227 lines
17 KiB
XML
227 lines
17 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Ps.xcix" n="xcix" next="Ps.c" prev="Ps.xcviii" progress="55.77%" title="Chapter XCVIII">
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<h2 id="Ps.xcix-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
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<h3 id="Ps.xcix-p0.2">PSALM XCVIII.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Ps.xcix-p1">This psalm is to the same purport with the
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<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.96.1-Ps.96.13 Bible:Ps.97.1-Ps.97.12" parsed="|Ps|96|1|96|13;|Ps|97|1|97|12" passage="Ps 96:1-13,Ps 97:1-12">two foregoing
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psalms</scripRef>; it is a prophecy of the kingdom of the Messiah,
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the settling of it up in the world, and the bringing of the
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Gentiles into it. The Chaldee entitles it a prophetic psalm. It
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sets forth, I. The glory of the Redeemer, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.1-Ps.98.3" parsed="|Ps|98|1|98|3" passage="Ps 98:1-3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. The joy of the redeemed,
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<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.4-Ps.98.9" parsed="|Ps|98|4|98|9" passage="Ps 98:4-9">ver. 4-9</scripRef>. If we in a right
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manner give to Christ this glory, and upon right grounds take to
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ourselves this joy, in singing this psalm, we sing it with
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understanding. If those who saw Christ's triumph thus, much more
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reason have we to do so who see these things accomplished and share
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in the better things provided for us, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.40" parsed="|Heb|11|40|0|0" passage="Heb 11:40">Heb. xi. 40</scripRef>.</p>
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<scripCom id="Ps.xcix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98" parsed="|Ps|98|0|0|0" passage="Ps 98" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Ps.xcix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.1-Ps.98.3" parsed="|Ps|98|1|98|3" passage="Ps 98:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.98.1-Ps.98.3">
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<h4 id="Ps.xcix-p1.7">An Invitation to Praise.</h4>
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<div class="Center" id="Ps.xcix-p1.8">
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<p id="Ps.xcix-p2">A psalm.</p>
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</div>
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<p class="passage" id="Ps.xcix-p3">1 O sing unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xcix-p3.1">Lord</span> a new song; for he hath done marvellous
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things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the
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victory. 2 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xcix-p3.2">Lord</span> hath made
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known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the
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sight of the heathen. 3 He hath remembered his mercy and his
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truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have
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seen the salvation of our God.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p4">We are here called upon again to <i>sing
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unto the Lord a new song,</i> as before, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.96.1" parsed="|Ps|96|1|0|0" passage="Ps 96:1">Ps. xcvi. 1</scripRef>. "Sing a most excellent song, the
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best song you have." Let the song of Christ's love be like
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Solomon's on that subject, a <i>song of songs.</i> A song of praise
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for redeeming love is a <i>new song,</i> such a song as had not
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been sung before; for this is a mystery which was hidden from ages
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and generations. Converts sing a <i>new song,</i> very different
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from what they had sung; they change their wonder and change their
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joy, and therefore change their note. If the grace of God put a new
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heart into our breasts, it will therewith put a new song into our
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mouths. In the new Jerusalem there will be new songs sung, that
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will be new to eternity, and never wax old. Let this new song be
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sung to the praise of God, in consideration of these four
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things:—</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p5">I. The wonders he has wrought: <i>He has
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done marvellous things,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.1" parsed="|Ps|98|1|0|0" passage="Ps 98:1"><i>v.</i>
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1</scripRef>. Note, The work of our salvation by Christ is a work
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of wonder. If we take a view of all the steps of it from the
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contrivance of it, and the counsels of God concerning it before all
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time, to the consummation of it, and its everlasting consequences
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when time shall be no more, we shall say, God has in it <i>done
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marvellous things;</i> it is all his doing and it is <i>marvellous
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in our eyes.</i> The more it is known the more it will be
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admired.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p6">II. The conquests he has won: <i>His right
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hand and his holy arm have gotten him the victory.</i> Our Redeemer
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has surmounted all the difficulties that lay in the way of our
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redemption, has broken through them all, and was not discouraged by
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the services or sufferings appointed him. He has subdued all the
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enemies that opposed it, has gotten the victory over Satan,
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disarmed him, and cast him out of his strong-holds, has <i>spoiled
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principalities and powers</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.15" parsed="|Col|2|15|0|0" passage="Col 2:15">Col.
