mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 93.xml

<div2 id="Ps.xciv" n="xciv" next="Ps.xcv" prev="Ps.xciii" progress="54.36%" title="Chapter XCIII">
<h2 id="Ps.xciv-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.xciv-p0.2">PSALM XCIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.xciv-p1">This short psalm sets forth the honour of the
kingdom of God among men, to his glory, the terror of his enemies,
and the comfort of all his loving subjects. It relates both to the
kingdom of his providence, by which he upholds and governs the
world, and especially to the kingdom of his grace, by which he
secures the church, sanctifies and preserves it. The administration
of both these kingdoms is put into the hands of the Messiah, and to
him, doubtless, the prophet here hears witness, and to his kingdom,
speaking of it as present, because sure; and because, as the
eternal Word, even before his incarnation he was Lord of all.
Concerning God's kingdom glorious things are here spoken. I. Have
other kings their royal robes? So has he, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.1" parsed="|Ps|93|1|0|0" passage="Ps 93:1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. Have they their thrones? So has
he, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.2" parsed="|Ps|93|2|0|0" passage="Ps 93:2">ver. 2</scripRef>. III. Have they
their enemies whom they subdue and triumph over? So has he,
<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.3-Ps.93.4" parsed="|Ps|93|3|93|4" passage="Ps 93:3,4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>. IV. Is it their
honour to be faithful and holy? So it is his, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.5" parsed="|Ps|93|5|0|0" passage="Ps 93:5">ver. 5</scripRef>. In singing this psalm we forget
ourselves if we forget Christ, to whom the Father has given all
power both in heaven and in earth.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.xciv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93" parsed="|Ps|93|0|0|0" passage="Ps 93" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.xciv-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.1-Ps.93.5" parsed="|Ps|93|1|93|5" passage="Ps 93:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.93.1-Ps.93.5">
<h4 id="Ps.xciv-p1.7">The Glory and Majesty of
God.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.xciv-p2">1 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xciv-p2.1">Lord</span>
reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xciv-p2.2">Lord</span> is clothed with strength, <i>wherewith</i>
he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it
cannot be moved.   2 Thy throne <i>is</i> established of old:
thou <i>art</i> from everlasting.   3 The floods have lifted
up, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xciv-p2.3">O Lord</span>, the floods have lifted
up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.   4 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xciv-p2.4">Lord</span> on high <i>is</i> mightier than the
noise of many waters, <i>yea, than</i> the mighty waves of the sea.
  5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine
house, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xciv-p2.5">O Lord</span>, for ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xciv-p3">Next to the being of God there is nothing
that we are more concerned to believe and consider than God's
dominion, that Jehovah is God, and that this God reigns (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.1" parsed="|Ps|93|1|0|0" passage="Ps 93:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), not only that he is King
of right, and is the owner and proprietor of all persons and
things, but that he is King in fact, and does direct and dispose of
all the creatures and all their actions according to the counsel of
his own will. This is celebrated here, and in many other psalms:
<i>The Lord reigns.</i> It is the song of the gospel church, of the
glorified church (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.6" parsed="|Rev|19|6|0|0" passage="Re 19:6">Rev. xix.
6</scripRef>), <i>Hallelujah; the Lord God omnipotent reigns.</i>
Here we are told how he reigns.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xciv-p4">I. The Lord reigns gloriously: <i>He is
clothed with majesty.</i> The majesty of earthly princes, compared
with God's terrible majesty, is but like the glimmerings of a
glow-worm compared with the brightness of the sun when he goes
forth in his strength. Are the enemies of God's kingdom great and
formidable? Yet let us not fear them, for God's majesty will
eclipse theirs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xciv-p5">II. He reigns powerfully. He is not only
clothed with majesty, as a prince in his court, but he is
<i>clothed with strength,</i> as a general in the camp. He has
wherewithal to support his greatness and to make it truly
formidable. See him not only clad in robes, but clad in armour.
Both <i>strength and honour are his clothing.</i> He can do every
thing, and with him nothing is impossible. 1. With this power <i>he
has girded himself;</i> it is not derived from any other, nor does
the executing of it depend upon any other, but he has it of himself
and with it does whatsoever he pleases. Let us not fear the power
of man, which is borrowed and bounded, but fear him who has power
to kill and cast into hell. 2. To this power it is owing that the
world stands to this day. The world also is established; it was so
at first, by the creating power of God, when he founded it upon the
seas; it is so still, by that providence which upholds all things
and is a continued creation; it is so established that though he
has <i>hanged the earth upon nothing</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.7" parsed="|Job|26|7|0|0" passage="Job 26:7">Job xxvi. 7</scripRef>) yet <i>it cannot be moved;</i>
all things <i>continue to this day, according to his ordinance.</i>
Note, The preserving of the powers of nature and the course of
nature is what the God of nature must have the glory of; and we who
have the benefit thereof daily are very careless and ungrateful if
we give him not the glory of it. Though God clothes himself with
majesty, yet he condescends to take care of this lower world and to
settle its affairs; and, if he established the world, much more
will he establish his church, that it cannot be moved.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xciv-p6">III. He reigns eternally (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.2" parsed="|Ps|93|2|0|0" passage="Ps 93:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Thy throne is
established of old.</i> 1. God's right to rule the world is founded
in his making it; he that gave being to it, no doubt, may give law
to it, and so his title to the government is incontestable: <i>Thy
throne is established;</i> it is a title without a flaw in it. And
it is ancient: it is <i>established of old,</i> from the beginning
of time, before any other rule, principality, or power was erected,
as it will continue when all other rule, principality, and power
shall be put down, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.24" parsed="|1Cor|15|24|0|0" passage="1Co 15:24">1 Cor. xv.
