Ver. 10. "Thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor."]-These words shew the provision of infinite love, that God had prepared, his blessings of goodness, namely, his loving-kindness, his precious promises, his word of grace, that were prepared from eternity in Christ, for the poor of the Israel of God, as the store or treasure of heaven for their supply in every time of need.

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Ver. 12. "And she that tarried at home divided the spoil."]-These words are to be understood of the church of Christ, and of her sharing in the spoils and victories over sin and satan, by the conquest of Christ's death and resurrection and as Christ is in scripture called "a habitation," and a "house of defence," to save his people, by her tarrying at home, we are to understand her abiding by faith in the death, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus; where the church dwells as her home and habitation: and there she divides the spoils of her Lord's death and resurrection, over sin, satan, death, and the grave, which is her only hope, joy, and consolation. It may likewise denote the case of believers in Christ, who through affliction, and in the dispensation of providence, may be obliged to tarry at home, yet through grace may be enabled, by looking to Jesus, to divide the victories and consolation of his death; for the Lord acts as a sovereign in communicating his conso lations.

Ver. 13. "Though ye have lien among the pots."]These words point forth the sovereign displays of grace, notwithstanding the blackness of our natural state by sin, or by our backslidings, yet divine grace will quicken, revive, and brighten our souls, like the wings of a dove that are covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold; which denotes the lustre, glory, and preciousness of divine grace in all communications, Rev. iii. 18.

Ver. 17. "The chariots of God are twenty thousand."] -Or myriads by the chariots we are to understand the innumerable company of angels which attended the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, who are fitly compared to chariots, 2 Kings ii. 11. for their courage, protection, and swiftness, by whom the Lord rides forth in the dispensation of his providence and grace, and more particularly in his resurrection and triumphs over death and the grave: as they were the happy heralds to proclaim his name, to sing his incarnate grace, to attend him in his agony and in the grave, so they were the happy attendants to praise the

grace of his victorious resurrection. See psalm xlvii. 5. Acts i. 10, 11. 1 Tim. iii. 16.

Ver. 18. "Thou hast ascended on high."]-This denotes the high exaltation of the Messiah upon his resurrection and ascension, being exalted as the reward of his death, above every name that is named in this world, or that which is to come, Eph. i. 20.

"Thou hast led captivity captive."]-The saints in the grave may be said to be in a state of captivity; but many of the saints rose at Christ's death, and went to glory with him; in which sense he led captivity captive. But it is rather to be understood of the redemption of his people out of the hands of sin and satan, of death and the grave, by bis own triumphant resurrection from the dead; for by sin they were in a state of captivity, but by divine grace through Christ's resurrection they are set free. Or the captivity may denote the remainder of sin, the temptations of satan, and the fears of death and hell, which are the bondage, misery, and state of captivity that the children of God are often afflicted with: then it denotes that Christ has by his resurrection triumphed over their spiritual enemies, and delivered them from their captivity to sin, satan, death, and hell: Christ has led captive sin and satan, who formerly led his people captive; therefore there remains nothing for them to fear but conquered enemies; for sin within, and satan and the world without, and death and hell, are all in a state of captivity, but the church is free. See Gal. iv. 26. Col. ii. 14, 15.

"Thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also."]-By these gifts we are to understand ministe rial gifts to the apostles, teachers, and evangelists, see Eph. iv. II. and likewise the gifts of faith, hope, life, and liberty, which are given to the rebellious, namely, to sinners at their regeneration; who are so by nature, their minds being in enmity to God, and likewise to the saints, who have still, through the remainders of sin, the same rebellious nature in them as ever: but these gifts are to shew how triumphant grace is over the rebellion of their wills, to subdue and conquer their souls to love and obedience, that the Lord God might dwell among them with his presence, his blessings, and his promises.

Ver. 20. "He that is our God, is the God of salva tion."]-This is evident by his love to us, by his being in carnate for us, by his triumphs over all our enemies, and by

the blessings which in gifts and graces he bestows upon us. The bishops' translation renders it, By whom we escape death; that is, the second death, or rather the sting of death, by his dying for sin, and overcoming death by his resurrection.

Ver. 24. Even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary."-These words denote the goings forth of Christ as the Messiah, in the fulfilment of Jehovah's counsels and covenant, in the conversion of his people, and in the consolation of his saints.

Ver. 26. "Even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel."]-By the fountain of Israel we are to understand the divine Messiah, who is a fountain of living waters to the Israel of God; and that it is the saints' privilege to bless and praise the Lord from that fountain and fulness of grace that there is in Christ; or that all their praises flow from him who is the "fountain of Israel."

Ver. 28. "Thy God hath commanded thy strength."] -That is, the believer's strength in Christ, in his word, oath, and promise.

"Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us."]-These words shew, that it is the earnest desire of the believer to enjoy continual supplies of strengthening grace to his soul.

Ver. 34. His excellency is over Israel."]-By his excellency we are to understand the Messiah, who is Jehovah's excellency, glory, and brightness; and he is appointed over his spiritual Israel, as their Head of power, life, and grace, as their King, Lord, and Lawgiver; for it is he that ruleth in them by his Spirit, and over them by the banner of his love.

PSALM LXIX.

The glorious things foretold in the foregoing psalm were not to come to pass without the lowest humiliations of our gracious Mediator and Head, of which the prophet there, ver. 20. had a foresight. In this, therefore, he is introduced speaking as a man of sorrows, overwhelmed with grief, and labouring under the false accusations of such as sought his life, ver. 1-4. In ver. 5-12. he even condescends, as Head of the church, to take its faults and follies on himself, interceding and pleading on its behalf the manifold sorrows he endured. Then, ver. 13--21. mourning still in prayer, he complains of those who gave him gall and vinegar. After which, having forewarned them of the dreadful conse

quence, ver. 22-28. he laments their case; but rejoices in hope and a foresight of his praising God for the salvation of Zion, ver. 29--36. It shews the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

VER. 1. "For the waters are come in unto my soul."] -These are the words of the Messiah, and are expressive of the sorrows of his soul in the garden, when the powers of darkness, the curses of the law, the wrath of God for the innumerable sins of his people, broke in upon him like mighty waters: these entered into him; like the waters of jealousy under the law, they became a curse to him, and lay heavy upon his soul, which made him exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; which sorrows he prayed to be supported under, and saved from.

Ver. 4. Then I restored that which I took not away."]-The sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ were unspeakably great, from the amazing weight of sins which he bore, from the wrath of men, from the rage of hell, from the curses of the broken law; which sufferings restored satisfaction to the law of God, honour to divine justice, glory to his heavenly Father, and a perfection of righteousness to his people. Then he restored meritoriously by his sacrifice, blood, and obedience, in honour to the divine perfections, all that God demanded, and the salvation of his people required.

Ver. 6. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of Hosts, be ashamed for my sake."]-As if the Messiah bad said, because I have borne their sins, suffered their sorrows, endured their curse, paid the debt of wrath with mine own blood, and with the sorrows of my soul for them, let them not be ashamed for the sake of mine honour, and the glory of my death, to seek thy face, and to hope in thy favour for their complete salvation.

Ver. 9. "For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up."]-By the house we are to understand the temple, or church of God; and by Christ's zeal, that ardency and vehemence of love which Christ had to his people for their salvation, which was seen in his engagements, death, and sufferings for them: this engaged all his thoughts, time, and affections, as man and mediator, that his Father's glory might be made manifest in his people's salvation.

Ver. 16. Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is good."-This shews the great delight Christ, as man, took in the loving-kindness of his Father, which love was a love of the highest complacence and delight; and

his loving his people with the same love was the ground of his being heard and answered for them and for himself; John xvii. 24.

Ver. 18. "Draw nigh unto my soul."]-These words are expressive of Christ's agonies in the garden, and of his desire to enjoy his Father's gracious presence, when he was pouring out his soul an offering for sin, and cried out, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!"

Ver. 20. "Reproach hath broken my heart."]—0 what moving, melting, heart-breaking words are these, for the Messiah's heart to be broken under the weight of our sins, which are here called reproaches! O what weight must lie upon him! namely, the weight of his people's sins, the weight of guilt, the weight of punishment, the weight of wrath, that it broke his heart. O amazing! well may nature die, when the God of nature suffered!

Ver. 21. "And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."]-This shews the cruelty of Christ's enemies, and the truth of Christ's human nature, that it was subject to hunger and thirst: it likewise points out the prophecies concerning Christ and his sufferings, that such a prophetical circumstance should be so exactly fulfilled in him; which shews that he is the true Messiah, because all things are accomplished of him, which were spoken in the law, and in the prophets, and in the book of the psalms, concerning him see Luke xxiv. 44.

Ver. 29. "Let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high."-These words are expressive of the Messiah's faith and expectation of his resurrection and exaltation, as man and mediator, and of the salvation of his people effected thereby.

Ver. 32. "The humble shall see this, and be glad."]— That is, the meek and humble followers of Christ shall see the sufferings, the sacrifice, and the resurrection and exaltation of the Messiah, and shall rejoice and be glad with exceeding joy that righteousness is brought in by that atonement, that salvation is secured, that they share in all the blessings of it, which they find so suitable to their wants, and so satisfying to their souls, that it filleth their heart with "joy unspeakable, and full of glory."