Psalms 22

That question mentioned, Act. 8. 34. is very Proper here, Of whom speaketh the Prophet this (Psalm?) of himself, or of some other Man? It is confessed that David was a Type of Christ, and that many Psalms or passages of the Psalms, though properly and litterally understood of David, yet had a farther and Mystical reference to Christ, in whom they were accomplished. But there are some other Psalms or passages in the Psalms, as also some Chapters or passages in other Prophets, especially in Isaiah, who lived not very long after David, which either by those sacred Pen-men, or at least by the Holy Ghost inspiring them, which is one and the same thing, were directly, Primarily and Immediately intended for, and are Properly and litterally to be understood of the Messias; though withal there may be some respect and allusion to the state of the Pen-man himself, who being a Type of Christ, it is not strange if there be many Resemblances between them. And this seems to be the state of this Psalm, which is understood of the Messias, by the Hebrew Doctors themselves, and by Christ himself, and by his Apostles, as we shall see. And there are many passages in it, which were most litterally accomplished in him, and cannot in a tolerable Sense be understood of any other, as we shall see in the particular Verses. And therefore, I doubt not, that David, though he had an Eye to his own Condition, in divers passages here used, yet was carried forth by the Spirit of Prophecy beyond himself and unto Christ, to whom alone it truly and fully agrees.

MY God Whom, notwithstanding thy forsaking me, I heartily Love, and in whom I trust, who art my Friend and Father, though now thou frownest upon me., my God The Repetition Notes, the depth of his distress which made him Cry so earnestly, and the struglings of his Faith, with his Fears and Sorrows., why hast thou forsaken me (i. e.) Left me in the hands of Malicious men, withdrawn the Light of thy Countenance, and the supporn and Comforts of thy Spirit from me, and filled me with the Terrors of thy wrath, so that I am ready to sink under my Burden. This was in part verified in David, but much more fully in Christ, who applies these Words to himself, Mat. 27. 46.? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring (i. e.) From regarding, or Pitying, or Answering my strong Prayers, and lamentable Out-cries forced from me, by my intolerable Distresses and Miseries.?

O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest me not; and in the night-season, and am not silent (i. e.) I continue praying Day and Night without Intermission. Or thus, I have no silence, (i. e.) No quietness or Rest, as this word signifies, Iudg. 18. 9. In which respect also the Sea and Waves thereof are said to be silent, still (i. e.) and quiet, Psal. 107. 29. Mark 4. 39. And so this last Clause answers to and expounds the Former, Thou hearest me not, which is most usual in this Book..

But thou art holy (i. e.) Just and true in all thy ways, and therefore hearing Prayers, and keeping thy Covenant, a true Lover of Holyness, and of all holy Men. This he adds Either, 1. To aggravate his Misery, that such a God should neglect and forsake him. Or rather, 2. To strengthen his Faith, and to enforce his Prayers, and prevail with God for the Honour of his holy Name, to hear and help him., O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel Either, 1. That dwellest in thy Tabernacle and Ark, which is called Israel's glory, 1 Sam. 4. 21. and the place where God was praised, Isa. 64. 11. Or 2. That receivest and rightly possessest the praises of Israel, whom thy People are perpetually praising for one Mercy or another; and therefore I trust, I also shall have occasion to praise thee. But because this Hebrew Verb when it is used Transitively, and is taken for inhabiting is generally, as far as I have observed. Construed with a Preposition, which here it is not, this Verse may seem to be better rendred thus, as it is by divers Learned men. B... thou abidest, or preseverest, or Continuest to be (as this Verb is used, Psal. 9. 7. and 55. 19. and 102. 12.) Holy, (notwithstanding thy present neglect of my Prayers and M... series) O the praises, Or, O thou who art the praises (Or, and the praises, (i. e.) the great Cause and Object of the praises) of Israel, (i. e.) whom Israel solemnly and usually praiseth, Deut. 10. 21. Ier. 17. 14..

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them This he adds for the Reasons mentioned in the first Note, v. 3..

They cryed unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee and were not confounded (i. e.) Not disappointed of that for which they prayed and hoped..

But I am a Worm Our Fathers were Honoured by thee and by others, because of thy appearance for their defence and deliverance, but I am treated like a Worm, (i. e.) Neglected and despised, both by thee who dost not afford me Help, and by the men of my Age and Nation, as it follows. For the Phrase see Iob. 25. 6. Isa. 41. 14. and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people Not only of the great Men, but also of the common People. Which does not so truly agree to David (who, though he was hated and persecuted by Saul and his Courtiers, was Honoured and Beloved by the Body of the people) as to Christ, Comp. Isa. 53. 2, 3..

