works. “_What desolations he hath made in the earth._” God made strange
work in the world at that time. Those countries which before were as the
garden of God, became like a desolate wilderness: who was able to bear
this with patience? Yet the Spirit of God saith in the next words, it
must be patiently borne. When God lets men strive and war with one
another to a common confusion, yet no man may strive with God about it;
and the reason given why no man may, is only this (which is indeed all
the reason in the world), _He is God_. So it follows in the Psalm; “_Be
still, and know that I am God_;” as if the Lord had said, Not a word, do
not strive nor reply; whatever you see, hold your peace; know that I,
being God, give no account of any of my matters.—_Joseph Caryl._
_Verse 9._—He that destroyeth all the instruments of war doth surely
make peace; and he that _maketh war to cease_, doth certainly make peace
begin. Peace is made two ways; first, by taking up the differences and
reconciling the spirits of men; secondly, by breaking the power and
taking away all provisions of war from men. The Lord maketh peace by
both these ways, or by either of them.—_Joseph Caryl._
_Verse 9.—“He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he
burneth the chariot in the fire.”_ When the Romans had, in their way of
speaking, given peace to a nation, by extirpating the greatest part of
the miserable inhabitants, they collected the arms of the vanquished,
and setting them on fire, reduced them to ashes. A medal, struck by
Vespasian, the Roman emperor, on finishing his wars in Italy, and other
parts of the world, represents the goddess of peace holding an olive
branch in one hand, and with a lighted torch in the other, setting fire
to a heap of armour. The custom is thus alluded to by Virgil:—
_“O mihi præteritos referat si Jupiter annos!
Qualis eram cum primam aciem Præneste sub ipsa
Stravi, scutorumque incendi victor acervos.”_
_Æn._ lib. iii. v. 1. 560.
“O that Jupiter would restore to me the years that are past! Such as I
was, when under Præneste itself, I routed the foremost rank of the
enemy, and victorious set fire to heaps of armour.”
The same practice, by the command of Jehovah, prevailed among the Jews;
the first instance of it occurs in the book of Joshua, xi. 6. It is also
celebrated in the songs of Zion, as the attendant of peace, and the
proof of its continuance: “He maketh wars to cease,” etc.—_Paxton’s
Illustrations of Scripture._
_Verse 9.—“He burneth the chariot in the fire.”_ By degrees the chariot
came to be one of the recognised forces in war, and we find it mentioned
throughout the books of Scriptures, not only in its literal sense, but
as a metaphor which every one could understand. In the Psalms, for
example, are several allusions to the war-chariot. “_He maketh wars to
cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the
spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire._” Ps. xlvi. 9.
Again: “At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are
cast into a deep sleep.” Ps. lxxvi. 6. And: “Some trust in chariots, and
some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Ps.
xx. 7. Now; the force of these passages cannot be properly appreciated
unless we realise to ourselves the dread in which the war-chariot was
held by the foot soldiers. Even cavalry were much feared; but the
chariots were objects of almost superstitious fear, and the rushing
sound of their wheels, the noise of the horses’ hoofs, and the shaking
of the ground as the “prancing horses and jumping chariots” (Nah. iii.
2), thundered along, are repeatedly mentioned.—_J. G. Wood._
_Verse 10.—“Be still, and know that I am God.”_ The great works of God,
wherein his sovereignty appeared, had been described in the foregoing
verses. In the awful desolations that he made, and by delivering his
people by terrible things, he showed his greatness and dominion. Herein
he manifested his power and sovereignty, and so commands all _to be
still, and know that he is God_. For, says he, “_I will be exalted among
the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth._”
In the words may be observed, 1. A duty described, to be still before
God, and under the dispensations of his providence; which implies that
we must be still as to _words_; not speaking against the sovereign
dispensations of providence, or complaining of them; not darkening
counsel by words without knowledge, or justifying ourselves and speaking
great swelling words of vanity. We must be still as to _actions_ and
outward behaviour, so as not to oppose God in his dispensations; and as
_to the inward frame of our hearts_, cultivating a calm and quiet
submission of soul to the sovereign pleasure of God, whatever it may be.
2. We may observe the ground of this duty, namely _the divinity of God_.
His being God is a sufficient reason why we should be _still_ before
him, in no wise murmuring, or objecting, or opposing, but calmly and
humbly submitting to him.
3. How we must fulfill this duty of being still before God, namely, with
a sense of his divinity, as seeing the ground of this duty, in that we
“_know_” him to be God. Our submission is to be such as becomes rational
creatures. God doth not require us to submit contrary to reason, but to
submit as seeing the reason and ground of submission. Hence, the bare
consideration _that God is God_ may well be sufficient to still all
objections and oppositions against the divine sovereign
dispensations.—_Jonathan Edwards._
_Verse 10.—“Be still, and know that I am God.”_ This text of Scripture
forbids quarrelling and murmuring against God. Now let me apply as I go
along. There are very few, and these very well circumstanced, that find
themselves in no hazard of quarrelling with God. I think almost that if
angels were on earth, they would be in hazard of it. I will assure you,
there are none that have corruption, but they have need to be afraid of
this. But many give way to this quarrelling, and consider not the hazard
thereof. Beware of it, for it is a dreadful thing to quarrel with God:
who may say unto him, “What doest thou?” It is a good account of Aaron,
that when God made fire to destroy his sons, he held his peace. Let us
then, while we bear the yoke, “sit alone and keep silence, and put our
mouths in the dust, if so be there may be hope.” Lam. iii. 28, 29. Ye
know, the murmuring of the children of Israel cost them very dear. “_Be
still_,” that is, beware of murmuring against me, saith the Lord. God
gives not an account of his matters to any; because there may be many
things ye cannot see through; and therefore ye may think it better to
have wanted them, and much more, for the credit of God and the church. I
say, God gives not an account of his matters to any. Beware, then, of
drawing rash conclusions.—_Richard Cameron’s Sermon preached July 18th,
1680, three days before he was killed at Airsmoss._
_Verse 10.—“Be still and know that I am God.”_ Faith gives the soul a
view of the great God. It teacheth the soul to set his almightiness
against sin’s magnitude, and his infinitude against sin’s multitude; and
so quencheth the temptation. The reason why the presumptuous sinner
fears so little, and the despairing soul so much, is for want of knowing
God as great; therefore, to cure them both, the serious consideration of
God, under this notion, is propounded: “_Be still, and know that I am
God_;” as if he had said, Know, O ye wicked, that I am God, who can
avenge myself when I please upon you, and cease to provoke me by your
sins to your own confusion; and again, know, ye trembling souls, that I
am God; and therefore able to pardon the greatest sins, and cease to
dishonour me by your unbelieving thoughts of me.—_William Gurnall._
_Verse 10.—“Be still, and know that I am the Lord.”_ Not everyone is a
fit scholar for God’s school, but such as are purified according to the
purification of the sanctuary. Carnal men are drowned in fleshly and
worldly cares, and neither purged nor lifted up to receive the light of
God, or else indisposed by prejudice or passion, that they cannot learn
at all. We will never savingly know him, till our souls be free of these
indispositions. Among all the elements the earth is fitted to receive
seed of the sower; if he cast it into the fire, it burneth; if in the
air, it withereth; if in the waters, it rotteth, the instability of that
body is for producing monsters, because it closeth not straitly the
seeds of fishes. Spirits of a fiery temper, or light in inconstancy, or
moving as waters, are not for God’s lessons, but such as in _stayed
humility_ do rest under his hand. If waters be mixed with clay in their
substance, or their surface be troubled with wind, they can neither
receive nor render any image; such unstable spirits in the school of
God, lose their time and endanger themselves.—_William Struther._
_Verse 10.—“Be still, and know,”_ etc. As you must come and _see_ (verse
8), so come and _hear_ what the Lord saith to those enemies of
yours.—_John Trapp._
_Verse 11.—“The Lord of hosts is with us.”_ On Tuesday Mr. Wesley could
with difficulty be understood, though he often attempted to speak. At
last, with all the strength he had, he cried out, “The best of all is,
God is with us.” Again, raising his hand, and waving it in triumph, he
exclaimed with thrilling effect, “The best of all is, God is with us.”
These words seem to express the leading feature of his whole life. God
had been with him from early childhood; his providence had guided him
through all the devious wanderings of human life; and now, when he was
entering the “valley of the shadow of death,” the same hand sustained
him.—_From “Wesley and his Coadjutors.” By Rev W. C. Larrabee, A.M.
Edited by Rev. B. F. Tefft, D.D. Cincinnati. 1851._
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
_Verse 1._—The song of faith in troublous times. I. _Our refuge._ Our
only, impregnable, accessible, delightful place of retreat is our God.
II. _Our strength._ Our all-sufficient, unconquerable, honourable, and
emboldening strength is our God. III. _Our help._ Ever near,
sympathising, faithful, real, and potent is our God.
_Verse 1.—“A very present help in trouble.”_ Religion never so valuable
as in seasons of trouble, sickness, and death. God is present helping us
to bear trouble, to improve it, and to survive it. Present by gracious
communications and sweet manifestations; present most when he seems
absent, restraining, overruling, and sanctifying trouble. Trust and
wait.—_James Smith._
_Verse 2._—The reasons, advantages, and glory of holy courage.
_Verses 2, 3._—I. The great and many causes for fear. 1. What might
come—mountains, waters, etc., persecution, pestilence, etc. 2. What must
come—afflictions, death, judgment. II. The great and one cause for not
fearing. Fearlessness under such circumstances should be well grounded.
God himself is our refuge, and we confiding in him are fearless.—_G.
Rogers._
_Verse 4._—Glad tidings in sad times; or, the city of God in the times
of trouble and confusion, watered with the river of consolation.—_Ralph
Erskine._
_Verse 4._—What can this “_river_” be, but that blessed covenant to
which David himself repaired in the time of trouble? ... And what are
“_the streams_” of this river, but the outgoings and effects of this
divine constitution? I. The blood of Jesus. II. The influences of the
Holy Spirit. III. The doctrines and promises of the gospel. IV. The
ordinances of religion. V. All the means of grace.—_W. Jay._
_Verse 4.—“Make glad the city of God.”_ There are four ways in which the
streams of a river would gladden the citizens. I. The first regards
_prospect_. II. The second regards _traffic_. III. The third regards
_fertility_. IV. The fourth regards _supply_.—_W. Jay._
_Verse 4.—“City of God.”_ The church may be called “the city _of God_,”
because, 1. He dwells in it (see verse 5). 2. He _founded_ it and
_built_ it. 3. It derives all _privileges_ and _immunities_ from him. 4.
He is the chief Ruler or Governor there. 5. It is his property. 6. He
draws the _rent_ of it.—_Ralph Erskine._
_Verses 4, 5._—To the church, Joy, Establishment, Deliverance.
_Verse 6._—What man did and what God did.
_Verse 8.—“Behold the works of the Lord.”_ I. _They are worth
beholding_, for they are all like himself; well becoming his infinite
power, wisdom, justice. II. _Our eyes were given us for this very
purpose_—not for the beholding of vanity, not for the ensnaring or
wounding of the soul; but for the use and honour of the Creator. III.
_The Lord delights to have his works beheld_; he knows their excellency
and perfection, and that the more they are seen and noted the more
honour will accrue to the Maker of them. IV. _None but we can do it_;
there is great reason then that we should carefully “_behold_,” etc. V.
_This shall be of great benefit to ourselves._—_Bishop Hall._
_Verse 8._—The desolations of the Lord, the consolation of his saints.
I. A declaration of what has happened. II. A promise of what shall be
achieved.—_Spurgeon’s Sermons, No. 190._
_Verse 9._—The Great Peacemaker, or the principles of the gospel our
only hope, for the total abolition of war.
_Verse 10.—“Be still, and know that I am God.”_ The sole consideration
that God is God, sufficient to still all objections to his
sovereignty.—_Jonathan Edwards._
_Verse 10.—“I am God.”_ 1. In that he is God, he is an absolutely and
infinitely _perfect_ being. 2. As he is God he is so _great_, that he is
infinitely above all comprehension. 3. As he is God, all things are his
_own_. 4. In that he is God, he is _worthy_ to be sovereign over all
things. 5. In that he is God, he _will_ be sovereign, and _will_ act as
such. 6. In that he is God, he is able to _avenge_ himself on those who
oppose his sovereignty.—_Jonathan Edwards._
PSALM XLVII.
TITLE.—To the chief Musician.—_Many songs were dedicated to this leader
of the chorus, but he was not overloaded thereby. God’s service is such
delight that it cannot weary us; and that choicest part of it, the
singing of his praises, is so pleasurable that we cannot have too much
of it. Doubtless, the chief musician, as he was commissioned with so
many sacred songs, felt that the more the merrier._ A Psalm for the Sons
of Korah. _We cannot agree with those who think that the sons of Korah
were the authors of these Psalms: they have all the indication of
David’s authorship that one could expect to see. Our ear has grown
accustomed to the ring of David’s compositions, and we are morally
certain that we hear it in this Psalm. Every expert would detect here
the autography of the Son of Jesse, or we are greatly mistaken. The sons
of Korah sang these Psalms, but we believe they did not write them. Fit
singers were they whose origin reminded them of sin, whose existence was
a proof of sovereign grace, and whose name has a close connection with
the name of Calvary._
SUBJECT.—_Whether the immediate subject of this Psalm be the carrying up
of the ark from the house of Obededom to Mount Zion, or the celebration
of some memorable victory, it would be hard to decide. As even the
doctors differ, who shall dogmatise? But it is very clear that both the
present sovereignty of Jehovah, and the final victories of our Lord, are
here fitly hymned, while his ascension, as the prophecy of them, is
sweetly gloried in._
DIVISION.—_In so short a Psalm, there is no need of any other division
than that indicated by the musical pause at the end of verse 4._
EXPOSITION.
Clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of
triumph.
1. “_O clap your hands._” The most natural and most enthusiastic tokens
of exultation are to be used in view of the victories of the Lord, and
his universal reign. Our joy in God may be demonstrative, and yet he
will not censure it. “_All ye people._” The joy is to extend to all
nations; Israel may lead the van, but all the Gentiles are to follow in
the march of triumph, for they have an equal share in that Kingdom where
there is neither Greek nor Jew, but Christ is all and in all. Even now
if they did but know it, it is the best hope of all nations that Jehovah
ruleth over them. If they cannot all speak the same tongue, the symbolic
language of the hands they can all use. All people will be ruled by the
Lord in the latter days, and will exult in that rule; were they wise
they would submit to it now, and rejoice to do so; yea, they would clap
their hands in rapture at the thought. “_Shout_,” let your voices keep
tune with your hands. “_Unto God_,” let him have all the honours of the
day, and let them be loud, joyous, universal, and undivided. “_With the
voice of triumph_,” with gladsome sounds, consonant with such splendid
victories, so great a King, so excellent a rule, and such gladsome
subjects. Many are human languages, and yet the nations may triumph as
with one voice. Faith’s view of God’s government is full of transport.
The prospect of the universal reign of the Prince of Peace is enough to
make the tongue of the dumb sing; what will the reality be? Well might
the poet of the seasons bid mountains and valleys raise their joyous
hymn—
“For the GREAT SHEPHERD reigns,
And his _unsuffering_ kingdom yet will come.”
2 For the LORD most high _is_ terrible; _he is_ a great King over
all the earth.
2. “_For the Lord_,” or JEHOVAH, the self-existent and only God; “_Most
high_,” most great in power, lofty in dominion, eminent in wisdom,
elevated in glory. “_Is terrible_,” none can resist his power or stand
before his vengeance; yet as these terrors are wielded on the behalf of
his subjects, they are fit reasons for rejoicing. Omnipotence, which is
terrible to crush, is almighty to protect. At a grand review of the
troops of a great prince, all his loyal subjects are filled with
triumph, because their liege lord is so able to defend his own, and so
much dreaded by his foes. “_He is a great King over all the earth._” Not
over Judea only, but even to the utmost isles his reign extends. Our God
is no local deity, no petty ruler of a tribe; in infinite majesty he
rules the mightiest realms as absolute arbiter of destiny, sole monarch
of all lands, King of kings and Lord of lords. Not a hamlet or an islet
is excluded from his dominion. How glorious will that era be when this
is seen and known of all; when in the person of Jesus all flesh shall
behold the glory of the Lord!
3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our
feet.
3. “_He_,” with whom is infinite power, “_shall subdue the people under
us_.” The battle is not ours but the Lord’s. He will take his own time,
but he will certainly achieve victory for his church. Truth and
righteousness shall through grace climb to the ascendant. We wage no
doubtful warfare. Hearts the most rebellious, and wills the most
stubborn, shall submit to all-conquering grace. All the Lord’s people,
whether Jews or Gentiles, may clap their hands at this, for God’s
victory will be theirs; but surely apostles, prophets, ministers, and
those who suffer and labour most, may take the largest share in the joy.
Idolatry, infidelity, superstition we shall yet tread upon, as men tread
down the stones of the street. “_And the nations under our feet._” The
church of God shall be the greatest of monarchies, her victory shall be
signal and decisive. Christ shall take to himself his great power and
reign, and all the tribes of men shall own at once his glory and the
glory of his people in him. How changed will be the position of affairs
in coming ages! The people of God have been under the feet of men in
long and cruel persecutions, and in daily contempt; but God will reverse
the position, and the best in character shall be first in honour.
4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob
whom he loved. Selah.
While as yet we see not all things put under him, we are glad to put
ourselves and our fortunes at his disposal. “_He shall choose our
inheritance for us._” We feel his reign to be so gracious that we even
now ask to be in the fullest degree the subjects of it. We submit our
will, our choice, our desire, wholly to him. Our heritage here and
hereafter we leave to him, let him do with us as seemeth him good. “_The
excellency of Jacob whom he loved._” He gave his ancient people their
portion, he will give us ours, and we ask nothing better; this is the
most spiritual and real manner of clapping our hands because of his
sovereignty, namely, to leave all our affairs in his hands, for then our
hands are empty of all care for self, and free to be used in his honour.
He was the boast and glory of Israel, he is and shall be ours. He loved
his people and became their greatest glory; he loves us, and he shall be
our exceeding joy. As for the latter days, we ask nothing better than to
stand in our appointed lot, for if we have but a portion in our Lord
Jesus, it is enough for our largest desires. Our beauty, our boast, our
best treasure, lies in having such a God to trust in, such a God to love
us.
_Selah._ Yes, pause, ye faithful songsters. Here is abundant room for
holy meditation—
“Muse awhile, obedient thought,
Lo, the theme’s with rapture fraught;
See thy King, whose realm extends
E’en to earth’s remotest ends!
Gladly shall the nations own
Him their Lord and God alone;
Clap their hands with holy mirth,
Hail him MONARCH OF THE EARTH.
Come, my soul, before him bow,
Gladdest of his subjects thou;
Leave thy portion to his choice,
In his sovereign will rejoice,
This thy purest, deepest bliss,
He is thine and thou art his.”
5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
5. “_God is gone up with a shout._” Faith hears the people already
shouting. The command of the first verse is here regarded as a fact. The
fight is over, the conqueror ascends to his triumphal chariot, and rides
up to the gates of the city which is made resplendent with the joy of
his return. The words are fully applicable to the ascension of the
Redeemer. We doubt not that angels and glorified spirits welcomed him
with acclamations. He came not without song, shall we imagine that he
returned in silence? “_The Lord with the sound of a trumpet._” Jesus is
Jehovah. The joyful strain of the trumpet betokens the splendour of his
triumph. It was meet to welcome one returning from the wars with martial
music. Fresh from Bozrah, with his garments all red from the winepress,
he ascended, leading captivity captive, and well might the clarion ring
out the tidings of Immanuel’s victorious return.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King,
sing praises.
6. “_Sing praises._” What jubilation is here, when five times over the
whole earth is called upon to sing _to God_! He is worthy, he is
Creator, he is goodness itself Sing praises, keep on with the glad work.
Never let the music pause. He never ceases to be good, let us never
cease to be grateful. Strange that we should need so much urging to
attend to so heavenly an exercise. “_Sing praises unto our King._” Let
him have all our praise; no one ought to have even a particle of it.
Jesus shall have it all. Let his sovereignty be the fount of gladness.
It is a sublime attribute, but full of bliss to the faithful. Let our
homage be paid not in groans but in songs. He asks not slaves to grace
his throne; he is no despot; singing is fit homage for a monarch so
blessed and gracious. Let all hearts that own his sceptre sing and sing
on for ever, for there is everlasting reason for thanksgiving while we
dwell under the shadow of such a throne.
7 For God _is_ the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with
understanding.