repeated than this, that God's mercy endureth for ever; and the repetition of it here twenty-six times intimates, 1. That God's mer cies to his people are thus repeated and drawn, as it were, from the beginning to the end. 2. That in every particular favour we ought to take notice of the mercy of God, and to take notice of it as enduring still, the same now that it has been, and enduring for ever, the same always that it is. 3. That the everlasting continuance of the mercy of God is very much his honour and that which he glories in, and very much the saints comfort and that which they glory in. It is that which therefore our hearts should be full of, and greatly affected with, so as that the most frequent mention of it, might raise us the more, because it will be the subject of our praise to all eternity. This most excellent sentence, that God's mercy endureth for ever, is magnified above all the truths concerning God, not only by the repetition of it here, but by the signal tokens of divine acceptance, with which God owned the singing of it both in Solomon's time, 2 Chron. v. 13. when they sang these words, " For his mercy endureth for ever," the house was filled with a cloud; and in Jehoshaphat's time, when they sang these words, God gave them victory, 2 Chron xx. 21, 22. which should make us love to sing, "His mercies sure do still endure eternally." We should praise God, (1.) As great and good in himself, ver. 1-3 (2.) As the creator of the world, ver. 5-9. (3.) As Israel's God and Saviour, ver. 10-22. (4.) As our Redeemer, ver. 23, 24. (5.) As the great Benefactor of the whole creation, and God over all, blessed for evermore, vet. 25, 26.

VER. 8. "The sun to rule by day."]-An emblem of a more beneficial light, in which the rich grace and mercy of God appear, and for which we have reason to give thanks; even the Sun of righteousness, the Messiah, the light of the world, the author of the light of nature, grace, and glory, and who will continue as long as the sun, and when that shall be no more, Mal. iv. 2. Psalm lxxii. 17.

Ver. 23. "Who remembered us in our low estate."]This may be applied to the people of God in a spiritual sense, who, before conversion, are in a low estate through sin, which has brought them into deep poverty, into debt they are not able to discharge, but are liable to a prison; it has stripped them of their original righteousness, instead of which they are clothed with filthy rags; it has left them starving and famishing, to feed on ashes, sensual lusts, and pleasures; it has brought them to a dunghill, from whence they are taken as beggars; yea, to a ditch, a pit wherein is no water, even an horrible pit, the mire and clay of corrupt nature. Man, that was lord of all, is by sin reduced to the utmost slavery to it and satan, and is in the greatest distress and misery, filled with diseases, quite lost and undone, helpless and hopeless, and under the sentence of condemnation and death: but the Lord has remembered his chosen people, and provided a Saviour for them, who has paid all their debts, brought in an everlasting righteousness to clothe

them, given his flesh for the life of them, healed all their diseases, delivered them from thraldom and bondage, saved them from condemnation and death, and raised them to sit in heavenly places with him.

Ver. 24. And hath redeemed us from our enemies."] -Temporal enemies, tyrants, and oppressors; and spiritual ones, sin, satan, the world, the law, death, and hell.

"For his mercy endureth for ever."]-As is clearly seen in redemption by Jesus Christ, where mercy and truth have met together; and which is a distinguishing mercy to the sons of men, not granted to angels.

PSALM CXXXVII.

Whensoever, or by whomsoever this Psalm was written, yet (under the figure of Israel, complaining of the insults of those who had led them captive, and retaining the most affectionate and unalterable love for Jerusalem) it well represents the servants of Christ, bearing the like affection to the mystical Jerusalem, and bewailing its oppressed and afflicted state under antichristian Babylon; and foreseeing that that also will at length be wasted and destroyed. It is a mournful Psalm some think it was written by Jeremiah, but more probably by one of the prophets in captivity.

VER. 2. "We hanged our harps upon the willows."]— The barps were musical instruments, used in the templeservice by the Levites, who seem to be the persons here speaking; who took care of them, and preserved them from the plunder of the enemy, and carried them with them to Babylon, in hope of returning with them to use them as before, or to solace themselves and others in captivity; though now they had no heart to make use of them, their sorrow was so great, and therefore hung them upon the willows as useless things; these willows grew upon the banks of the rivers as such trees usually do; hence called willows of the brook, and willows by water-courses, Lev. xxiii. 40. Isaiah xliv. 4.

Babylon is an emblem of this world, of the confusion in it, as its name signifies; of the fading glories of it, and the wickedness and idolatry it abounds with: and here they sit by the rivers of carnal pleasures in it for a while, till brought to themselves, and then they weep over their sins and lament them, especially when they remember what opportunities they have formerly had in Zion, and what a low condition

she is now in through the conduct of themselves and others; these make use of their harps when Zion is in good and prosperous circumstances, Rev. xiv. 1-3. and xv. 1-3. but when there are corruptions in doctrine, neglect or abuse of ordinances, animosities and divisions prevail, declensions in the life and power of religion, and the lives of professors disagreeable; then they hang their harps on willows, and drop their notes.