All they that see me, laugh me to scorn Instead of Pitying or Helping, deride me and insult over me; such is their inhumanity.: they shoot out the lip They gape with their Mouths, and put forth their Tongues, in Mockery. See Iob 16. 10. Isa. 57. 4., they shake the head Another posture of Scoffers. See Iob 16. 4. Psal. 44. 14. Isa. 37. 22. This and the next Verse are applied to Christ, Mat. 27. 39, 43., saying This Supplement is very usual, and here it is necessary, because the next Words are the Expressions of his insulting Enemies..

He trusted on the LORD He Rolled himself upon the Lord. Where they seem to Scoff not only at the thing, but at the Expression. Their Sense is, He pretended that he did wholly lean and rest himself, and cast his Cares upon God, and quietly and confidently commit all his Affairs to his Providence, assuring himself of an happy Issue from him., that he would deliver him Or, without any Supplement, let him deliver him, as it follows, though the Hebrew words be differing. And so the same thing is twice repeated to show both the Vehemency of their Hatred, and their Confidence of Success against him. They thought his Case desperate, and past all hope and Remedy., let him deliver him, ‖ seeing he delighted in him As he useth to alledge and boast, but how vainly the Event now shows..

But thou art he that took me out of the Womb This is noted as an Effect of God's wonderful and gracious Providence. And although this be a Mercy which God grants to all mankind, yet it may well be alledged here, partly in way of gratitude for this great, though common Mercy; nothing being more reasonable and usual than for David and other holy men to praise God for such Blessings; and partly as an Argument to encourage himself, to expect and to prevail with God, to grant him the Deliverance which now he desires, because he has formerly delivered him: This being a very common Argument, See 1 Sam. 17. 37. 2 Cor. 1. 10. But this is applicable to Christ in a singular manner, not, as a late learned Writer takes it, that God separated him from the Womb, but that God did bring him out (as the word properly signifies) of the Womb, to wit, immediately and by himself, and without the help of any Man, by the miraculous Operation of the Holy Ghost, which made him there, or else he could never have been brought thence,; thou didst make me hope Or, Trust: (i. e.) Thou didst give me sufficient ground for Hope and Trust, if I had then been capable of acting that Grace, because of thy wonderful and watchful Care over me, in that weak and helpless State. Which was eminently true of Christ, whom God so miraculously preserved and provided for in his Infancy; the History whereof we read, Mat. 2. It is not strange that Hope is figuratively ascribed to Infants, seeing even the Brute-Creatures are said to Hope, Rom. 8. 20. and to wait and Cry to God, Psal. 145. 15. and 147. 9. when I was upon my mothers breasts (i. e.) When I was a sucking Child. Which may be properly understood..

I was cast upon thee I was like one forsaken by his Parents, and cast wholly upon thy Providence. I had no Father upon Earth; and my Mother was poor and helpless. from the Womb: thou art my God from my Mothers belly.

Be not far from me To wit, as to affection and succour., for trouble is near At hand and ready to swallow me up. And therefore if thou dost not speedily deliver me it will be too late. Which is an Argument that David oft useth, as Psal. 6. 5. and 88. 11. &c.; for there is none to help Thy help therefore will be the more seasonable, because it is most necessary, and thou wil... st have the more of Glory by it, because it will appear that it is thy work alone..

Nany bulls Wicked and violent, and potent Enemies; for such are so called, Ezek. 39. 18. A... os 4. 1. have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan (i. e.) Fat and Lusty, as the Cattel there bred were, Deut. 3. 13. and 32. 14. and therefore fierce and furious. have beset me round.

They gaped upon me with their mouths Partly to affright me, and principally to tear and devour me, as the following Metaphor explains it. Otherwise it might be understood of their Crying out with loud and earnest Voyces, that he might be Condemned and put to Death., as a ravening and a roaring lyon.

