mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 87.xml

<div2 id="Ps.lxxxviii" n="lxxxviii" next="Ps.lxxxix" prev="Ps.lxxxvii" progress="51.91%" title="Chapter LXXXVII">
<h2 id="Ps.lxxxviii-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.lxxxviii-p0.2">PSALM LXXXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1">The foregoing psalm was very plain and easy, but
in this are things dark and hard to be understood. It is an
encomium of Zion, as a type and figure of the gospel-church, to
which what is here spoken is very applicable. Zion, for the
temple's sake, is here preferred, I. Before the rest of the land of
Canaan, as being crowned with special tokens of God's favour,
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.1-Ps.87.3" parsed="|Ps|87|1|87|3" passage="Ps 87:1-3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. Before any
other place or country whatsoever, as being replenished with more
eminent men and with a greater plenty of divine blessings,
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.4-Ps.87.7" parsed="|Ps|87|4|87|7" passage="Ps 87:4-7">ver. 4-7</scripRef>. Some think it
was penned to express the joy of God's people when Zion was in a
flourishing state; others think it was penned to encourage their
faith and hope when Zion was in ruins and was to be rebuilt after
the captivity. Though no man cared for her (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.17" parsed="|Jer|30|17|0|0" passage="Jer 30:17">Jer. xxx. 17</scripRef>, "This is Zion whom no man
seeketh after"), yet God had done great things for her, and spoken
glorious things of her, which should all have their perfection and
accomplishment in the gospel-church; to that therefore we must have
an eye in singing this psalm.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87" parsed="|Ps|87|0|0|0" passage="Ps 87" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.1-Ps.87.3" parsed="|Ps|87|1|87|3" passage="Ps 87:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.87.1-Ps.87.3">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.6">The Glory of Zion.</h4>
<div class="Center" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p1.7">
<p id="Ps.lxxxviii-p2">A psalm <i>or</i> song for the sons of Korah.</p>
</div>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p3">1 His foundation <i>is</i> in the holy
mountains.   2 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p3.1">Lord</span> loveth
the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.   3
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4">Some make the first words of the psalm to
be part of the title; it is a psalm or song whose subject is the
holy mountains—the temple built in Zion upon Mount Moriah. This is
the foundation of the argument, or beginning of the psalm. Or we
may suppose the psalmist had now the tabernacle or temple in view
and was contemplating the glories of it, and at length he breaks
out into this expression, which has reference, though not to what
he had written before, yet to what he had thought of; every one
knew what he meant when he said thus abruptly, <i>Its foundation is
in the holy mountains.</i> Three things are here observed, in
praise of the temple:—1. That it was founded on the holy
mountains, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.1" parsed="|Ps|87|1|0|0" passage="Ps 87:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The
church has a foundation, so that it cannot sink or totter; Christ
himself is the foundation of it, which God has laid. The Jerusalem
above is a city that has foundations. The foundation is upon the
mountains. It is built high; the <i>mountain of the Lord's house is
established upon the top of the mountains,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.2.2" parsed="|Isa|2|2|0|0" passage="Isa 2:2">Isa. ii. 2</scripRef>. It is built firmly; the mountains
are rocky, and on a rock the church is built. The world is founded
upon the seas (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.24.2" parsed="|Ps|24|2|0|0" passage="Ps 24:2">Ps. xxiv. 2</scripRef>),
which are continually ebbing and flowing, and are a very weak
foundation; Babel was built in a plain, where the ground was
rotten. But the church is built upon the everlasting mountains and
the perpetual hills; for sooner shall the mountains depart, and the
hills be removed, than the covenant of God's peace shall be
disannulled, and on that the church is built, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.10" parsed="|Isa|54|10|0|0" passage="Isa 54:10">Isa. lxiv. 10</scripRef>. The foundation is upon the
holy mountains. Holiness is the strength and stability of the
church: it is this that will support it and keep it from sinking;
not so much that it is built upon mountains as that it is built
upon holy mountains—upon the promise of God, for the confirming of
which he has sworn by his holiness, upon the sanctification of the
Spirit, which will secure the happiness of all the saints. 2. That
God had expressed a particular affection for it (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.2" parsed="|Ps|87|2|0|0" passage="Ps 87:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>The Lord loveth the gates of