24</scripRef>. 2. The whole administration of his government was
settled in his eternal counsels before all worlds; for he does all
according to the purpose which he purposed in himself; The chariots
of Providence came down from between the mountains of brass, from
those decrees which are fixed as the everlasting mountains
(<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Zech.6.1" parsed="|Zech|6|1|0|0" passage="Zec 6:1">Zech. vi. 1</scripRef>): <i>Thou art
from everlasting,</i> and therefore <i>thy throne is established of
old;</i> because God himself was from everlasting, his throne and
all the determinations of it were so too; for in an eternal mind
there could not but be eternal thoughts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xciv-p7">IV. He reigns triumphantly, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.3-Ps.93.4" parsed="|Ps|93|3|93|4" passage="Ps 93:3,4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. We have here, 1. A
threatening storm supposed: <i>The floods have lifted up, O
Lord!</i> (to God himself the remonstrance is made) <i>the floods
have lifted up their voice,</i> which speaks terror; nay, they have
<i>lifted up their waves,</i> which speaks real danger. It alludes
to a tempestuous sea, such as the wicked are compared to, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.57.20" parsed="|Isa|57|20|0|0" passage="Isa 57:20">Isa. lvii. 20</scripRef>. The <i>heathen
rage</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.1" parsed="|Ps|2|1|0|0" passage="Ps 2:1">Ps. ii. 1</scripRef>) and
think to ruin the church, to overwhelm it like a deluge, to sink it
like a ship at sea. The church is said to <i>be tossed with
tempests</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.11" parsed="|Isa|54|11|0|0" passage="Isa 54:11">Isa. liv.
11</scripRef>), and the <i>floods of ungodly men</i> make the
saints <i>afraid,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.4" parsed="|Ps|18|4|0|0" passage="Ps 18:4">Ps. xviii.
4</scripRef>. We may apply it to the tumults that are sometimes in
our own bosoms, through prevailing passions and frights, which put
the soul into disorder, and are ready to overthrow its graces and
comforts; but, if the Lord reign there, even the winds and seas
shall obey him. 2. An immovable anchor cast in this storm
(<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.4" parsed="|Ps|93|4|0|0" passage="Ps 93:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>The Lord
himself is mightier.</i> Let this keep our minds fixed, (1.) That
God is on high, above them, which denotes his safety (they cannot
reach him, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.29.10" parsed="|Ps|29|10|0|0" passage="Ps 29:10">Ps. xxix. 10</scripRef>)
and his sovereignty; they are ruled by him, they are overruled,
and, wherein they rebel, overcome, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.11" parsed="|Exod|18|11|0|0" passage="Ex 18:11">Exod. xviii. 11</scripRef>. (2.) That he <i>is
mightier,</i> does more <i>wondrous things</i> than <i>the noise of
many waters;</i> they cannot disturb his rest or rule; they cannot
defeat his designs and purposes. Observe, The power of the church's
enemies is but <i>as the noise of many waters;</i> there is more of
sound than substance in it. <i>Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a
noise,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.9" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.17" parsed="|Jer|46|17|0|0" passage="Jer 46:17">Jer. xlvi. 17</scripRef>.
The church's friends are commonly more frightened than hurt. God is
mightier than this noise; he is mighty to preserve his people's
interests from being ruined by these many waters and his people's
spirits from being terrified by the noise of them. He can, when he
pleases, command peace to the church (<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.65.7" parsed="|Ps|65|7|0|0" passage="Ps 65:7">Ps. lxv. 7</scripRef>), peace in the soul, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.3" parsed="|Isa|26|3|0|0" passage="Isa 26:3">Isa. xxvi. 3</scripRef>. Note, The unlimited
sovereignty and irresistible power of the great Jehovah are very
encouraging to the people of God, in reference to all the noises
and hurries they meet with in this world, <scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p7.12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.1-Ps.46.2" parsed="|Ps|46|1|46|2" passage="Ps 46:1,2">Ps. xlvi. 1, 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xciv-p8">V. He reigns in truth and holiness,
<scripRef id="Ps.xciv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.5" parsed="|Ps|93|5|0|0" passage="Ps 93:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. 1. All his
promises are inviolably faithful: <i>Thy testimonies are very
sure.</i> As God is able to protect his church, so he is true to
the promises he has made of its safety and victory. His word is
passed, and all the saints may rely upon it. Whatever was foretold
concerning the kingdom of the Messiah would certainly have its
accomplishment in due time. Those testimonies upon which the faith
and hope of the Old-Testament saints were built were very sure, and
would not fail them. 2. All his people ought to be conscientiously
pure: <i>Holiness becomes thy house, O Lord! for ever.</i> God's
church is his house; it is a holy house, cleansed from sin,
consecrated by God, and employed in his service. The holiness of it
is its beauty (nothing better becomes the saints than conformity to
God's image and an entire devotedness to his honour), and it is its
strength and safety; it is the holiness of God's house that secures
it against the many waters and their noise. Where there is purity
there shall be peace. Fashions change, and that which is becoming
at one time is not so at another; but holiness always becomes God's
house and family, and those who belong to it; it is perpetually
decent; and nothing so ill becomes the worshippers of the holy God
as unholiness.</p>
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