I am poured out like waters My Heart saileth, my Spirits are spent and gone like water which once spilt can never be recovered, my very flesh is melted within me, and I am become as weak as Water. See the like Phrase Ios. 7, 5. and Compare... Sam. 14. 14. Iob. 14. 11:, and all my bones are out of joynt I am as weak and unable to move or help my self, and withal as full of Torment, as if I were upon a Rack, and all my bones were disjoynted. Or, all my bones are separated, one from another; as they were in some sort in Christ, by the stretching of his Body upon the Cross.: my heart The seat of Life and fountain which supplies Spirits, and Vigour to the whole Body. is like wax Melted, as it follows, through fear and overwhelming grief, Comp. Psal. 68. 2. and 97. 5.; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

My strength is dryed like a potsherd I have in a manner no more Radical moisture left in me, than is in a dry potsheard.: and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws Through that excessive thirst and drought. See Ioh. 19. 20.; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death Partly by thy Providence, delivering me into the power of mine Enemies, and partly by thy Terrors in my Mind and Soul..

For dogs So he calls his Enemies for their vileness and filthyness, for their insatiable, Greediness, and implacable sury and fierceness against him. have compassed me, the assembly of the wicked He explains who he means by Dogs, even wicked men, who are oft so called, not some few of them singly, but the whole Company or Congregation of them; whereby may be noted, either their great Numbers, or their consulting and conspiring together, as it were in a lawful assembly. Which was most litterally and eminently fulfilled in Christ. have inclosed me, they pierced my hands and my feet These words cannot with any probability be applied to David, nor to the attempts of his Enemies upon him; for their design was not to Torment his Hands, or Feet, but to take a... ay his Life. And if it be pretended that it is to be understood of him in a Metaphorical Sense, it must be Considered, that it is so uncouth and unusual a Metaphor, that those who are of this Mind cannot produce any one example of this Metaphor, either in Scripture or in other Authors, nor are they able to make any tolerable Sense o... it, but are forced to wrest and strain the Words. But what need is there of such for... ed Metaphors, when this was most properly and literally ver... fied in Christ, whose Hands and Feet were really pierced and nailed to the Cross, according to the manner of the Roman Crucifixions, to whom therefore this is applied in the New Testament. See Mat. 27. 35. Mark 15. 24. Luk. 23. 33. Ioh. 19. 18. 23. 27..

I may tell all my bones Partly through my Leanness caused by excessive grief, which is much more Credible of Christ than of David; and partly by my being stretched out upon the Cross.: they look and stare upon me To wit, with Delight and Complacency in my Calamities, as this Phrase is used, Psal. 35. 21. and 37. 34. and 54 7. and 59. 10. Obad. v. 12. Comp. Luk. 23. 35..

They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture This also cannot be applied to David, without an uncouth and strained Metaphor, but was literally fulfilled in Christ, Mat. 27. 3.... Ioh. 19. 24..

But be not thou far from me, O LORD; O my strength hast thee to help me.

Deliver my soul from the sword (i. e.) From the rage and violence of mine Enemies, as the next Clause explains it, and as the Sword is oft taken in Scripture. See Ier. 25. 16. 27. 29. Ezek. 38. 21.: my darling from the power Heb. the hand: Which is oft put for Power, and in that Sense is ascribed to a Flame, Isa. 47. 14. and to Evil, Hab. 2. 9. of the dog. u Heb. My one, or only One; to wit, his Soul, as he now said: which he so calls, either because it was very dear to him: Or rather because it was left alone and destitute of Friends and Helpers; for so this word is used, Psal. 25. 16. and 35. 17.

Save me from the lyons Either the Devil, that raging and roaring Lyon; who did many ways assault and annoy him: Or on his Lyon-like Enemies. mouth, for thou hast heard me (i. e.) Answered and delivered me., from the horns of the unicorns A strong and fierce and untameable Wild beast: though the learned are not agreed about the kind of it. See of it, Deut. 33. 17. Iob 39. 9, 10 Psal. 92. 10. Isa. 34. 7. and my Latin Synopsis on Numb. 23. 22. For it is not worth while to trouble the unlearned Reader with such Disputes..

I will declare (i. e) Publish or celebrate it, when thou hast delivered me, thou shalt have the Glory of it, as now thy Honour is eclipsed by my Calamities. thy name (i. e.) That power and faithfulness and goodness and those Perfections which thou hast manifested on my behalf. unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation Not only privately but even in the publick Congregation. will I praise thee. d The same whom he calls the Congregation in the next Clause, and the seed of Iacob and Israel in the next Verse. Which also does not so fitly agree to David, who never to my remembrance gives this Title to any, but such as were near a-kin to him, as it does to Christ, who extendeth this name to all his Disciples and Believers, Mat. 12. 48, 49. and 25. 40 and 28. 10. and to whom this very Text is applied. Heb. 2. 11, 12.

