Psalms 72

That this Psalm was made by David is Evident, from v. 20. and that it was made with Respect to Solomon, is no less certain from the very Title of it. And that David, or at least, the Holy Ghost which dictated this Psalm, did look beyond Solomon, and unto the Messiah, of whom Solomon was an Illustrious and unquestionable Type, seems as manifest from divers Passages of this Psalm, which do not agree to Solomon, nor to any other King but the Messiah, and from the Confession of the Jewish Doctors themselves, who so understand it. It must therefore be acknowledged, that as many others are; So this Psalm is also a mixt Psalm belonging to Solomon in part, and obscurely and imperfectly, but unto Christ, more clearly and fully; divers Expressions being designedly so ordered, that the Reader might be led by them to the Contemplation of Christ, and of his Kingdom upon this occasion. Which was the more necessary for the support and Comfort of God's true Israel, because the Spirit of God foresaw Solomon's dreadful Apostacy, and the great Miscarriages and Calamities of his Successors, and of the Kingdom under their hands, and therefore was pleased to fortifie their Hearts with that glorious Condition, which they should certainly enjoy under the Messiah, who should certainly come.

GIve the king Solomon, who was now anointed King, his Father yet Living, 1 Kings 1.... 9. And this Psalm may seem to be made for that great and solemn Occasion. thy judgments (i. e.) Either, 1. Thy Statutes and Precepts, which are oft called God's Iudgments; which as thou hast given already in thy Book, so give them to him a second, and a better way, by writing them upon his Heart, or by giving him a solid knowledge of them, and an hearty Love and Obedience to them. Or rather, 2. Thy manner of Government or Administration,... which is oft called Iudgment, as Psal. 94. 15. Isa. 28. 6. &c. that he may follow thy Example in governing thy People, as thou governest them, to wit, in Righteousness, as it follows. He says Iudgments in the plural Number, because though the Office of judging and ruling was but one, yet there were divers parts and Branches, and Acts of it; as to acquit the Innocent, to Condemn the Guilty, &c. in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God does, or would have him to do in such Cases., O God, and thy righteousness That Grace of Righteousness, which is a part of thine Image, and is absolutely necessary for good Government. unto the kings son.

He shall judge To wit, if thou givest him what I have desired. And by this prediction he does... acitly admonish him of, and oblige him to the performance of his Duty herein. Or, Let him Iudge the Future being put for the Imperative, as has been oft observed. So it is a Prayer. thy people For they are thine more than his; and therefore he must not govern them according to his own Will and Pleasure, but according to the Rules of thy Word and for thy Service and Glory. with righteousness, and thy poor Or, thy aflicted, or oppressed ones; for such are thine in a special manner, thou art their Judge and Patron, Psal. 68. 5. and hast Commanded all thy People, and especially Kings and Magistrates, to take a singular Care of them, because they have few or no Friends. with judgment.

The mountains He mentioneth the Mountains and Hills, as bringing forth this blessed Fruit: Either, because such places are usually Barren, and therefore this was an Evidence of extraordinary Fruitfulness, and a special blessing of God: Or, because they are dangerous to Passengers, in Regard of the Robbers and Wild beasts, which commonly abide there. Whereby it is implyed, that other places should do so to, and that it should be common and universal. shall bring peace All manner of Prosperity and Felicity, which the Hebrews frequently express by that word. to the people, and the little hills by righteousness.

He shall judge (i. e.) Vindicate them from their Potent oppressours, as judging is used, Psal. 43. 1. and oft elsewhere. the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy Whom the Rich peradventure did seize upon for Bond-men, upon some Pretence or other. and shall break in pieces the oppressour.

