Psalms 48

This Psalm was Composed upon the Occasion of some eminent Deliverance vouchsafed by God, to the City of Jerusalem, from some potent Enemy, and d... eadful Danger; Either, that in Johoshaphat's time, 2 Chron. 20. or that under Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18. and 19. In both which times they were Holy Prophets, by some of whom this Psalm might be made.

GReat is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God In Ierusalem, which he has chosen for his dwelling Place., in the mountain of his holiness (i. e.) In his holy Mountain, either Zion where the Ark and Tab... rnacle was: Or rather Moriah; where the Temple now was. Although both of them are supposed by some to be but one Mountain, having two Tops: and it is certain that both are frequently called by one Name, to wit, Zion..

Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth Ierusalem may be so called here, as it is also, Lament. 2. 15. not actually, as if all People did rejoyce in it, or for it; but Fundamentally or Causally, because here was very great cause or ground of rejoycing for the Gentile World, if they had understood themselves, or their true Interest; Because here God was graciously present and ready, to hear and Answer the just Desires and Prayers, not only of the Israelites, but of any stranger of what Nation soever according to So... mon's Prayer, 1 Kings 8. 41. &c. and here the Gentiles might find that God, whom like blind Men they groped for, as the Greek Phrase implies, Act. 17. 27. and here they might be informed of the Nature and Properties, as also of the Mind and Will, of the Almighty and everlasting God, of which they were so grossly Ignorant, and of that Messias, who was the D... sire of (and Consequently matter of great Joy unto) all Nations, Hagg. 2. 7. and, 2. Prophetically, because the... ful Doctrine of the Gospel, was to go from thence unto all Nations: of which see I... a. 2. 2, 3. Mich. 4. 1, 2. yet these Words may be and are by others rendred, and understood thus, the Ioy of the or this (for here is an Emphatical Article) whole Land. is mount Zion, on the sides of the north (i. e.) Which is on the Northern part of Ierusalem. But because Iosephus and some others affirm, th... t Mount Zion stood Southward from Ierusalem, this Clause possibly may be added to signifie that Zion is not here to be understood strictly and Properly for that Mountain, or part of the Mountain so called, but for that other Mountain, or part of the same Mountain, upon which the Temple was built, which was strictly called Moriah; but is here called Zion, because that Name was far better known in Scripture, as being oft put for the Temple, as Psal. 137. 3. Isa. 18. 7. Ier. 51. 10. Lam. 5. 18. and for the whole City, and for the Church of God, in a multitude of places of Scripture., the city of the great king (i. e.) The City of God, as it was now called, v. 1. who justly calls himself a great King, Mal. 1. 14. as being, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Revel. 19. 16..

God is known in her palaces To his People by sensible and long Experience, and to all neighbouring Nations, by their own Observation. for a refuge (i. e.) In the Habitations, or to the Inhabitants of that City. Possibly he may here point at the Kings Palace, and the Temple, which was the Palace of the King of Heaven; which two Palaces God did in a singular manner Protect, and by Protecting them, he Protect... d the whole City and People.. i Uader whose shadow we are more safe and secure, than other Cities are with their great Rivers and impregnable Fortifications.

For lo, the kings Either those Kings Consederate against Ioho... haphat, 2 Chron. 20. or t... e Assyrian Princes; whom they Vain-Gloriously called Kings, I... a. 10. 8. were assembled, they passed by In their March towards Ierusalem. Or, they pas... away, (i. e.) Departed without the Success, which they desired and Considently expected. together.

They saw it Th... look upon it, but not come into it, nor shoot an t... re, - nor cast a Bank against it, as is said upon this or the like Occasion, 2 Kings 19. 32., and so they marvelled Not so much at the structure, or strength of the City, as at the wonderful Works wrought by God on their behalf., they were troubled and hasted away See 2 Kings 19. 35..

Fear took hold upon them there, and pain Partly, at the Tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them, 2 Kings 19. 9. and Partly, for that Terrible slaughter of their Army, there v. 35., as of a woman in travail.

Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east-wind This is not reported as a Matter of Fact, for we Read of no Ships in those Expeditions, to which this Psalm relates, nor did any Ships come near Ierusalem, because that was a... a great Distance from the Sea, and from any navigable River running into the Sea; but only added by way of Illustration, o... Allusion. The Sense is, Thou didst no less violently, an... suddenly destroy these Proud and Raging Enemies of Ierusalem, than sometimes thou destroyest the Ships at Sea, with a fierce and Vehement Wind, such as the Eastern Winds were in those Parts, Exod. 14 21. Iob. 27. 21. Ier. 18. 17. Ezek. 27. 26. The Words are and may be rendred thus: Thou diast break them as (such Ellipsis of the Pronoun, and of the note of similitude being very frequent; as I have again, and again showed) the Ships of the Sea (for Tarshish, though Properly the Name of a Maritine place in Ci... icia, Ezek. 27. 25. 1. 3. is usually put for the Sea, as 1 Kings 10. 22. 2 Chron. 9. 21. Psal. 72. 10. Isa. 2. 16. Ier. 10. 9.) are broken with an Eastwind. Albeit the Enemies of Ierusalem, which are Compared to the raging Waters of the Sea, in Psal. 46 2, 3. may as fitly be Compared to Ships upon the Sea..

As we have heard, so have we seen The predictions of the Prophets, Either, 2 Chron. 20. 14. or 2 Kings 19. 20. &c. have been verified by the Events. Or, We have had late and fresh Experiences of such wonderful works of God, as before we only heard of by the Report of our Fathers. in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God, God will establish it for ever From this miraculous Deliverance, we plainly see that God has a singular Love to it, and Care of it, and therefore will defend her, in all succeeding Ages, against all her Enemies. And so God would have done, if Ierusalem had not forsaken God, and forfeited his Favour and Protection., Selah.

We have thought of It has been the matter of our Serious, and deep Meditation, when we have been Worshipping there in thy Temple. For when the Priests were offering Incense or Sacrifice, the Religious People exercised themselves in holy Meditation, or secret Prayer to God, as may be gathered from Luk. 1. 10. and many other places of Scripture, and from the Nature of the thing. Or, We have silently, or Patiently waited for, as some An... ient and other Interpreters... ender it. thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise For this and such like glorious Actions, thou art praised and acknowledged, and Evidently proved to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thy self to be in thy Word, God Almighty or Al-sufficient, the Lord of H... sts, the King of thy Church People, and a strong Tower to all that trust in thee, and all other things which thou art called in Scripture. Thy Name is not an empty Title, but is filled up with honourable and Praiseworthy Works answerable to it. unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness (i.....) Of righteous Actions; by which thou discoverest thy Justice and Holiness in destroying the Wicked, and incorrigible Enemies of thy People, and in fulfilling thy Promises made to thy Church..

Let mount Synecdochically put for Ierusalem. Zion rejoyce, let the daughters of Judah (i. e.) The other and lesser Cities, and Towns or Villages (i. e. all the People) of Iuda...: for such are commonly called Daughters in Respect of the Mother City, to which they are Subjects: See Ios. 15. 45 and 17. 16. Psal. 45. 12. and 137 8. He mentions Iudah only, and not all Israel; Partly, because they were more immediately and Eminently concerned in Ierusalems Deliverance; and principally because ten of the Tribes of Israel were now cut off from Ierusalem, and from the Kingdom of David's House, and possibly carried away Captive, 2 Kings 18. 9, 10. 11., be glad, because of thy judgments Upon thine and their Enemies. At which they were glad not simply, but because it was highly Conducible to God's Honour, and to the Preservation and Enlargement of Gods Church, in the World..

Walk about Zion, and go round about her He speaketh, Either, 1. To the Enemies, as Triumphing over them. Or rather, 2. To the People of that City and Kingdom, who had been Eye Witnesses of this glorious work of God as appears from the following Verses.: tell the towers thereof He bids them... ark well her... owers, B... warks and Palaces, here and v. 13. not with vain Ostentation, or Carnal Confidence, for he had said that God only was their Refuge, v. 3. but with thankfulness to God, when they should find upon Enquiry, that not one of them was demolished, or... ny way defaced by so potent an Enemy..

Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider Or, Exalt, or Admire. her palaces: that ye may tell it to the generation following That they may be excited to continue their Praises to God for this Mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their Blessings, and to trust in God in the like Difficulties, for the Future..

For this God e is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death Who has done this great Work. (i. e.) Whilest we have a being. Birth and Life,... nd the several Ages of Life and Death, are oft ascribed to Churches and Commonwealths, both in Scripture and in other Authors. This Promise was made to the Old and earthly Ierusalem, upon Condition of their Obedience, wherein they failing so grossly lost the benefit of it, but it is absolutely made good to the New and Heavenly Ierusalem, the Church of Christ..