mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 75.xml

<div2 id="Ps.lxxvi" n="lxxvi" next="Ps.lxxvii" prev="Ps.lxxv" progress="47.73%" title="Chapter LXXV">
<h2 id="Ps.lxxvi-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.lxxvi-p0.2">PSALM LXXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.lxxvi-p1">Though this psalm is attributed to Asaph in the
title, yet it does so exactly agree with David's circumstances, at
his coming to the crown after the death of Saul, that most
interpreters apply it to that juncture, and suppose that either
Asaph penned it, in the person of David, as his poet-laureate
(probably the substance of the psalm was some speech which David
made to a convention of the states, at his accession to the
government, and Asaph turned it into verse, and published it in a
poem, for the better spreading of it among the people), or that
David penned it, and delivered it to Asaph as precentor of the
temple. In this psalm, I. David returns God thanks for bringing him
to the throne, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.1 Bible:Ps.75.9" parsed="|Ps|75|1|0|0;|Ps|75|9|0|0" passage="Ps 75:1,9">ver. 1, 9</scripRef>.
II. He promises to lay out himself for the public good, in the use
of the power God had given him, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.2-Ps.75.3 Bible:Ps.75.10" parsed="|Ps|75|2|75|3;|Ps|75|10|0|0" passage="Ps 75:2,3,10">ver. 2, 3, 10</scripRef>. III. He checks the
insolence of those that opposed his coming to the throne, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.4-Ps.75.5" parsed="|Ps|75|4|75|5" passage="Ps 75:4,5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>. IV. He fetches a reason
for all this from God's sovereign dominion in the affairs of the
children of men, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.6-Ps.75.8" parsed="|Ps|75|6|75|8" passage="Ps 75:6-8">ver. 6-8</scripRef>.
In singing this psalm we must give to God the glory of all the
revolutions of states and kingdoms, believing that they are all
according to his counsel and that he will make them all to work for
the good of his church.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75" parsed="|Ps|75|0|0|0" passage="Ps 75" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.1-Ps.75.5" parsed="|Ps|75|1|75|5" passage="Ps 75:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.75.1-Ps.75.5">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.7">The Magistrate's Resolution.</h4>
<div class="Center" id="Ps.lxxvi-p1.8">
<p id="Ps.lxxvi-p2">To the chief musician, Al-taschith. A psalm <i>or</i> song of
Asaph.</p>
</div>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxvi-p3">1 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, <i>unto
thee</i> do we give thanks: for <i>that</i> thy name is near thy
wondrous works declare.   2 When I shall receive the
congregation I will judge uprightly.   3 The earth and all the
inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it.
Selah.   4 I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to
the wicked, Lift not up the horn:   5 Lift not up your horn on
high: speak <i>not with</i> a stiff neck.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p4">In these verses,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p5">I. The psalmist gives to God the praise of
his advancement to honour and power, and the other great things he
had done for him and for his people Israel (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.1" parsed="|Ps|75|1|0|0" passage="Ps 75:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>Unto thee, O God! do we give
thanks</i> for all the favours thou hast bestowed upon us; and
again, <i>unto thee do we give thanks;</i> for our thanksgivings
must be often repeated. Did not we often pray for mercy when we
were in pursuit of it; and shall we think it will suffice once or
twice to give thanks when we have obtained it? Not only <i>I</i> do
give thanks, but <i>we</i> do, and I and all my friends. If we
share with others in their mercies, we must join with them in their
praises. "<i>Unto thee, O God!</i> the author of our mercies (and
we will not give that glory to the instruments which is due to thee
only), <i>we give thanks; for that thy name is near</i> (that the
complete accomplishment of thy promise made to David is not far
off) <i>thy wondrous works,</i> which thou hast already done for
him, <i>declare.</i>" Note, 1. There are many works which God does
for his people that may truly be called <i>wondrous works,</i> out
of the common course of providence and quite beyond our
expectation. 2. These wondrous works declare the nearness of his
name; they show that he himself is at hand, nigh to us in what we
call upon him for, and that he is about to do some great things for
his people, in pursuance of his purpose and promise. 3. When God's
wondrous works declare the nearness of his name it is our duty to
give him thanks, again and again to give him thanks.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p6">II. He lays himself under an obligation to
use his power well, pursuant to the great trust reposed in him
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.2" parsed="|Ps|75|2|0|0" passage="Ps 75:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>When I
shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.</i> Here he
takes it for granted that God would, in due time, perfect that
which concerned him, that though the congregation was very slow in
gathering to him, and great opposition was made to it, yet, at
length, he should receive it; for what God has spoken in his
holiness he will perform by his wisdom and power. Being thus in
expectation of the mercy, he promises to make conscience of his
duty: "When I am a judge I will judge, and <i>judge uprightly;</i>
not as those that went before me, who either neglected judgment or,
which was worse, perverted it, either did no good with their power
or did hurt." Note, 1. Those that are advanced to posts of honour
must remember they are posts of service, and must set themselves
with diligence and application of mind to do the work to which they
are called. He does not say, "<i>When I shall receive the
congregation</i> I will take my ease, and take state upon me, and
leave the public business to others;" but, "I will mind it myself."