Ver. 4. "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"-This they said, "not merely on account of their unsuitable circumstances, being in distress and affliction, and so not disposed for such work, nor as if unlawful to them, being forbidden; for though sacrifices were not to be offered but at Jerusalem, yet songs of praise might be sung elsewhere on proper occasions, as David did, Psalm xviii. 49. and Ivii. 4-8. and Ixiii. 1-3. but as wondering at their insolence, and complaining of their cruelty and inhumanity, thus to insult them, and jeer at them: or rather, because it was "the Lord's song" they required, and so sacred, and not to be sung in any place, or at any time, and in any company, which would be but "casting pearls be fore swine, and giving that which was holy to dogs," Matt.

vii. 6.

Ver. 6. "If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."-Meaning not God his exceeding joy, Psalm xliii. 4. as his creator, preserver, and benefactor, and much less as his covenant God and Father, as having loved him with an everlasting love; as the God of all grace unto him, and as his portion and exceeding great reward: nor Christ, the object of joy unspeakable, and full of glory; joy in the greatness, glory, and fulness of his person; in the blessings and promises of his grace; in what he has done and suffered; as risen, ascended, exalted, and who will come a second time; nor the joy of the Holy Ghost in a way of believing, and in hope of the glory of God; but all worldly joy.

Ver. 7. "Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem."]-Of her visitation, calamity, and destruction, how they behaved then, and punish them for it; who, though the children of Esau, and brethren of the Jews, as well as their neighbours, yet hated them; the old grudge of their father because of the birthright and blessing, as well as the old enmity of the serpent continuing in them; and who rejoiced at their ruin, helped forward their affliction, and were assistants to the Babylonians in the plunder and destruction of them.

Ver. 9. "Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones."]-This is not to be desired from a spirit of revenge, but for the glory of divine justice, and that such a generation of cruel creatures might be rooted out of the earth; Rev. ii. 23.

PSALM CXXXVIII.

The church is here represented praising the name of the Lord, and foreseeing that all kings on earth shall do the same, singing in the ways or walks of the Lord, (that is, in lands then become christian, where he walks among bis people) that great is the glory of the Lord, ver. 1-5. After which, bis goodness in beholding the lowly, in protecting and refreshing his church in her troubles; his condescending to empty himself and be abased (humbling himself even to death) for her redemption, is pointed at and devoutly acknowledged; in full assurance, that he will not forsake the work of his own hands, leaving unfinished what he has begun to do for her redemption.

VER. 2. "For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."]-Or, above every name of thine. This may with propriety be applied to Christ, the essential Word, that was made flesh and dwelt among men; whom God has highly exalted, and not only given him a name above every name of men on earth, but also above any particular name or attribute of his or however he has magnified him according to every name of his, it being his will that men should honour the Son as they honour the Father; or with every name, along with each of them; or besides every name; for all these senses the word will bear. Some render them, Thou hast magnified above all things thy name and thy word; or otherwise, thy name by thy word: Psalm viii. 1.

Ver. 3. "In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul."]Put him in good heart and spirit, when before ready to faint, strengthened his heart and grace in it, particularly faith, and drew it forth into lively act and exercise; so that he sunk not under the weight of affliction and trouble, but was filled with courage to withstand his enemies, and with strength to do the will and work of God: this is to be understood of inward spiritual strength, Eph. iii. 16.

Ver. 6. "Yet hath he respect unto the lowly "]-That are low in their own eyes, humbled under a sense of sin,

convinced of the insufficiency of their own righteousness to justify them, and made to submit to the righteousness of Christ, ascribe the whole of their salvation to the free grace of God; patiently and quietly bear every afflictive providence; think the worst of themselves, and the best of others; and being the followers of the lowly Jesus, learn of him, imitate him, and become like unto him: these the Lord has a gracious respect unto; he looks upon them with a look of love; he has a respect to their persons in Christ, and to their sacrifices for his sake, which are those of a broken and contrite beart; he regards their prayers, though low and destitute, and gives more grace unto them; yea, he conde scends to dwell with them, and in due time highly exalts them, Isaiah lvii. 15.

Ver. 8. "Forsake not the works of thine own hands."] -As are all the works of providence and grace: the work of grace upon the heart may be expressed in the plural number, because of the several branches of it; which are all so many works, as the work of faith, labour of love, &c. 1 Thess. i. 3.

PSALM CXXXIX.

It seems to be in the person of the blessed Head of the church, his great root and offspring, that the prophet David is here confessing the omniscience and omnipresence of God, ver. 1–12. is praising him for his wondrous make, ver. 13-16. is ravished with a view of his gracious counsels, ver. 17, 18. foresees that he will destroy the wicked one, and professes his abhorrence of evil doers, ver. 19-22. begging then, in the behalf of his body, the church, that it may be tried and led in the everlasting way. From ver. 17, 18. it seems plain that these things are to be considered as spoken in the person of the blessed man Christ Jesus; who therefore, in ver. 13-16. is reminding us, that for us, and our salvation, he " abhorred not the virgin's womb," but delighted in his incarnation, and in the members of his mystical body.

VER. 2. "Thou understandest my thought afar off."] -God knows not only his own thoughts, but the thoughts of men, which none but themselves know; by this Christ appears to be truly God, the omniscient God, being a dis cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Matt. ix. 3, 4. Heb. iv. 12. God knows what thoughts bis people have of him, and of his loving-kindness in Christ; what thoughts they have of Christ himself, his person, offices, and grace;