mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/0 - Introduction.xml

<div2 id="Ps.i" n="i" next="Ps.ii" prev="Ps" progress="21.62%" title="Introduction">
<h2 id="Ps.i-p0.1">Psalms</h2>
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<p id="Ps.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Ps.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Ps.i-p1.2">W I T H   P R A C T I C A L   O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Ps.i-p1.3">OF THE BOOK OF</h5>
<h2 id="Ps.i-p1.4">P S A L M S.</h2>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.i-p2">We have now before us one of the choicest
and most excellent parts of all the Old Testament; nay, so much is
there in it of Christ and his gospel, as well as of God and his
law, that it had been called <i>the abstract,</i> or <i>summary, of
both Testaments.</i> The History of Israel, which we were long
upon, let us to camps and council-boards, and there entertained and
instructed us in the knowledge of God. The book of Job brought us
into the schools, and treated us with profitable disputations
concerning God and his providence. But this book brings us into the
sanctuary, draws us off from converse with men, with the
politicians, philosophers, or disputers of this world, and directs
us into communion with God, by solacing and reposing our souls in
him, lifting up and letting out our hearts towards him. Thus may we
be in the mount with God; and we understand not our interests if we
say not, <i>It is good to be here.</i> Let us consider,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.i-p3">I. The title of this book. It is called, 1.
The <i>Psalms;</i> under that title it is referred to, <scripRef id="Ps.i-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.44" parsed="|Luke|24|44|0|0" passage="Lu 24:44">Luke xxiv. 44</scripRef>. The Hebrew calls it
<i>Tehillim,</i> which properly signifies <i>Psalms of praise,</i>
because many of them are such; but <i>Psalms</i> is a more general
word, meaning all metrical compositions fitted to be sung, which
may as well be historical, doctrinal, or supplicatory, as
laudatory. Though singing be properly the voice of joy, yet the
intention of songs is of a much greater latitude, to assist the
memory, and both to express and to excite all the other affections
as well as this of joy. The priests had a mournful muse as well as
joyful ones; and the divine institution of singing psalms is thus
largely intended; for we are directed not only to praise God, but
to teach and admonish ourselves and one another <i>in psalms, and
hymns, and spiritual songs,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.i-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.16" parsed="|Col|3|16|0|0" passage="Col 3:16">Col.
iii. 16</scripRef>. 2. It is called the <i>Book of Psalms;</i> so
it is quoted by St. Peter, <scripRef id="Ps.i-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.20" parsed="|Acts|1|20|0|0" passage="Ac 1:20">Acts i.
20</scripRef>. It is a collection of psalms, of all the psalms that
were divinely inspired, which, though composed at several times and
upon several occasions, are here put together without any reference
to or dependence upon one another; thus they were preserved from
being scattered and lost, and were in so much greater readiness for
the service of the church. See what a good master we serve, and
what pleasantness there is in wisdom's ways, when we are not only
commanded to sing at our work, and have cause enough given us to do
so, but have words also put in our mouths and songs prepared to our
hands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.i-p4">II. The author of this book. It is, no
doubt, derived originally from the blessed Spirit. They are
spiritual songs, words which the Holy Ghost taught. The penman of
most of them was David the son of Jesse, who is therefore called
the <i>sweet psalmist of Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.23.1" parsed="|2Sam|23|1|0|0" passage="2Sa 23:1">2
Sam. xxiii. 1</scripRef>. Some that have not his name in their
titles yet are expressly ascribed to him elsewhere, as <scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.1-Ps.2.12" parsed="|Ps|2|1|2|12" passage="Ps 2:1-12">Ps. ii</scripRef>. (<scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.4.25" parsed="|Acts|4|25|0|0" passage="Ac 4:25">Acts iv. 25</scripRef>) and <scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.96.1-Ps.96.13" parsed="|Ps|96|1|96|13" passage="Ps 96:1-13">Ps. xcvi.</scripRef> and <scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.1-Ps.105.45" parsed="|Ps|105|1|105|45" passage="Ps 105:1-45">cv.</scripRef> (<scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.16.1-1Chr.16.43" parsed="|1Chr|16|1|16|43" passage="1Ch 16:1-43">1
Chron. xvi.</scripRef>) One psalm is expressly said to be <i>the
prayer of Moses</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.1-Ps.90.17" parsed="|Ps|90|1|90|17" passage="Ps 90:1-17">Ps.
xc.</scripRef>); and that some of the psalms were penned by Asaph
is intimated, <scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.8" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.29.30" parsed="|2Chr|29|30|0|0" passage="2Ch 29:30">2 Chron. xxix.