Zion,</i> of the temple, of <i>the houses of doctrine</i> (so the
Chaldee), <i>more than all the dwellings of Jacob,</i> whether in
Jerusalem or any where else in the country. God had said concerning
Zion, <i>This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell.</i> There he
met his people, and conversed with them, received their homage, and
showed them the tokens of his favour, and therefore we may conclude
how well he loves those gates. Note, (1.) God has a love for the
dwellings of Jacob, has a gracious regard to religious families and
accepts their family-worship. (2.) Yet he loves the gates of Zion
better, not only better than any, but better than all, of the
dwellings of Jacob. God was worshipped in the dwellings of Jacob,
and family-worship is family-duty, which must by no means be
neglected; yet, when they come in competition, public worship
(<i>cæteris paribus—other things being equal</i>) is to be
preferred before private. 3. That there was much said concerning it
in the word of God (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.3" parsed="|Ps|87|3|0|0" passage="Ps 87:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>): <i>Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of
God!</i> We are to judge of things and persons by the figure they
make and the estimate put upon them in and by the scripture. Many
base things were spoken of the city of God by the enemies of it, to
render it mean and odious; but by him whose judgment we are sure is
according to truth glorious things are spoken of it. God said of
the temple, <i>My eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually; I
have sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.16" parsed="|2Chr|7|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 7:16">2 Chron. vii. 16</scripRef>.
<i>Beautiful for situation is Mount Zion,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.48.2" parsed="|Ps|48|2|0|0" passage="Ps 48:2">Ps. xlviii. 2</scripRef>. These are glorious things. Yet
more glorious things are spoken of the gospel-church. It is the
spouse of Christ, the purchase of his blood; it is a <i>peculiar
people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood,</i> and the <i>gates of
hell shall not prevail against it.</i> Let us not be ashamed of the
church of Christ in its meanest condition, nor of any that belong
to it, nor disown our relation to it, though it be turned ever so
much to our reproach, since such glorious things are spoken of it,
and not on iota or tittle of what is said shall fall to the
ground.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.4-Ps.87.7" parsed="|Ps|87|4|87|7" passage="Ps 87:4-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.87.4-Ps.87.7">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxxviii-p4.10">The Glory of Zion.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p5">4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to
them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this
<i>man</i> was born there.   5 And of Zion it shall be said,
This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall
establish her.   6 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p5.1">Lord</span>
shall count, when he writeth up the people, <i>that</i> this
<i>man</i> was born there. Selah.   7 As well the singers as
the players on instruments <i>shall be there:</i> all my springs
<i>are</i> in thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6">Zion is here compared with other places,
and preferred before them; the church of Christ is more glorious
and excellent than the nations of the earth. 1. It is owned that
other places have their glories (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.4" parsed="|Ps|87|4|0|0" passage="Ps 87:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): "<i>I will make mention of
Rahab</i>" (that is, <i>Egypt) "and Babylon, to those that know
me</i> and are about me, and with whom I discourse about public
affairs; <i>behold Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia</i>" (or
rather Arabia), "we will observe that <i>this man was born
there;</i> here and there one famous man, eminent for knowledge and
virtue, may be produced, that was a native of these countries; here
and there one that becomes a proselyte and worshipper of the true
God." But some give another sense of it, supposing that it is a
prophecy or promise of bringing the Gentiles into the church and of
uniting them in one body with the Jews. God says, "<i>I will reckon
Egypt and Babylon with those that know me.</i> I will reckon them
my people as much as Israel when they shall receive the gospel of
Christ, and own them as born in Zion, born again there, and
admitted to the privileges of Zion as freely as a true-born
Israelite." Those that were strangers and foreigners became
<i>fellow-citizens with the saints,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.19" parsed="|Eph|2|19|0|0" passage="Eph 2:19">Eph. ii. 19</scripRef>. A Gentile convert shall stand
upon a level with a native Jew; compare <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.19.23-Isa.19.25" parsed="|Isa|19|23|19|25" passage="Isa 19:23-25">Isa. xix. 23-25</scripRef>. <i>The Lord shall say,
Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and
Israel my inheritance.</i> 2. It is proved that the glory of Zion
outshines them all, upon many accounts; for, (1.) Zion shall
produce many great and good men that shall be famous in their
generation, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.5" parsed="|Ps|87|5|0|0" passage="Ps 87:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Of
Zion it shall be said by all her neighbours that <i>this and that
man were born in her,</i> many men of renown for wisdom and piety,
and especially for acquaintance with the words of God and the
visions of the Almighty—many prophets and kings, who should be
greater favourites of heaven, and greater blessings to the earth,
than ever were bred in Egypt or Babylon. The worthies of the church
far exceed those of heathen nations, and their names will shine
brighter than in perpetual records. <i>A man, a man was born in
her,</i> by which some understand Christ, that man, that son of
man, who is fairer than the children of men; he was born at
Bethlehem near Zion, and was the glory of his people Israel. The
greatest honour that ever was put upon the Jewish nation was, that
of them, <i>as concerning the flesh, Christ came,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.5" parsed="|Rom|9|5|0|0" passage="Ro 9:5">Rom. ix. 5</scripRef>. Or this also may be applied
to the conversion of the Gentiles. Of Zion it shall be said that
the law which went forth out of Zion, the gospel of Christ, shall
be an instrument to beget many souls to God, and the Jerusalem that
is from above shall be acknowledged the mother of them all. (2.)
Zion's interest shall be strengthened and settled by an almighty
power. <i>The Highest himself shall</i> undertake to <i>establish
her,</i> who can do it effectually; the accession of proselytes out
of various nations shall be so far from occasioning discord and
division that it shall contribute greatly to Zion's strength; for,
God himself having founded her upon an everlasting foundation,
whatever convulsions and revolutions there are of states and
kingdoms, and however heaven and earth may be shaken, these are
things which cannot be shaken, but must remain. (3.) Zion's sons
shall be registered with honour (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.6" parsed="|Ps|87|6|0|0" passage="Ps 87:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "<i>The Lord shall count, when
he writes up the people,</i> and takes a catalogue of his subjects,
<i>that this man was born there,</i> and so is a subject by birth,
by the first birth, being born in his house—by the second birth,
being born again of his Spirit." When God comes to reckon with the
children of men, that he may render to every man according to his
works, he will observe who was born in Zion, and consequently
enjoyed the privileges of God's sanctuary, to whom pertained the
adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the service of God,
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.7" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.4 Bible:Rom.3.1-Rom.3.2" parsed="|Rom|9|4|0|0;|Rom|3|1|3|2" passage="Ro 9:4,Ro 3:1,2">Rom. ix. 4; iii. 1,
2</scripRef>. For to them much was given, and therefore of them
much will be required, and the account will be accordingly; five
talents must be improved by those that were entrusted with five.
<i>I know thy works, and where thou dwellest,</i> and where thou
was born. <i>Selah.</i> Let those that dwell in Zion <i>mark
this,</i> and live up to their profession. (4.) Zion's songs shall
be sung with joy and triumph: <i>As well the singers as the players
on instruments shall be there</i> to praise God, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.7" parsed="|Ps|87|7|0|0" passage="Ps 87:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It was much to the honour of
Zion, and is to the honour of the gospel-church, that there God is
served and worshipped with rejoicing: his work is done, and done
cheerfully; see <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.25" parsed="|Ps|68|25|0|0" passage="Ps 68:25">Ps. lxviii.
25</scripRef>. <i>All my springs are in thee,</i> O Zion! So God
says; he has deposited treasures of grace in his holy ordinances;
there are the springs from which those streams take rise <i>which
make glad the city of our God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxviii-p6.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.4" parsed="|Ps|46|4|0|0" passage="Ps 46:4">Ps.
xlvi. 4</scripRef>. So the psalmist says, reckoning the springs
from which his dry soul must be watered to lie in the sanctuary, in
the word and ordinances, and in the communion of saints. The
springs of the joy of a carnal worldling lie in wealth and
pleasure; but the springs of the joy of a gracious soul lie in the
word of God and prayer. Christ is the true temple; all our springs
are in him, and from him all our streams flow. <i>It pleased the
Father,</i> and all believers are well pleased with it too, <i>that
in him should all fulness dwell.</i></p>
</div></div2>