrians, because they, among others, and before many others, were to be converted to Christ, Matt. xi. 21; Mark iii. 8, and vii. 24; Acts xxi. 3-5; but they are here put for all the Gentiles, whom that city fitly represented as being the mart of the nations, as she is called Isa. xxiii. 3. With a gift-To testify their homage, which was done by gifts or presents; and to procure thine and thy Lord's favour. Even the rich-Of other nations. Verse 13. The King's daughter-The spouse, so called, because she was the daughter of one king, and the wife of another: intending the church of Christ; is all glorious within-In internal graces and gifts, with which she is adorned and accomplished. Her clothing is of wrought gold-Her internal perfections do not rest within her, but break forth into virtuous and honourable actions, wherewith she is adorned in the view of the world. Verses 14, 15. She shall be brought unto the king -He alludes to the custom of conducting the bride to the bridegroom's house; in raiment of needlework-The image of God, the divine nature, the robe of righteousness, the garment of salvation. The virgins, her companions-Her bride-maidens, attending upon her, called the honourable women, verse 9, (where see the note,) and here virgins, be cause of their spiritual purity and chastity, 2 Cor. xi. 2. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought-Full of joy, for the glory and felicity of the bride and bridegroom, and for the comfort and benefit which redound to themselves therefrom. Verse 16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, &c.-Having directed his speech to the bride, he now returns to the bridegroom, as may be gathered both from the Hebrew words, which are of the masculine gender, and from the next verse, which unquestionably belongs unto him. And therefore this cannot be understood of Solomon, and his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter, because he had no children by her, and but very few by all his wives and concubines; and his children were so far from being made princes in all the earth, that they enjoyed but a small part of their father's do The safety of the A. M. 2981. 17 I will make thy name to be re- fore shall the people praise thee for A. M. 2981. t Mal. i. 11. minions, but this was fully accomplished in Christ; who, instead of his fathers of the Jewish nation, had a numerous posterity of Christians of all the nations of the earth, which here and elsewhere are called princes and kings, because of their great power with God and with men. B. C. 1023. should not only serve for the present solemnity, but Verse 17. I will make thy name to be remembered, PSALM XLVI. This Psalm is thought to have been composed upon the occasion of David's victories over the neighbouring nations, 2 Sam. viii. 1, 2, and the rest which God gave him from all his enemies round about. The style is lofty, and every way worthy of that royal author. With great force of expression he compares the powerful fury and terror of his enemies to that of an earthquake, or the threatening horrors of a tempestuous sea. It is a Psalm which encourages us to trust and hope in God, and in his power and providence, and gracious presence with his church in the worst of times, and directs us to give him the glory for what he has done and will do for us. We have here, (1,) The safety of the church under God's care, 1-7. (2) An exhortation to behold his works, and to trust in him, 8–11. NOTES ON PSALM XLVI. Title. A song upon Alamoth-This word is translated by some, The virgins, and is supposed either to refer to some tune, then in common use, or some musical instrument, unknown to us, which was peculiarly adapted to the virgins, who sung in the choir, 1 Chron. xv. 20. Some, however, translate the expression, things secret, and suppose that it refers to the secret and hidden mysteries of the gospel. The Syriac says, "Taken in its prophetical sense, it alludes to the preaching of the apostles." be such; a help on which we may write, probatum Verses 2,3. Therefore will not we fear-They that, tresses? sink under us: though all our creature-confidence 785 2 swelling thereof: yet, while we keep close to God, and have him for us, we have no cause to fear. What the heathen poet vainly boasted concerning his justum et tenacem propositi virum, his just and upright man, is really true of the believer that makes God his refuge and strength, and confides in him for support in trouble: Si fractus illabatur orbis, Imparidum ferient ruina.-HORACE. church under God's care. B. C. 1023. 5 God is in the midst of her; she A. M. 2991. shall not be moved: God shall help her, 5 and that right early. 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved he uttered his voice, the earth melted. "Heb. when the morning appeareth, Exod. xiv. 24, 27; 2 Chron. xx. 20; Psa. xxx. 5; cxliii. 8; Num. xiv. 9; 2 Chron. xiii. 12. Psalm ii. 1.