30</scripRef>, where they are said to <i>praise the Lord in the
words of David and Asaph</i>, who is there called a <i>seer</i> or
<i>prophet.</i> Some of the psalms seem to have been penned long
after, as <scripRef id="Ps.i-p4.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.137.1-Ps.137.9" parsed="|Ps|137|1|137|9" passage="Ps 137:1-9">Ps. cxxxvii.</scripRef>,
at the time of the captivity in Babylon; but the far greater part
of them were certainly penned by David himself, whose genius lay
towards poetry and music, and who was raised up, qualified, and
animated, for the establishing of the ordinance of singing psalms
in the church of God, as Moses and Aaron were, in their day, for
the settling of the ordinances of sacrifice; theirs is superseded,
but his remains, and will to the end of time, when it shall be
swallowed up in the songs of eternity. Herein David was a type of
Christ, who descended from him, not from Moses, because he came to
take away sacrifice (the family of Moses was soon lost and
extinct), but to establish and perpetuate joy and praise; for of
the family of David in Christ there shall be no end.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.i-p5">III. The scope of it. It is manifestly
intended, 1. To assist the exercises of natural religion, and to
kindle in the souls of men those devout affections which we owe to
God as our Creator, owner, ruler, and benefactor. The book of Job
helps to prove our first principles of the divine perfections and
providence; but this helps to improve them in prayers and praises,
and professions of desire towards him, dependence on him, and an
entire devotedness and resignation to him. Other parts of scripture
show that God is infinitely above man, and his sovereign Lord; but
this shows us that he may, notwithstanding, be conversed with by us
sinful worms of the earth; and there are ways in which, if it be
not our own fault, we may keep up communion with him in all the
various conditions of human life. 2. To advance the excellencies of
revealed religion, and in the most pleasing powerful manner to
recommend it to the world. There is indeed little or nothing of the
ceremonial law in all the book of <i>Psalms.</i> Though sacrifice
and offering were yet to continue many ages, yet they are here
represented as things which God did not desire (<scripRef id="Ps.i-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.40.6 Bible:Ps.51.16" parsed="|Ps|40|6|0|0;|Ps|51|16|0|0" passage="Ps 40:6,51:16">Ps. xl. 6, li. 16</scripRef>), as things
comparatively little, and which in time were to vanish away. But
the word and law of God, those parts of it which are moral and of
perpetual obligation are here all along magnified and made
honourable, nowhere more. And Christ, the crown and centre of
revealed religion, the foundation, corner, and top-stone, of that
blessed building, is here clearly spoken of in type and prophecy,
his sufferings and the glory that should follow, and the kingdom
that he should set up in the world, in which God's covenant with
David, concerning his kingdom, was to have its accomplishment. What
a high value does this book put upon the word of God, his statutes
and judgments, his covenant and the great and precious promises of
it; and how does it recommend them to us as our guide and stay, and
our heritage for ever!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.i-p6">IV. The use of it. All scripture, being
given by inspiration of God, is profitable to convey divine light
into our understandings; but this book is of singular use with that
to convey divine life and power, and a holy warmth, into our
affections. There is no one book of scripture that is more helpful
to the devotions of the saints than this, and it has been so in all
ages of the church, ever since it was written and the several parts
of it were delivered to the chief musician for the service of the
church. 1. It is of use to be sung. Further than David's psalms we
<i>may</i> go, but we <i>need</i> not, for hymns and spiritual
songs. What the rules of the Hebrew metre were even the learned are
not certain. But these psalms ought to be rendered according to the
metre of every language, at least so as that they may be sung for
the edification of the church. And methinks it is a great comfort
to us, when we are singing David's psalms, that we are offering the
very same praises to God that were offered to him in the days of
David and the other godly kings of Judah. So rich, so well made,
are these divine poems, that they can never be exhausted, can never
be worn thread-bare. 2. It is of use to be read and opened by the
ministers of Christ, as containing great and excellent truths, and
rules concerning good and evil. Our Lord Jesus expounded the psalms
to his disciples, the gospel psalms, and opened their
understandings (for he had the key of David) to understand them,
<scripRef id="Ps.i-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.44" parsed="|Luke|24|44|0|0" passage="Lu 24:44">Luke xxiv. 44</scripRef>. 3. It is of
use to be read and meditated upon by all good people. It is a full
fountain, out of which we may all be drawing water with joy. (1.)
The Psalmist's experiences are of great use for our direction,
caution, and encouragement. In telling us, as he often does, what
passed between God and his soul, he lets us know what we may expect
from God, and what he will expect, and require, and graciously
accept, from us. David was a man after God's own heart, and
therefore those who find themselves in some measure according to
his heart have reason to hope that they are renewed by the grace of
God, after the image of God, and many have much comfort in the
testimony of their consciences for them that they can heartily say
<i>Amen</i> to David's prayers and praises. (2.) Even the
Psalmist's expressions too are of great use; and by them the Spirit
helps our praying infirmities, because we know not what to pray for
as we ought. In all our approaches to God, as well as in our first
returns to God, we are directed to <i>take with us words</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.i-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.2" parsed="|Hos|14|2|0|0" passage="Ho 14:2">Hos. xiv. 2</scripRef>), these word,
words which the Holy Ghost teaches. If we make David's psalms
familiar to us, as we ought to do, whatever errand we have at the
throne of grace, by way of confession, petition, or thanksgiving,
we may thence be assisted in the delivery of it; whatever devout
affection is working in us, holy desire or hope, sorrow or joy, we
may there find apt words wherewith to clothe it, sound speech which
cannot be condemned. It will be good to collect the most proper and
lively expressions of devotion which we find here, and to methodize
them, and reduce them to the several heads of prayer, that they may
be the more ready to us. Or we may take sometimes one choice psalm
and sometimes another, and pray it over, that is, enlarge upon each
verse in our own thoughts, and offer up our meditations to God as
they arise from the expressions we find there. The learned Dr.