They shall fear Or Reverence, or Worship, as this Word is used, Isa. 29. 13. Compared with Mat. 15. 9. and elsewere. thee Either, 1. Thee, O King, to whom he suddenly turneth his Speech. And so this is Hyperbolically true of Solomon but truly and litterally of Christ. Or rather, 2. Thee, O God, of whom he had spoken before, and that in the second Person, v. 1, 2. as it is here; whereas he never speaks of the King in the whole Psalm, in the second Person, but constantly in the third. And... o the Sense is, This shall be another blessed Fruit of this righteous Government, that together with Peace true Religion shall be established, and that throughout all Generations, as it here follows. Which was begun in Solomon's days and continued, though not without Interruption, in the time of his Successors, the Kings of Iudah, and afterwards until Christ, in and by whom this Prediction and Promise was most fully accomplished. Heb. With the Sun and before the Moon, (i. e.) Whilst they continue in the Heavens. Others expound it thus, both Day and Night as the twelve Tribes are said to serve God, Act. 26. 7. But the former Interpretation seems more probable, by Comparing this Verse with v. 17. as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

He shall come down To wit, by the influences of his Government upon his People under him. But this Phrase does much better agree to Christ, who was yet to come, and who did come down from Heaven, and brought or sent down from Heaven his Doctrine. which is oft Compared to Rain, and the sweet and powerful influences of his Spirit. like rain upon the mown grass Which it both refresheth and improveth, or causeth to grow and flourish, and therefore was very acceptable, especially in Canaan, where Rain was more scarce, and more necessary than in many other places, because of the scorching Heat, and the natural dryness of the Soyl, and the want of Rivers to overflow, or water the Land.: as showers that water the earth.

In his days shall the righteous flourish As the wicked shall be discountenanced and punished, so good men shall be encouraged and advanced, and multiplyed., and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth (i. e.) As long as time and the World shall last. Which neither was nor could be true of Solomon, who lived not long, and the Peace of whose Kingdom was sadly disturbed, and in a manner wholly lost presently after his Death, but was undoubtedly and Eminently accomplished in Christ, who brought Peace upon Earth, Luk. 2. 14. and left it as his Legacy to his Disciples, Ioh. 14. 27..

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea Either, 1. From the Dead Sea, or the Lake of Sodom, or from the Red Sea, to the Midland Sea. For so far did Solomon's Dominion extend: but so did David's also; and therefore in that Respect Solomon has not that Pre-eminence, which this Promise plainly seems to give him above his Predecessours. Or, 2. More generally from one Sea to another, or in all the parts of the habitable World. So it was truly and fully accomplished in Christ, and in him only., and from the river To wit, Enphrates: which was the Eastern border of the Kingdom of Canaan allotted by God, Exod. 23. 31. Numb.... 4. 3. but enjoyed only by David and Solomon, and afterwards by Christ. Of whose Kingdom this may be here mentioned, as one of the Borders; Partly, because the Kingdom of Christ is here described under the Type, and shadow of Solomon's Kingdom, whose bound this was: and Partly, because though Christ's Kingdom did for a time extend it self beyond Euphrates, yet the chief part, and almost the whole Body of it, both did and does lye on this side of it: and things do generally receive their Denomination from the greatest part. unto the ends of the earth Either, 1. Of the Land of Canaan. Or, 2. Of the World..

They that dwell in the wilderness In solitary places: Even rude and barbarous People, who lived without Order and Government among themselves: Of which sort great numbers submitted to Christ, and received the Gospel. shall bow before him: and his enemies shall lick the dust (i. e.) Shall prostrate themselves to the ground, in token of Reverence and Subjection, as the Custome of the Eastern People was. See Isa. 49. 23. Mich. 7. 17..

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Or, of the Sea (as Tarshish is understood, 1 Kings 22. 48. Psal. 48. 7.) and, (Or, that is: for that Conjunction is oft used Exegetically) of the Isles. (i. e.) Of remote Countries, to which they used to go from Canaan by Sea; all which are frequently called Isles in Scripture, as has been noted before. The Kings that Rule by Sea (where Solomon had no great Power) or by Land. shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba Two Arabia... Countries: unless the one be Arabia, and the other Ethiopia beyond Egypt. shall offer gifts.

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him Which cannot be said of Solomon with any Truth or Colour, but was unquestionably verified in Christ; of whom therefore this must be understood. For what is said, 1 Kings 4. 21. that Solomon Reigned over all Kingdoms, is there limit... ed to them that Reigned from the River unto—Egypt: Whereas the Expressions here are unlimitted and universal..

For he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth: the poor also, and him that has no helper The Fame of his just and merciful Government shall induce multitudes; Either, to put themselves under him, or to show great Respect and Reverence to him..