Ye that fear the LORD, praise him Partly for my sake, and chiefly for your own benefit received by my Deliverance.; all ye the seed of Jacob glorify him; and fear him, all ye seed of Israel The two universal Particles seem to intimate that he speaks not only of the Carnal, but also of the spiritual Seed: which also is more than probable, by Comparing this with v. 27, 28..

For he has not despised I was despised by the People, v. 6. but not by God., nor abhorred (i. e.) He did not turn away his Face from it, as men do from things which they abhor, but looked upon it with Compassion. the affliction of the afflicted: neither has he hid his face from him To wit, for ever: for he did so for a time: But now, says he, he has lift up upon me the Light of his Countenance., but when he cryed unto him, he heard.

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation Either in the general assemblies of the Israelites, at their solemn Feasts: Or in the universal Church, made up of Iews and Gentiles, as the following Verses explain it.: I will pay my vows (i. e.) Those Praises and Services, which in my distress, I vowed to return unto thee, when thou didst deliver me. before them that fear him.

The meek (i. e.) Faithful or Godly Persons, who are frequently called meek ones, as Psal. 25. 9. and 76. 9. and 149. 4. Isa. 11. 4. and 61. 1. Zeph. 2. 3. because the grace of God does soften and sweeten the Hearts of Sinners, and subdues their Pride and passion, and Rebellion against God, and their fierceness towards men. Or the Power, as this word is oft rendred; which seems well to suit this place, Partly, because these are opposed to the fa... ones upon Earth, v. 29. Partly, because the following Eating and Satisfaction may seem most proper and acceptable to such as were in want: Partly, because here is an allusion to the legal Feasts, made of the remainders of the Sacrifices, in which the poor had a share and Partly, because this well agrees to the time of Christ's coming, when the Body of the Jewish Nation were a poor and afflicted people, and the Poor especially did receive the Gospel, Mat. 11. 5. shall eat and be satisfied Which is mentioned as a great Blessing, Io... l 2. 26. as it is threatned as a grievous Curse that men should Eat and not be satisfied, Levit. 26. 26. Mich. 6. 14. But because it was Comparatively a poor and mean thing to have ones Belly filled and satisfied, with that food which perisheth and passeth away presently after it is received, this magnificent promise is doubtless to be understood, spiritually of those spiritual Blessings, that Grace and Peace, and Comfort and full Satisfaction, which all believing and pious Souls have in the Sense of God's Love, and the pardon of their Sins, and in the influences of God's Spirit into their Souls.: they shall praise the LORD that seek him That seek his Favour: Or that enquire after him, and Labour to know and discern him. Wherein possibly the Spirit of God may intimate to us, the necessity of seeking, and the Difficulty of finding or discovering God, when he shall appear in the Flesh and in the form of a Servant; which was likely to hide him from the Eyes of the Carnal, and Careless Jews, and not to be discerned, but by those that were studious and inquisitive concerning the mind of God revealed in the Scriptures, concerning that matter.; your (i. e.) Their: For he speaks of the same Persons still, though there be a change from the third to the second Person, as is usual in those poetical and prophetical Books of Scripture. heart shall live (i. e.) Shall be greatly Refreshed and Comforted, Life being oft put for an Happy and Comfortable Life, as 1 Kings 1. 25. Psal. 34. 12. in which respect Iacobs Heart or Spirit is said to have revived, Gen. 45. 27. as on the contrary Nabals Heart was said to have died within him, 1 Sam. 25. 37. when it was oppressed with great sadness. for ever Your Comfort shall not be short and Transitory, as worldly Comforts are, but everlasting..