Hammond, in his preface to his paraphrase on the Psalms (sect. 29),
says, "That going over a few psalms with these interpunctions of
mental devotion, suggested, animated, and maintained, by the native
life and vigour which is in the psalms, is much to be preferred
before the saying over the whole Psalter, since nothing is more fit
to be averted in religious offices than their degenerating into
heartless dispirited recitations." If, as St. Austin advises, we
form our spirit by the affection of the psalm, we may then be sure
of acceptance with God in using the language of it. Nor is it only
our devotion, and the affections of our mind, that the book of
Psalms assists, teaching us how to offer praise so as to glorify
God, but, it is also a directory to the actions of our lives, and
teaches us how to <i>order our conversation aright, so as that,</i>
in the end, <i>we may see the salvation of God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.i-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.23" parsed="|Ps|1|23|0|0" passage="Ps 1:23">Ps. i. 23</scripRef>. The Psalms were thus
serviceable to the Old-Testament church, but to us Christians they
may be of more use than they could be to those who lived before the
coming of Christ; for, as Moses's sacrifices, so David's songs, are
expounded and made more intelligible by the gospel of Christ, which
lets us within the veil; so that if to David's prayers and praises
we all St. Paul's prayers in his epistles, and the new songs in the
Revelation, we shall be thoroughly furnished for this good work;
for the scripture, perfected, makes the man of God perfect.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.i-p7">As to the division of this book, we need
not be solicitous; there is no connexion (or very seldom) between
one psalm and another, nor any reason discernible for the placing
of them in the order wherein we here find them; but it seems to be
ancient, for that which is now the second psalm was so in the
apostles' time, <scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.13.33" parsed="|Acts|13|33|0|0" passage="Ac 13:33">Acts xiii.
33</scripRef>. The vulgar Latin joins the 9th and 10th together;
all popish authors quote by that, so that, thenceforward,
throughout the book, their number is one short of ours; our xi. is
their x., our cxix. is their cxviii. But they divide the 147th into
two, and so make up the number of 150. Some have endeavoured to
reduce the psalms to proper heads, according to the matter of them,
but there is often such a variety of matter in one and the same
psalm that this cannot be done with any certainty. But the seven
penitential Psalms have been in a particular manner singled out by
the devotions of many. They are reckoned to be <scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.1-Ps.1.6 Bible:Ps.32.1-Ps.32.11 Bible:Ps.38.1-Ps.38.22 Bible:Ps.51.1-Ps.51.19 Bible:Ps.102.1-Ps.102.28 Bible:Ps.130.1-Ps.130.8 Bible:Ps.143.1-Ps.143.12" parsed="|Ps|1|1|1|6;|Ps|32|1|32|11;|Ps|38|1|38|22;|Ps|51|1|51|19;|Ps|102|1|102|28;|Ps|130|1|130|8;|Ps|143|1|143|12" passage="Ps 1:1-6,32:1-11,38:1-22,51:1-19,102:1-28,130:1-8,143:1-12">Ps.
vi., xxxii., xxxviii., li., cii., cxxx., cxliii.</scripRef> The
Psalms were divided into five books, each concluding with <i>Amen,
Amen,</i> or <i>Hallelujah;</i> the first ending with <scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.41.1-Ps.41.13" parsed="|Ps|41|1|41|13" passage="Ps 41:1-13">Ps. xli.</scripRef>, the second with <scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.1-Ps.72.20" parsed="|Ps|72|1|72|20" passage="Ps 72:1-20">Ps. lxxii.</scripRef>, the third with
<scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.1-Ps.89.52" parsed="|Ps|89|1|89|52" passage="Ps 89:1-52">Ps. lxxxix.</scripRef>, the fourth
with <scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.1-Ps.106.48" parsed="|Ps|106|1|106|48" passage="Ps 106:1-48">Ps. cvi.</scripRef>, the fifth
with <scripRef id="Ps.i-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.150.1-Ps.150.6" parsed="|Ps|150|1|150|6" passage="Ps 150:1-6">Ps. cl.</scripRef> Others
divide them into three fifties; others into sixty parts, two for
every day of the month, one for the morning, the other for the
evening. Let good Christians divide them for themselves, so as may
best increase their acquaintance with them, that they may have them
at hand upon all occasions and may sing them in the spirit and with
the understanding.</p>
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