2. Public trusts are to be managed with great integrity; those that
judge must judge uprightly, according to the rules of justice,
without respect of persons.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p7">III. He promises himself that his
government would be a public blessing to Israel, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.3" parsed="|Ps|75|3|0|0" passage="Ps 75:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. The present state of the kingdom
was very bad: <i>The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are
dissolved;</i> and no marvel, when the former reign was so
dissolute that all went to wrack and ruin. There was a general
corruption of manners, for want of putting the laws in execution
against vice and profaneness. They were divided one from another
for want of centering, as they ought to have done, in the
government God had appointed. They were all to pieces, two against
three and three against two, crumbled into factions and parties,
which was likely to issue in their ruin; but <i>I bear up the
pillars of it.</i> Even in Saul's time David did what he could for
the public welfare; but he hoped that when he had himself received
the congregation he should do much more, and should not only
prevent the public ruin, but recover the public strength and
beauty. Now, 1. See the mischief of parties; they melt and dissolve
a land and the inhabitants of it. 2. See how much one head
frequently holds up. The fabric would have sunk if David had not
held up the pillars of it. This may well be applied to Christ and
his government. The <i>world and all the inhabitants of it</i> were
dissolved by sin; man's apostasy threatened the destruction of the
whole creation. But Christ bore up the pillars of it; he saved the
whole world from utter ruin by saving his people from their sins,
and into his hand the administration of the kingdom of Providence
is committed, for <i>he upholds all things by the word of his
power,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.3" parsed="|Heb|1|3|0|0" passage="Heb 1:3">Heb. i. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p8">IV. He checks those that opposed his
government, that were against his accession to it and obstructed
the administration of it, striving to keep up that vice and
profaneness which he had made it his business to suppress
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.4-Ps.75.5" parsed="|Ps|75|4|75|5" passage="Ps 75:4,5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>): <i>I
said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly.</i> He had said so to them
in Saul's time. When he had not power to restrain them, yet he had
wisdom and grace to reprove them, and to give them good counsel;
though they bore themselves high, upon the favour of that unhappy
prince, he cautioned them not to be too presumptuous. Or, rather,
he does now say so to them. As soon as he came to the crown he
issued out a proclamation against vice and profaneness, and here we
have the contents of it. 1. To the simple sneaking sinners, the
fools in Israel, that corrupted themselves, to them he said,
"<i>Deal not foolishly;</i> do not act so directly contrary both to
your reason and to your interest as you do while you walk contrary
to the laws God has given to Israel and the promises he has made to
David." Christ, the son of David, gives us this counsel, issues out
this edict, <i>Deal not foolishly.</i> He who is made of God to us
wisdom bids us be wise for ourselves, and not make fools of
ourselves. 2. To the proud daring sinners, the wicked, that set God
himself at defiance, he says, "<i>Lift not up the horn;</i> boast
not of your power and prerogatives; persist not in your contumacy
and contempt of the government set over you; <i>lift not up your
horn on high,</i> as though you could have what you will and do
what you will; <i>speak not with a stiff neck,</i> in which is an
iron sinew, that will never bend to the will of God in the
government; for those that will not bend shall break; those whose
necks are stiffened are so to their own destruction." This is
Christ's word of command in his gospel, that <i>every mountain will
be brought low before him,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.4" parsed="|Isa|40|4|0|0" passage="Isa 40:4">Isa.