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ii. 15</scripRef>), has <i>taken the prey from the mighty</i>
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(<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.24" parsed="|Isa|49|24|0|0" passage="Isa 49:24">Isa. xlix. 24</scripRef>), and given
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death his death's wound. He has gotten a clear and complete
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victory, not only for himself, but for us also, for we through him
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are more than conquerors. He got this victory by his own power;
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there was <i>none to help, none to uphold,</i> none that durst
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venture into the service; but his <i>right hand and his holy
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arm,</i> which are always stretched out with good success, because
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they are never stretched out but in a good cause, these have
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<i>gotten him the victory,</i> have <i>brought him relief or
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deliverance.</i> God's power and faithfulness, called here <i>his
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right hand and his holy arm,</i> brought relief to the Lord Jesus,
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in raising him from the dead, and exalting him personally to the
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right hand of God; so Dr. Hammond.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p7">III. The discoveries he has made to the
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world of the work of redemption. What he has wrought for us he has
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revealed to us, and both by his Son; the gospel-revelation is that
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on which the gospel-kingdom is founded—<i>the word which God
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sent,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.10.36" parsed="|Acts|10|36|0|0" passage="Ac 10:36">Acts x. 36</scripRef>. The
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<i>opening of the sealed book</i> is that which is to be celebrated
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with songs of praise (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.5.8" parsed="|Rev|5|8|0|0" passage="Re 5:8">Rev. v.
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8</scripRef>), because by it was brought to light the mystery which
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had long been hid in God. Observe, 1. The subject of this
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discovery—his salvation and his righteousness, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.3" parsed="|Ps|98|3|0|0" passage="Ps 98:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Righteousness and salvation are
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often put together; as <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.10 Bible:Isa.46.13 Bible:Isa.51.5-Isa.51.6 Bible:Isa.51.8" parsed="|Isa|61|10|0|0;|Isa|46|13|0|0;|Isa|51|5|51|6;|Isa|51|8|0|0" passage="Isa 61:10,Isa 46:13,51:5,6,8">Isa. lxi. 10; xlvi. 13; li. 5, 6,
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8</scripRef>. Salvation denotes the redemption itself, and
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righteousness the way in which it was wrought, by the righteousness
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of Christ. Or the salvation includes all our gospel-privileges and
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the righteousness all our gospel-duties; both are made known, for
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God has joined them together, and we must not separate them. Or
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righteousness is here put for the way of our justification by
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Christ, which is revealed in the gospel to be by faith, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.17" parsed="|Rom|1|17|0|0" passage="Ro 1:17">Rom. i. 17</scripRef>. 2. The plainness of this
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discovery. He has openly shown it, not in types and figures as
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under the law, but it is written as with a sunbeam, that he that
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runs may read it. Ministers are appointed to preach it with all
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plainness of speech. 3. The extent of this discovery. It is made in
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the sight of the heathen, and not of the Jews only: <i>All the ends
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of the earth have seen the salvation of our God;</i> for to the
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Gentiles was the word of salvation sent.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p8">IV. The accomplishment of the prophecies
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and promises of the Old Testament, in this (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.3" parsed="|Ps|98|3|0|0" passage="Ps 98:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>He has remembered his mercy
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and his truth towards the house of Israel.</i> God had mercy in
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store for the seed of Abraham, and had given them many and great
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assurances of the kindness he designed them in the latter days; and
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it was in pursuance of all those that he raised up his Son Jesus to
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be not only a <i>light to lighten the Gentiles,</i> but <i>the
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glory of his people Israel;</i> for he sent him, in the first
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place, to bless <i>them.</i> God is said, in sending Christ, to
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<i>perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember the
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holy covenant,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.72" parsed="|Luke|1|72|0|0" passage="Lu 1:72">Luke i.