All the ends of the world (i. e.) All Nations from one end of the World to the other. So this is an evident Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge of God and Christ by the Gospel, and Consequently a clear Proof, that this Psalm does directly and immediately speak of Christ; to whom alone, and not to David, this and divers other passages of it, do manifestly belong. shall remember It is not particularly expressed, what they should remember, because there were several things, that should and would be remembred by them; which were likely to occasion their turning to the Lord. They shall remember their former and manifold Wickedness, with Grief and Shame, and Fear, and particularly their sin and folly, in worshipping dead and impotent Idols, that never did nor could do them, either good or hurt. They shall remember that God who did make lively Impressions upon their Minds, which yet they had in great measure blotted out and forgotten, but now by the preaching of the Gospel they shall be revived. They shall remember their great and manifold Obligations to God, which they had quite forgotten, his Patience and Goodness in sparing them so long, in the midst of all their Imp... eties, and in revealing his Gospel to them, and giving his Son for them. They shall remember the gracious Words and glorious Works of Christ, and what he did, and suffered for them; which possibly divers of them had been Eye-and-Ear witnesses of in Iudea (although, with the unbelieving Iews, they despised and misconstrued them,) and others had heard the fame, and tydings of them. and turn unto the LORD Unto the only true God, and unto Jesus Christ, to whom this Name of Iehovah is oft times ascribed in Scripture.: and all the kindreds Heb. all the Families. Which is not to be understood strictly, of every particular Person and Family, but of all sorts, and of great numbers of them; as such universal Phrases are very frequently taken in Scripture. of the nations shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORDS, and he is the governor among the nations This is added as a Reason, why the Gentiles should be converted, because God is not only the God and Lord of the Iews, but also of the Gentiles, and of all Nations, Rom. 3. 29, 30. And therefore though for a time he thought fit to confine his Kingdom to Israel, yet he had resolved in due time to enlarge his Kingdom, and to set up his Throne and Government in the Gentile World, which were no less Created and Redeemed by him, than the Iews. Campare Zech. 13. 2. and 14. 9..

All 1. Many of them, as the word all is oft used, as Psal. 72. 11. Mat. 3. 5. and 17. 11. Luk. 6. 26. Ioh. 3. 26. 2. 3..... they that be fat upon the earth (i. e.) Kings and Princes, and the great Men of the World, who are oft described by this Metaphor, as Psal. 78. 31. Isa. 10. 16. Compare Iob 15. 27. Psal. 17. 10. and 73. 7. Whose Conversion to Christ is also foretold in other places, as Psal. 45. 12. and 72. 10, 11. Isa. 60. 3. 5. 10. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. Revel. 21. 24. These are opposed to the poor and miserable part of the World, of whom he speaks in the next Words, as also v. 26. where see the first note. So the Sense of the place is, That both poor and rich should embrace the Gospel. But the Syriack Interpreter renders these Words otherwise, the hungry of the Earth. And another, to the same purpose, those that are turned to Ashes (for which I should rather say, they that lye down in Ashes, which is an usual Description of poor, afflicted, and humbled Persons) on the ground. For the first Hebrew word, rendred... t, with the change, but of one point, signifies Ashes., shall eat And be satisfied, as it was more fully expressed, v. 26. shall feed upon the bread of Life, Christ and all his benefits. and worship This is added to explain the former Word, and to show what kind of Eating he spoke of, not of a Carnal, but of a spiritual Feast., all they that go down to the dust They that languish and draw... igh to Death, through Poverty or Misery, or anguish of Mind and Conscience: For such are oft said to go down into, or to sit in the D... st, as Iob. 30. 19. Psal. 44. 25. and 113. 7. Isa. 29. 4. and 47. 1. These may be opposed to the... at ones mentioned in the first Clause of the Verse., shall bow before him, and none can keep alive his own soul This may seem to be a further Description of the same Persons, and an aggravation of their miserable Condition, from this Circumstance that it was not in their Power to help themselves, their Soul was going down to the Dust, as he said in the last foregoing Clause, and now he adds that none of them could stop it, or keep himself alive; so that their Case was wholly desperate as to themselves; and this drove them out of themselves, to seek relief from God, and to receive Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation gladly. Heb. and he who (the Pronoun Relative being here understood, as it is in very many places) does not, or cannot quicke... or enliven his own Soul, (i. e.) himself, as the Soul is oft taken. And quickening may be put either for Nourishing, as Isa. 7. 21. or for Comforting, as here v. 26. or preserving Life, whether Temporal or Spiritual, and Eternal, as Gen. 19. 19. Ezek. 13. 19. and 18. 2.... But these words are and may be rendred otherwise, and that very agreeably to the Hebrew Text, and the Scope of the place. Having said that all Nations should bow before him, (i. e.) before Christ and unto Christ, whom they should own as their Lord and Saviour, he now adds these Words, Either 1. As a Reason why they did receive him, or believe in him, because (for so the Particle Vau is frequently rendred, as 1 Kings 1. 21. and 18. 3, 4. Psal. 60. 12. Isa. 16. 2. and 64. 5. and elsewhere) he did not keep alive his own Soul, as he could easily have done, by his divine Power in spight of all that his Enemies could do, but freely gave himself to Death for them. Because he laid down his Life for sinners, which the father had Commanded him, and he had promised to do, therefore God loved him, Ioh. 10. 17, 18. and glorified him, and performed his Promise made to him upon that Condition, that if he did make his Soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed, &c. Isa. 53. 10. Or, 2. As an Amplification or Commendation of the Faith of the Gentiles, in coming and bowing to Christ, although (for so also the Hebrew Vau is oft used, as Psal. 99. 8. Prov. 26. 24. Eccles. 9. 16.)... e did not keep alive his own Soul, but laid down his own Life, and suffered himself to be killed by wicked men: Which was one principal Reason, why the Iews would not believe on him, as is noted, Mat. 27. 40. 42, 43. and therefore was a just Commendation to the Gentiles, that notwithstanding this great stumbling Block believed on him. But this I propose with Submission. Only it may be observed that this last Clause of the Verse in the Hebrew, is in the singular number, and therefore more likely to belong to him, immediately going before it, which is of the same number, than to the other preceding Clauses, which are all expressed in the plural number. And though I know Enallage of numbers, be very usual, yet they are not to be supposed without necessity..