xl. 4</scripRef>. Let not the anti-christian power, with its heads
and horns, lift up itself against him, for it shall certainly be
broken to pieces; what is said with a stiff neck must be unsaid
again with a broken heart, or we are undone. Pharaoh said with a
stiff neck, <i>Who is the Lord?</i> But God made him know to his
cost.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.lxxvi-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.6-Ps.75.10" parsed="|Ps|75|6|75|10" passage="Ps 75:6-10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.75.6-Ps.75.10">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxvi-p8.4">God's Government of the
World.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxvi-p9">6 For promotion <i>cometh</i> neither from the
east, nor from the west, nor from the south.   7 But God
<i>is</i> the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
  8 For in the hand of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.lxxvi-p9.1">Lord</span>
<i>there is</i> a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture;
and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the
wicked of the earth shall wring <i>them</i> out, <i>and</i> drink
<i>them.</i>   9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing
praises to the God of Jacob.   10 All the horns of the wicked
also will I cut off; <i>but</i> the horns of the righteous shall be
exalted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p10">In these verses we have two great doctrines
laid down and two good inferences drawn from them, for the
confirmation of what he had before said.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p11">I. Here are two great truths laid down
concerning God's government of the world, which we ought to mix
faith with, both pertinent to the occasion:—</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p12">1. That from God alone kings receive their
power (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.6-Ps.75.7" parsed="|Ps|75|6|75|7" passage="Ps 75:6,7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>),
and therefore to God alone David would give the praise of his
advancement; having his power from God he would use it for him, and
therefore those were fools that lifted up the horn against him. We
see strange revolutions in states and kingdoms, and are surprised
at the sudden disgrace of some and elevation of others; we are all
full of such changes, when they happen; but here we are directed to
look at the author of them, and are taught where the original of
power is, and whence promotion comes. Whence comes preferment to
kingdoms, to the sovereignty of them? And whence come preferments
in kingdoms, to places of power and trust in them? The former
depends not upon the will of the people, nor the latter on the will
of the prince, but both on the will of God, who has all hearts in
his hands; to him therefore those must look who are in pursuit of
preferment, and then they begin aright. We are here told, (1.)
Negatively, which way we are not to look for the fountain of power:
<i>Promotion comes not from the east, nor from the west, nor from
the desert,</i> that is, neither from the desert on the north of
Jerusalem nor from that on the south; so that the fair gale of
preferment is not to be expected to blow from any point of the
compass, but only from above, directly thence. Men cannot gain
promotion either by the wisdom or wealth of the children of the
east, nor by the numerous forces of the isles of the Gentiles, that
lay westward, nor those of Egypt or Arabia, that lay south; no
concurring smiles of second causes will raise men to preferment
without the first cause. The learned bishop Lloyd (<i>Serm. in
loc.</i>) gives this gloss upon it: "All men took the original of
power to be from heaven, but from whom there many knew not; the
eastern nations, who were generally given to astrology, took it to
come from their stars, especially the sun, their god. No, says
David, it comes neither from the east nor from the west, neither
from the rising nor from the setting of such a planet, or such a
constellation, nor from the south, nor from the exaltation of the
sun or any star in the mid-heaven." He mentions not the north,
because none supposed it to come thence; or because the same word
that signifies the north signifies the secret place, and from the
secret of God's counsel it does come, or from the oracle in Zion,
which lay on the north side of Jerusalem. Note, No wind is so good
as to blow promotion, but as he directs who has the winds in his
fists. (2.) Positively: <i>God is the judge,</i> the governor or
umpire. When parties contend for the prize, he <i>puts down one and
sets up another</i> as he sees fit, so as to serve his own purposes
and bring to pass his own counsels. Herein he acts by prerogative,
and is not accountable to us for any of these matters; nor is it
any damage, danger, or disgrace that he, who is infinitely wise,
holy, and good, has an arbitrary and despotic power to set up and
put down whom, and when, and how he pleases. This is a good reason
why magistrates should rule for God as those that must give account
to him, because it is by him that kings reign.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p13">2. That from God alone all must receive
their doom (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.8" parsed="|Ps|75|8|0|0" passage="Ps 75:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>):
<i>In the hand of the Lord there is a cup,</i> which he puts into
the hands of the children of men, a cup of providence, mixed up (as
he thinks fit) of many ingredients, a cup of affliction. The
sufferings of Christ are called a <i>cup,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.22 Bible:John.18.11" parsed="|Matt|20|22|0|0;|John|18|11|0|0" passage="Mt 20:22,Joh 18:11">Matt. xx. 22; John xviii. 11</scripRef>. The
judgments of God upon sinners are <i>the cup of the Lord's right
hand,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.16" parsed="|Hab|2|16|0|0" passage="Hab 2:16">Hab. ii. 16</scripRef>.
