_A prayer at the removing of the ark.—An exhortation to praise God for
his mercies, for his care of the church, for his great works._
To the chief Musician, A Psalm _or_ Song of David.
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate
him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, _so_ drive _them_ away: as wax melteth before
the fire, _so_ let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
But let the righteous be glad: let them rejoice before God; yea, let
them exceedingly rejoice.
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon
the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, _is_ God in his
holy habitation.
God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are
bound with chains; but the rebellious dwell in a dry _land_.
O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst
march through the wilderness; Selah:
The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God:
_even_ Sinai itself _was moved_ at the presence of God, the God of
Israel.
Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm
thine inheritance, when it was weary.
Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy
goodness for the poor.
The LORD gave the word: great _was_ the company of those that
published it.
Kings of armies did flee apace; and she that tarried at home divided
the spoil.
Though ye have lien among the pots, _yet shall ye be as_ the wings of
a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was _white_ as snow in
Salmon.
The hill of God _is as_ the hill of Bashan; an high hill, _as_ the
hill of Bashan.
Why leap ye, ye high hills? _this is_ the hill _which_ God desireth to
dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell _in it_ for ever.
The chariots of God _are_ twenty thousand, _even_ thousands of angels;
the Lord _is_ among them _as in_ Sinai, in the holy _place_.
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast
received gifts for men; yea, _for_ the rebellious also, that the LORD
God might dwell _among them_.
Blessed _be_ the LORD, _who_ daily loadeth us _with benefits, even_
the God of our salvation. Selah.
_He that is_ our God _is_ the God of salvation; and unto God the LORD
_belong_ the issues from death.
But God shall wound the head of his enemies, _and_ the hairy scalp of
such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
The LORD said, I will bring again from Bashan; I will bring _my
people_ again from the depths of the sea:
That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of _thine_ enemies, _and_ the
tongue of thy dogs in the same.
They have seen thy goings, O GOD; _even_ the goings of my God, my
King, in the sanctuary.
The singers went before, the players on instruments _followed_ after;
among _them were_ the damsels playing with timbrels.
Bless ye God in the congregations, _even_ the LORD from the fountain
of Israel.
There _is_ little Benjamin _with_ their ruler, the princes of Judah
_and_ their council, the princes of Zebulun, _and_ the princes of
Naphtali.
Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which
thou hast wrought for us.
Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto
thee.
Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the
calves of the people, _till every one_ submit himself with pieces of
silver: scatter thou the people _that_ delight in war.
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her
hands unto God.
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the LORD;
Selah:
To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens _which were_ of old: lo,
he doth send out his voice, _and that_ a mighty voice.
Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency _is_ over Israel, and his
strength _is_ in the clouds.
O God, _thou art_ terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel
_is_ he that giveth strength and power unto _his_ people. Blessed _be_
God.
This Psalm is, in the Latin, most obscurely translated; so much so,
that this one Psalm may well put us in remembrance of what we are
indebted unto God, for the great light which he has given us in this
our day; in having blessed us with the study of languages, and with
good books and instructors. Yet, in return for this universal, great,
and unspeakable gift, through the unceasing revilings of Satan, God
hears nothing but, ‘O this Lutheran poison! O this Lutheran
heresy!’—The world shall suffer heavy punishment for the contempt of
the blessing of this great and merciful light!
In the former Latin translation of this Psalm there were the most
monstrous renderings; such as ‘_Rex vir tutum dilecti dilecti.—Speciei
domus dividere spolia.—Si dormiatis inter medios cleros.—Nives
dealbabuntur in Salmon.—Mons Dei, mons pinguis, mons
coæquatus.—Arundinis increpa feras. Congregatio taurorum in vaccis
populorum,’ &c._
And how much of the same obscurity was there in Hosea, and the like
difficult books? What, then, have _they_ profited the church, who, by
a sort of madness, and from a hatred of, and longing desire to,
suppress the light of the gospel, have all along condemned not only
all pious studies, but all useful learning and godliness! But how easy
is it to sit down and condemn all things, and, as it were, to spit at
the sun that enlightens all things! The truly learned and godly know,
however, how arduous it is to imitate the laborious endeavours of
those who engage in the work of translations. But let us proceed to
speak upon the Psalm.—
This Psalm is a signal prophecy concerning Christ; a prophecy more
animated and exalted, than usual, in fervency of spirit; and, as it
were, exulting in the Holy Ghost; setting before us a view of the
church, and those things which are to take place under the New
Testament; and all this is done with a representation so clear and
expressive, and with every thing depicted in that exact order, that it
seems to be, not a prediction of things to come, but a description of
things passing before our eyes. The Holy Ghost foretels the
resurrection and ascension of Christ, the revelation of the Holy
Spirit from heaven, and the mission of the Apostles: he describes, I
say, the whole of this spiritual kingdom: this kingdom of grace and
remission of sins, in which Christ should be preached as the true God,
and as the Saviour and deliverer from death.
He shows also, that the kingdom and priesthood of the Jews was to be
abolished, and that a new and spiritual kingdom was to be erected;
which should stand, not in human strength, nor in many thousands of
horse and foot, but in the ministry and power of the word!—that it
should be a kingdom, in which the Lord should give the word unto those
who should preach it, in much power; by which the grace of Christ, and
the remission of sins by Christ, should be preached, and not the law
of Moses.
He calls the apostles, “kings and heads of armies;” because, by the
gospel and the ministry of the word, they continually attack the
kingdom of the devil and the gates of hell. For what are all the
sermons and exhortations of the apostles, but the most terrible
battles and conflicts against sin, death, the devil, hell, and all the
righteousness and wisdom of the world?
He also calls them “high hills, rich hills, and the inheritance of
God;” and “chariots of the Lord of many thousands;” and also, “the
multitude of them that preach good tidings, and sing, and play upon
instruments;” because, the apostles and ministers of the word, by
preaching the joyful gospel and the word of grace, continually praise,
sing of, and celebrate the immense benefits of Christ, and the mercy
of God. Thus, throughout the whole Psalm, the fervent prophet exulting
in the Holy Ghost, describes, in a most sweet song, the whole kingdom
of Christ!
In the end, he prays that God would be pleased to render the church
more flourishing, and to give his blessing and a happy success to this
kingdom. And indeed, the prophet felt his heart moved, and was
peculiarly uplifted and fervent in spirit, when he composed this
divine and heavenly psalm concerning the kingdom of Christ.