He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls Properly so called; this being Christ's proper Work to save Souls: Or, the Lives, which Oppressours shall indeavour to take away. of the needy.

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence The two ways whereby the Souls or Lives of Men are usually destroyed.: and precious shall their blood be in his sight He will not be Prodigal of the Lives of his Subjects, casting them away merely to gratifie his own Revenge, or Covetousness, or in... atiable Desire, of enlarging his Empire, as earthly Kings commonly do, but like a true Father of his People, will tenderly preserve them, and severely avenge their Blood upon those who shall shed it..

And he shall live To wit, long and Prosperously, as Solomon did; yea Eternally, as Christ did. Other Kings must lose both their Lives and Kingdoms: but this King, whom Solomon typified, shall Live for ever, and his Kingdom shall have no end., and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba As a Present, or Tribute. This was done to Solomon, 1 Kings 10. 15. and to Christ, Mat. 2. 11. and afterwards as need required. Although such Expressions as these being used of Christ and his Kingdom, are commonly understood in a spiritual Sense., prayer also shall be made for him continually, and daily shall he be praised. h His Subjects shall be obliged and excited by his righteous and happy Government, to pray heartily and frequently for him; Either, 1. For Solomon. Or, 2. For Christ, not so much for his Person, which needed not their Prayers, as for the Protection and Propagation of his Kingdom and Gospel, and Interest in the World.

There shall be an handful of corn Which intimates the small beginnings of this Kingdom... and therefore does not agree to S..., whose Kingdom was in a manner as large at the beginning of his Reign, as at the End; but it exactly agrees to Christ and hi... Kingdom,. 13. 31, 32. in the earth Sown in the Earth. upon the top of the mountains In the most Barr... n grounds; and therefore this was an Evidence of extraordinary and prodigious Fertility., the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon It shall... ield such abundance of Corn, that the Ears being thick and high and full of Corn, shall, when they are shaken with the Wind, make a noise not unlike that which the tops of the Trees of sometimes make upon the like occasion. Which Expressions, as well as many others of the like Nature in the Prophets, being applied to Christ, are to be understood in a spiritual Sense, of the great and happy Success of the Preaching of the Gospel., and they of the city The Citizens of Ierusalem, which are here Synedochically put for the Subjects of this Kingdom. shall flourish like grass of the earth Shall both encrease in number, that there may be mouths to receive the Meat provided, and enjoy great Prosperity and Happiness.

His Name The Honour and Renown of his eminent Wisdom, and Justice, and Goodness. Which agrees but very obscurely, and imperfectly to Solomon, who s... ained the Glory of his Reign, by his prodigious Luxury and Oppression, and Apostacy from God, into which he... ell in the latter part of his days. shall endure for ever: his Name shall be continued Or, shall be Propagated, or Transmitted to his Chil... Which suits much better to Christ, from whom we are called Christians than to Solomon., as long as the Sun Heb. the S...; Either, 1. Publickly, and in the Face of the Sun. Or. 2. Perpetually; as a constant and inseparable Companion of the Sun, as long as the Sun it self shall continue. See before on v. 5., and men shall be blessed in him Either, 1. As a Pattern of Blessedness. When any man shall with well to a King, he shall say: The Lord make thee like Solomon. See on Gen. 22. 18. Or rather, 2. As the Cause of it, by and through his Merits and Mediation., all nations shall call him blessed.

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things Who has given to his People such a Glorious and excellent King and Governour, and such wonderful Blessings as they do, and shall enjoy under his Government..

And blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Heb. The whole Earth shall be filled with his Glory. For this may be either a Prayer for, or a Prophecy of the spreading of the true Religion, in the Gentile-World. Which evidently relates to Christ and his Kingdom., Amen and amen.

The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended This Psalm is called the last of David's Psalms (which are called Prayers, because they consist very much of Prayers) Either, 1. The last of that part, or Book of the Psalms, which reacheth from the beginning of the Psalms hitherto, whereof the far greatest number were Composed by David, and all of them digested into this Order; the rest of which follow, being Collected by some other holy Man, or Men of God after David's Death, and Composed part by David, and part by other Prophets. Or rather, 2. The last Psalm which David Composed: For this was done but a little before his Death, of which see the first Note on this Psalm..