<i>The wine is red,</i> denoting the wrath of God, which is infused
into the judgments executed on sinners, and is the wormwood and the
gall in the affliction and the misery. It is read as fire, red as
blood, for it burns, it kills. It is <i>full of mixture,</i>
prepared in wisdom, so as to answer the end. There are mixtures of
mercy and grace in the cup of affliction when it is put into the
hands of God's own people, mixtures of the curse when it is put
into the hands of the wicked; it is wine mingled with gall. These
vials, (1.) Are poured out upon all; see <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.15.7 Bible:Rev.16.1" parsed="|Rev|15|7|0|0;|Rev|16|1|0|0" passage="Re 15:7,16:1">Rev. xv. 7; xvi. 1</scripRef>; where we read of the
angels pouring out the vials of God's wrath upon the earth. Some
drops of this wrath may light on good people; when God's judgments
are abroad, they have their share in common calamities; but, (2.)
The dregs of the cup are reserved for the wicked. The calamity
itself is but the vehicle into which the wrath and curse is
infused, the top of which has little of the infusion; but the
sediment is pure wrath, and that shall fall to the share of
sinners; they have the dregs of the cup now in the terrors of
conscience, and hereafter in the torments of hell. They shall
<i>wring them out,</i> that not a drop of the wrath may be left
behind, <i>and they shall drink them,</i> for the curse shall
<i>enter into their bowels like water and like oil into their
bones.</i> The cup of the Lord's indignation will be to them a cup
of trembling, everlasting trembling, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.10" parsed="|Rev|14|10|0|0" passage="Re 14:10">Rev. xiv. 10</scripRef>. The wicked man's cup, while he
prospers in the world, is full of mixture, but the worst is at the
bottom. The wicked are reserved unto the day of judgment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvi-p14">II. Here are two good practical inferences
drawn from these great truths, and they are the same purposes of
duty that he began the psalm with. This being so, 1. He will praise
God, and give him glory, for the power to which he has advanced him
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.9" parsed="|Ps|75|9|0|0" passage="Ps 75:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>I will
declare for ever</i> that which <i>thy wondrous works declare,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.1" parsed="|Ps|75|1|0|0" passage="Ps 75:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He will praise
God for his elevation, not only at first, while the mercy was
fresh, but for ever, so long as he lives. The exaltation of the Son
of David will be the subject of the saints' everlasting praises. He
will give glory to God, not only as his God, but as the God of
Jacob, knowing it was for Jacob his servant's sake, and because he
loved his people Israel, that he made him king over them. 2. He
will use the power with which he is entrusted for the great ends
for which it was put into his hands, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.10" parsed="|Ps|75|10|0|0" passage="Ps 75:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>, as before, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.2 Bible:Ps.75.4" parsed="|Ps|75|2|0|0;|Ps|75|4|0|0" passage="Ps 75:2,4"><i>v.</i> 2, 4</scripRef>. According to the duty of the
higher powers, (1.) He resolves to be a terror to evildoers, to
humble their pride and break their power: "Though not all the
heads, yet <i>all the horns, of the wicked will I cut off,</i> with
which they push their poor neighbours; I will disable them to do
mischief." Thus God promises to raise up carpenters who should
<i>fray the horns of the Gentiles that had scattered Judah and
Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Zech.1.18-Zech.1.21" parsed="|Zech|1|18|1|21" passage="Zec 1:18-21">Zech. i.
18-21</scripRef>. (2.) He resolves to be a protection and praise to
those that do well: <i>The horns of the righteous shall be
exalted;</i> they shall be preferred and be put into places of
power; and those that are good, and have hearts to do good, shall
not want ability and opportunity for it. This agrees with David's
resolutions, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.101.3" parsed="|Ps|101|3|0|0" passage="Ps 101:3">Ps. ci. 3</scripRef>,
&amp;c. Herein David was a type of Christ, who with the breath of
his mouth shall slay the wicked, but shall <i>exalt with honour the
horn of the righteous,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvi-p14.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.112.9" parsed="|Ps|112|9|0|0" passage="Ps 112:9">Ps. cxii.
9</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>