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72</scripRef>. It was in consideration of that, and not of their
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merit.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="Ps.xcix-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.4-Ps.98.9" parsed="|Ps|98|4|98|9" passage="Ps 98:4-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.98.4-Ps.98.9">
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<h4 id="Ps.xcix-p8.4">An Invitation to Praise.</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Ps.xcix-p9">4 Make a joyful noise unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xcix-p9.1">Lord</span>, all the earth: make a loud noise, and
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rejoice, and sing praise. 5 Sing unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xcix-p9.2">Lord</span> with the harp; with the harp, and the voice
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of a psalm. 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a
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joyful noise before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xcix-p9.3">Lord</span>, the
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King. 7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the
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world, and they that dwell therein. 8 Let the floods clap
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<i>their</i> hands: let the hills be joyful together 9
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Before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.xcix-p9.4">Lord</span>; for he cometh to
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judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and
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the people with equity.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p10">The setting up of the kingdom of Christ is
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here represented as a matter of joy and praise.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p11">I. Let all the children of men rejoice in
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it, for they all have, or may have, benefit by it. Again and again
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we are here called upon by all ways and means possible to express
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our joy in it and give God praise for it: <i>Make a joyful
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noise,</i> as before, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.95.1-Ps.95.2" parsed="|Ps|95|1|95|2" passage="Ps 95:1,2">Ps. xcv. 1,
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2</scripRef>. <i>Make a loud noise,</i> as those that are affected
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with those glad tidings and are desirous to affect others with
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them. <i>Rejoice and sing praise,</i> sing <i>Hosannas</i>
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(<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.21.9" parsed="|Matt|21|9|0|0" passage="Mt 21:9">Matt. xxi. 9</scripRef>), sing
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<i>Hallelujahs,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.6" parsed="|Rev|19|6|0|0" passage="Re 19:6">Rev. xix.
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6</scripRef>. Let him be welcomed to the throne, as new kings are,
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with acclamations of joy and loud shouts, till the earth ring
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again, as when Solomon was proclaimed, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.1.40" parsed="|1Kgs|1|40|0|0" passage="1Ki 1:40">1 Kings i. 40</scripRef>. And let the shouts of the
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crowd be accompanied with the <i>singers and players on
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instruments</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.7 Bible:Ps.68.25" parsed="|Ps|87|7|0|0;|Ps|68|25|0|0" passage="Ps 87:7,Ps 68:25">Ps. lxxvii.
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7; lxvi. 25</scripRef>), as is usual in such solemnities. 1. Let
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sacred songs attend the new King: "<i>Sing praise, sing with the
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voice of a psalm.</i> Express your joy; thus proclaim it, thus
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excite it yet more, and thus propagate it among others." 2. Let
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these be assisted with sacred music, not only with the soft and
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gentle melody of <i>the harp,</i> but since it is a victorious King
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whose glory is to be celebrated, who goes forth conquering and to
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conquer, let him be proclaimed with the martial sound of the
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<i>trumpet</i> and <i>cornet,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.6" parsed="|Ps|98|6|0|0" passage="Ps 98:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Let all this joy be directed to
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God, and expressed in a solemn religious manner: <i>Make a joyful
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noise to the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.4" parsed="|Ps|98|4|0|0" passage="Ps 98:4"><i>v.</i>
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4</scripRef>. <i>Sing to the Lord,</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.5" parsed="|Ps|98|5|0|0" passage="Ps 98:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>); do it <i>before the Lord, the
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King,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.6" parsed="|Ps|98|6|0|0" passage="Ps 98:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
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Carnal mirth is an enemy to this holy joy. When David danced before
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the ark he pleaded that <i>it was before the Lord;</i> and the
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piety and devotion of the intention not only vindicated what he
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did, but commended it. We must rejoice <i>before the Lord</i>
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whenever we draw near to him (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p11.10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.12" parsed="|Deut|12|12|0|0" passage="De 12:12">Deut.
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xii. 12</scripRef>), before <i>the Lord Jesus,</i> and before him,
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not only as the Saviour, but as the King, the King of kings, the
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church's King, and our King.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p12">II. Let the inferior creatures rejoice in
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it, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.7-Ps.98.9" parsed="|Ps|98|7|98|9" passage="Ps 98:7-9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>. This is
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to the same purport with what we had before (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.96.11-Ps.96.13" parsed="|Ps|96|11|96|13" passage="Ps 96:11-13">Ps. xcvi. 11-13</scripRef>): <i>Let the sea roar,</i>
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and let that be called, not as it used to be, a <i>dreadful
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noise,</i> but a <i>joyful noise;</i> for the coming of Christ, and
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the salvation wrought out by him, have quite altered the property
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of the troubles and terrors of this world, so that when the floods
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<i>lift up their voice, lift up their waves,</i> we must not
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construe that to be the sea roaring against us, but rather
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rejoicing with us. Let the <i>floods</i> express their joy, as men
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do when they <i>clap their hands;</i> and let the hills, that
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trembled for fear before God when he came down to give the law at
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Mount Sinai, dance for joy before him when his gospel is preached
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and that word of the Lord goes forth from Zion in a still small
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voice: <i>Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord.</i>
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This intimates that the kingdom of Christ would be a blessing to
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the whole creation; but that, as the inferior creatures declare the
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glory of the Creator (<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.19.1" parsed="|Ps|19|1|0|0" passage="Ps 19:1">Ps. xix.
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1</scripRef>), so they declare the glory of the Redeemer, for by
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him all things not only subsist in their being, but consist in
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their order. It intimates likewise that the children of men would
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be wanting in paying their due respects to the Redeemer, and
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therefore that he must look for his honour from the sea and the
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floods, which would shame the stupidity and ingratitude of mankind.
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And perhaps respect is here had to the <i>new heavens</i> and the
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<i>new earth,</i> which we yet, according to his promise, look for
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(<scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.13" parsed="|2Pet|3|13|0|0" passage="2Pe 3:13">2 Pet. iii. 13</scripRef>), and this
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second mention of his coming (after the like, <scripRef id="Ps.xcix-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.96.1-Ps.96.13" parsed="|Ps|96|1|96|13" passage="Ps 96:1-13">Ps. xcvi.</scripRef>) may principally refer to his
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second coming, when all these things shall be so dissolved as to be
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refined; then shall he come to <i>judge the world with
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righteousness.</i> In the prospect of that day all that are
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sanctified do rejoice, and even the sea, and the floods, and the
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hills, would rejoice if they could. One would think that Virgil had
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these psalms in his eye, as well as the oracles of the Cumean
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Sibyl, in his fourth eclogue, where he either ignorantly or basely
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applies to Asinius Pollio the ancient prophecies, which at that
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time were expected to be fulfilled; for he lived in the reign of
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Augustus Cæsar, a little before our Saviour's birth. He owns they
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looked for the birth of a child from heaven that should be a great
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blessing to the world, and restore the golden age:—</p>
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<verse id="Ps.xcix-p12.6">
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p12.7">Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto—</l>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p12.8"/>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p12.9">A new race descends from the lofty sky;</l>
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</verse>
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<p id="Ps.xcix-p13">and that should take away sin:—</p>
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<verse id="Ps.xcix-p13.1">
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p13.2">Te duce, si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri,</l>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p13.3">Irrita perpetua solvent formidine terras—</l>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p13.4"/>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p13.5">Thy influence shall efface every stain of corruption,</l>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p13.6">And free the world from alarm.</l>
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</verse>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.xcix-p14">Many other things he says of this
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long-looked-for child, which Ludovicus Vives, in his notes on that
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eclogue, thinks applicable to Christ; and he concludes, as the
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psalmist here, with a prospect of the rejoicing of the whole
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creation herein:—</p>
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<verse id="Ps.xcix-p14.1">
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p14.2">Aspice, venturo lætentur ut omnia sæclo—</l>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p14.3"/>
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<l class="t1" id="Ps.xcix-p14.4">See how this promis'd age makes all rejoice.</l>
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</verse>
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<p id="Ps.xcix-p15">And, if all rejoice, why should not we?</p>
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</div></div2> |