A seed Christ shall not want a seed or posterity, Heb. 2. 13. For though the Jewish Nation should generally reject and forsake him, which may seem to be here implied. Christ shall have many Disciples or followers, and the Gentiles shall come in their stead. Compare this promise with that, he shall see his Seed, Isa. 53. 10. Or, their Seed, (i. e.) The seed of the Gentile Worshippers last mentioned. Christian Religion shall not be the business of one Age, but, as the Gentiles shall believe in Christ, so shall their posterity in succeeding Generations: this being Gods usual Method, to take Children into Covenant with their Parents, of which see, Deut. 10. 15. and 30. 19. Psal. 69. 36. Isa. 43. 5. and 44. 3. And as when the Iews refused Christ, their Children were cast out of Covenant with them so when the Gentiles embraced the Gospel-Covenant, their Children were admitted with them. shall serve him, it shall be accounted to the LORD for a generation That believing seed shall be Reputed, both by God and Men; The Generation, Or Children, or People of the Lord, at the formerly were... ut upon the Iews Contempt of Christ and the Gospel, the Gentiles shall come in their, and their Titles and Priviledges. Compare this place with Psal. 87. 5..

They i shall come To wit, from Iudea and Ierusalem (from whence the Gospel was first to go forth) to the Gentile World, to the several parts whereof the Apostles went upon this Errand., and shall declare his righteousness God's Righteousness Either, 1. His wonderful grace and mercy to mankind, in giving them Christ and the Gospel: for Righteousness is put for Mercy or Kindness, as has been noted again and again. Or, 2. That Righteousness which God has appointed for the justification of Sinners, called the Righteousness of Rom. 3. 21. 22 Philip. 3. 9. which the Iews were ignorant of and would not submit to, Rom. 10. 3. but the joyfully embraced, or 3. His truth or faithfulness, (which is very frequently, and fi... ly called Righteousness) in the performance of those exceeding great and precious Promises made, and recorded in the Ol... Test... ment, and especially those two, concerning the sending of the Messi... s, and concerning the calling of the Gentiles. unto a people that shall be born Either, 1. Spiritually, (i. e.) Born again: for Regeneration is oft called a Birth, as Psal. 87. 4, 5. Ioh. 1. 13. 1 P... t. 1. 23. and a Creation, Psal. 102. 18. Or rather, 2 Naturally, (i. e.) Unto succeeding Generations Whereby David gives us a Key to understand this Psalm and... cheth us that he speaks not here of himself, or of the Occurrences of his times, but of things which were to be done in after-Ages, even of the spreading of the Gospel among the Gentiles, in the time of the New Testament., that he has done this (i. e.) They shall declare that this is the work of God, and not of Man, and carried on by his only power in the World, against all the Wit and force of Men. Or rather, because (this being added as a Proof or Demonstration of that Righteousness of God now mentioned) He (i. e. the Lord plainly understood here, and expressed in the foregoing Verse) has o... wrought it, to wit, his Righteousness. (i. e.) He has executed with his Hand, what he spake with his Mouth; he has demonstrated the truth of his Promises by his Actions, and by the Accomplishment of them.. 1. Either, the Converts and Worshippers, v. 27. 29. Or their seed last mentioned, v. 30. Or this may be indefinitely spoken as such Verbs are oft used they shall come, (i. e.) Some or other shall come and do the Work here mentioned, to wi..., the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel.