_The nature and glory of the church.—The increase, honour, and comfort
of the members thereof._
A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.
His foundation _is_ in the holy mountains.
The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of
Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold
Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this _man_ was born there.
And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and
the highest himself shall establish her.
The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, _that_ this _man_
was born there. Selah.
As well the singers as the players on instruments _shall be there_:
all my springs _are_ in thee.
This is a prophecy concerning the kingdom of Christ and the church, in
times to come. The Psalmist, after the manner of the prophets, sets
before us the future Jerusalem and the future Zion, as if represented
in a painting before our eyes: the boundaries of which should be those
of the world itself, reaching from east to west, and from north to
south; and in which church there should be born men of every nation,
kingdom, tribe, and tongue,—Ethiopians, Egyptians, Babylonians,
Tyrians, Philistines, &c. and that these should be born in this
church, not by a natural birth, but by the word of the gospel.
“Great, excellent, and glorious things shall be spoken and preached in
thee, O city of God!” For the gospel is a great and glorious doctrine,
the highest of all doctrines, even the word of salvation; hence, as
Paul saith, (Phil. i. 10.) the gospel contains, in comparison with the
law, “the things that are excellent.” For by the gospel is given to us
the knowledge of the counsel and will of God; in what manner God is
pacified; how we are delivered from sin, from the power of the devil,
and from eternal death; which things neither the law, nor any human
philosophy, could teach.
In the last verse also, the Psalm most beautifully sets forth what the
highest worship, under the New Testament, should be. “There shall be
in thee, (saith the Psalmist,) as the harmonious concert of those
playing on instruments;” that is, it is not Moses, or the law, that
shall be taught in that city; but the sweet and joyful message of the
gospel shall be preached by the ministry of the word, even grace and
the remission of sins by Jesus Christ.