and these encamping about the saints in a military way: 2 Kings xxii. 19. Luke ii. 13. Matt. xxvi. 53. Psalm xxxiv. 7. or else the celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars, as. follow, sometimes called the host of heaven; and who are represented as militant, Gen. ii. 1. 2 Kings xxi. 3. Judges

v. 20.

Ver. 3. "Praise ye him, sun and moon."]-The sun praises the Lord, the Creator of it, by doing the work constantly it is appointed to do, to rule by day, and give light. and heat to the earth, and the inhabitants of it; and so is the cause of man's praising the Lord for the benefits they receive from it, for its enlightening, warming, and refreshing rays, and for the precious fruits brought forth by it:

And

so the moon. likewise doing its office, ruling by night, and reflecting the light of the sun upon the earth, and producing precious fruits, also praises its Maker, and is the occasion of others praising him; Psalm cxxxvi 1, 7, 8, 9. Deut. xxxiii. 14.

"Praise him, all ye stars of light "]-These are very beneficial in the night season, especially to mariners and travellers, and shed their benign influences upon the earth and things in it; which are a means of praising the Lord, and in their way they do it, Psalm cxxxvi. 1, 9. Acts xxvii. 20. Job xxxviii. 31.

Ver. 4. "Praise him, ye heavens of heavens."] All the heavens, the airy and starry heavens; and the third heaven, the residence of God, angels and saints: these are made by the Lord, and declare the glory of his power, wisdom, and goodness, and shew forth bis handy work, Psalm xix. 1. A voice was heard from heaven, praising Jehovah the Son, when on earth in our nature; a cloud of the lower heavens received him when he went from hence, and in the clouds thereof be will come again: the highest heavens opened to receive him, and will retain him until the restitution of all things; and from hence he will descend to judge the world in righteousness.

Ver. 6. "He hath also stablished them for ever and ever."-The angels are made immortal, and shall never die; and they are confirmed in their state of happiness by Christ, and shall always continue in it; the hosts of heaven being created by him consist in him, and will remain as long as the world does; hence the duration and never-failing state of other things, even of good men and their felicity, are expressed by them: Psalm 1xxii. 5, 7. and lxxxix. 36, 37.

"He hath made a decree which shall not pass."]-Concerning those creatures and their duration, which shall never pass away, or be frustrated or made void; but shall always continue and have its sure and certain effect; Jer. xxxi. 35, 36. and xxxiii. 25. and is true of every decree of God which is eternal and infrustrable, and is always fulfilled, Isaiah xiv. 27. and xxv. 1. and xlvi. 10.

Ver. 12. "Both young men and maidens."]-These should praise the Lord, the one for their strength, the other for their beauty; and both should "remember their Creator in the days of their youth," and fear, serve, and worship him; so they will praise and glorify him, as did Obadiah, Josiah, Timothy, and the four daughters of Philip the evangelist.

"Old men and children."]-The former have had a large experience of the providential goodness of God, and if good men, of the grace of God, and are under great obli gation to praise the Lord for all that he has done for them; for they have known him that is from the beginning, and have seen many of his wonderful works, which they should not forget to declare to their children to the honour and glory of God; and even out of the mouth of children, of babes and sucklings, who bave less knowledge, and less experience, God sometimes does ordain strength and perfect praise to himself: Psalm viii. 2. compared with Matt. xxi. 15, 16.

Ver. 13. "Let them praise the name of the Lord."]His nature and perfections, and celebrate the glory of them; and his wonderful works, and the blessings of his goodness, both of providence and grace; even all the above creatures and things, celestial and terrestrial, for the following reasons.

"For his name alone is excellent."]-The name of the Lord is himself, who is excellent in power, wisdom, goodness, truth, and faithfulness, and in all other perfections of his nature; his works by which he is known are excellent, both of nature and of grace, and proclaim his glory; his Son, in whom his name is, and by whom he has manifested himself, is excellent as the cedars; and so are all his preci ous names by which he is called; and such is the gospel, by which he is notified to the world: nay, the Lord's name is alone excellent; all creature excellencies are nothing in comparison of him, in heaven or in earth, those of angels and men; and therefore should be praised by all, and above all.

:

"His glory is above the earth and heaven."]-There is the glory of celestial and terrestrial bodies which differ; the glory of the sun, moon, and stars, and of one star from another; but the glory of the divine being, the Creator of them, infinitely exceeds the glory of them all his glorious majesty resides above heaven and earth; the heaven is the throne he sits upon, and the earth the footstool he stands on; and Christ, who is sometimes called his glory, and is the brightness of it, Psalm lxiii. 2. Heb. i. 3. is exalted above every name on earth, and is made higher than the heavens, and so is exalted above all blessing and praise; Psalm viii. 1. Neb. ix. 5.