- - Joshua ii. 9, 24. and the waters thereof are to be understood metaphorically, so also are this river and its streams. The covenant of grace is the river, and its promises are the streams; or, the Spirit of grace is the river, and its influences, operations, and graces, are the streams. God's word and ordinances are rivers and streams, with which he makes his saints glad in cloudy and dark days. God himself is to his church a place of broad rivers and streams, Isa. xxxiii. 21. Mark, reader, the streams that make "If the world should be dissolved, and fall in pieces glad the city of God, are not rapid, but gentle, like around him, the ruins would strike him unappalled." those of Siloam. And observe, also, the spiritual The psalmist, however, speaks figuratively. The comforts which are conveyed to the saints by soft earth represents the established course of human and silent whispers, and which come not with obthings, mountains are princes and kingdoms, and servation, or rather, with outward noise and show, the waters of the sea multitudes of people. His are sufficient to balance the most loud and boisterous meaning, therefore, is, though there should be no-threatenings of an angry and malicious world. The thing but shakings, commotions, and desolations, in all the nations around us; though kingdoms and states be in the greatest confusion, embroiled in wars, tossed with tumults, and their governments be overturned by insurrections of the people, and be in continual revolution; though their powers combine against the church and people of God, though they aim at no less than their ruin, and go very near to effect their purpose; yet will we not fear, knowing that all these troubles will end well for the church. If the earth be removed, those have reason to fear that have laid up their treasures on earth, and have set their hearts upon it; but not those who have laid up for themselves treasures in heaven, and who then can expect to be most happy, when the earth, and all the works that are therein, shall be burned up. Let those be troubled at the troubling of the waters, who build their confidence on such a floating foundation, but not those who are led to the Rock that is higher than they, and find firm foot-made against us. God shall help her-Who then ing upon that rock. Verses 4, 5. There is a river, the streams where of make glad the city-The church, of God-Which cheer, refresh, and comfort her, and that at a time when the waters of the sea roar, and foam, and threaten her. He alludes to the brook Kidron, and its two streams, or rivulets, flowing from it, Gihon and Siloah, 2 Chron. xxxii. 30, and Isa. viii. 6, whose waters went softly by Jerusalem, and, being small and contemptible, or still and gentle, are not unfitly opposed to the vast and unruly waters of the sea. He insinuates the weak condition of God's church, as to outward appearance, in that they had not one sea to oppose to another, but only a small river; which, however, though in itself apparently despicable, yet was sufficient to refresh and defend them in spite of their enemies. Now, as the sea city of God-Zion or Jerusalem, a figure of God's church; and here, as frequently, put for it; the holy place of the tabernacles-The place where God's holy tabernacle is settled, the plural number being put for the singular, because the tabernacle included two apartments, the holy place, and the most holy, besides the different courts adjoining to it. God is in the midst of her-Not only by those symbols of his presence, the ark, the mercy-seat, and cherubim of glory, but by his own special residence, according to his promise. He is peculiarly present with and in his church, in all ages. She shall not be moredThat is, 1st, Not destroyed or removed as the earth may be, (verse 2,) God having undertaken her protection, and his honour being embarked in her. The church shall survive the world, and be in bliss when the world is in ruins. 2d, Not disturbed; not much moved with fears of the issue. If God be with us we need not be moved at the most violent attempts can hurt her? He shall help her under her troubles; that she shall not sink; nay, that the more she is afflicted, the more she shall multiply. God shall help her out of her troubles; and that right early, Hebrew, pa, liphnoth boker, before the morning, or, when the morning appeareth, that is, very speedily, for he is a present help, (verse 1,) and very seasonably; then when things are brought to the last extremity, and when the relief will be most welcome. This may be applied by particular believers to themselves: if God be in the midst of us, in our hearts, by his word and Spirit, we shall be established, we shall be helped in time of need; let us therefore trust and not be afraid: all is well and will end well. Verses 6, 7. The heathen raged-At David's coming to the throne, and at the setting up of the |