Ver. 14. "He also exalteth the horn of his people."]Interpreters refer this to Christ, the horn of David, the horn of salvation, and the author of it, Psalm cxxxii. 17. Luke i. 69. who is King over his people, as a horn signifies; and is the strength, safety, and security of them; has gotten them the victory over all their enemies, and is now exalted in heaven at the right hand of God, and that for his people, as it may be rendered; he is both raised up and exalted for them.

"The praise of all his saints."]-That is, the Lord is the object of the praise of all his saints, to whom he has shewed favour and kindness, and on whom he has bestowed the blessings of his grace; it is matter of praise that they are saints, set apart by God the Father, sanctified by the blood of Christ, and by the Spirit of God; and that their horn is exalted, or they raised to dignity and honour; and that Christ is raised and lifted up as a horn for them, 1 Cor. i. 30, 31. Rev. i. 5, 6. Luke i. 68, 69.

"Even of the children of Israel."]-Not literal but spiritual Israel, such as are Israelites indeed, whether Jews or gentiles.

"A people near unto him."]-In respect of union, being one with him, in the bond of everlasting love; in respect of relation, being near akin, he their Father, they his children, not by creation only, but by adopting grace; and Christ is their near kinsman, nay, their brother, head, and husband; for there is a sweet nearness and oneness between Christ and his people, for they are his bone, his flesh, his spouse, his beloved, his delight; they are near his heart, they lie in the bosom of his love under all afflictions; and from this nearness and union all the vital springs of life and grace flow to their souls: they have access to

him with boldness and confidence, in respect of com munion and the enjoyment of his gracious presence; and in respect of inhabitation, Father, Son, and Spirit, dwelling in them, and making their abode with them. Or as it may be rendered, The people of his near one; that is, of Christ, who is near to God his Father, is one with him, was with him from everlasting, was as one brought up with him, yea, lay in his bosom, drew nigh to him as the surety of his people, and offered himself a sacrifice to him as their priest, and now is set down at his right hand as their King; and where he also appears for them, is their advocate, and ever lives to intercede for them.

PSALM CXLIX.

The foregoing Psalm was a hymn of praise to the Creator; this to the Re deemer: it is a Psalm of triumph in the God of Israel. Some can jecture that it was penned when David had taken the strong hold of Zion, and settled his government there: but it looks farther to the kingdom of the Messiah, who, in the chariot of the everlasting gospel, goes forth conquering and to couquer. To him, and his graces and glories, we must have an eye in singing this Psalm, which speaks, 1. Abundance of joy to all the people of God, and, 2. Prophetically of the great glory of the Messiah to be revealed.

VER. 2. "Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King."]-In Christ, the King of saints; that they have such a King over them, who is the greatest of kings, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; so righteous in the administration of his government, so wise in making laws for them, so powerful to protect and defend them, and who must reign till all enemies are put under his feet, even for ever. Every appearance of Christ's kingdom is matter of joy to his saints.

Ver. 4. "For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people."]-These are a special and peculiar people, whom he has foreknown and chosen, taken into the co

venant of grace, and provided in it blessings for them, whom he has given to Christ, and he has redeemed, and who are called by the Spirit and grace of God, whereby they appear to be his people. These the Lord loves with a love of complacency and delight; he takes pleasure in their persons, as considered in Christ, in whom they are accepted, clothed with his righteousness, and made comely through his comeliness, washed in his precious blood, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit: yea, he takes pleasure in their services done in faith, and from love.

Ver. 5. "Let the saints be joyful in glory."]In the glory put upon them now, being beautified with salvation; in the righteousness of Christ on them, and the grace of Christ in them, which makes them all glorious within; and in the glory they expect to have hereafter, both upon their bodies and souls, and in the hope of that, Rom. v. 2. Some copies render it, in his glory; in the glory of Christ, as a divine person and Mediator, seen now in the glass of the gospel, and will be the object of the beatific vision hereafter, and now is, and then will be, matter of joy unspeakable, 2 Cor. iii. 18. John xvii. 24. Or, gloriously, in a glorious manner, as saints do rejoice, when they ascribe all the glory of salvation to the free grace of God, and death of Christ, and rejoice on that account: saints have reason to rejoice, and indeed none but they; who being regenerated and sanctified, are meet for, and 'shall' partake of eternal glory.

Ver. 6. "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth."]-Or, throat; loudly declared by them. The word praises is not in the text, and so may be read, the high things of God, or the heights of God, as the Septuagint and these are the perfections of God; as his omniscience, which is knowledge too high for a creature to attain unto, and even to conceive of; his omnipotence, for high is his right hand; his omnipresence, this is higher than heaven, deeper than hell, its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea; his love, grace, and mercy, which are in the heavens; and his truth and faithfulness, which reach to the clouds; his eternity, immutability, and other attri butes; all which should be often talked of and celebrated also the high acts and works of God, those more inward and secret; as the thoughts of his heart,