Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 95:1-11

PSAL. XCV.

COme, let us shout joyfully to Iehovah, let us shout triumphantly to the Rocke of our salvation. Let us prevent his face with confession, with Psalmes let us shout triumphantly to him. For Iehovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In whose hand are the deepe places of the earth, and the strong heights of the mountaines are his. Whose the sea is, for he made it, and the dry land his hands have formed. Come, let us bow downe our selves, & bend downe: let us kneele before Iehovah our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and sheepe of his hand; to day if ye shall heare his voice: Harden not your heart, as in Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wildernesse. Where your fathers tempted me, proved me, also saw my worke.

Fortie yeeres I was irked with' that generation, and said, they are a people erring in hart, and they know not my waies. So that I sware in mine anger, if they shall enter into my rest.

Annotations. COme] or Goe to. The holy Ghost by David thus exhorteth Israel to laud the Lord, and obey his voice. For he penned this Psalme, Heb. 3. 7. and 4. 7. the Rocke] meaning Christ, as the Apostle sheweth, Heb. 3. 6, 7. the Greeke translateth it, God our Saviour. Vers. 2. prevent] come first, and speedily. Vers. 3. great God] or great Potentate, Ael. So Christ is also intituled, Tit. 2. 13. All Gods] Angels, Princes, or false gods, Psa. 8. 6. and 82. 6. and 96. 4, 5. Vers. 4. deepe places] or, deepe closets; Hebr. searchings, that is, deepe secret places for which search is made, Iob 28. 1, 2, &c. and which cannot by mans search be found, Iob 38. 4, 5, 6, 18. strong heights] or, wearisome heights, high mounts which weary men to climbe them: but the word hath also a signification of strong, and not being wearied, Numb. 23. 22. Vers. 7. of his hand] that is, of his guidance, Psal. 77. 21. See also Psal. 100. 3. to day] hereby is meant the whole time wherin Christ speaketh by his Gospell, Heb. 3. 7, 13, 15. and 4. 7, 8. Vers. 8. in Meribah] that is, in the Contention (or Provocation, as the Greeke turneth it.) The name of a place in the wildernesse, where Israel contended with Moses, and tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or no? because there was no water for the people to drinke. Therefore he called the place Massah (Tentation) and Meribah (Contention) Exod. 17. 1, 2,—7. Also another place, where againe they contended with Moses, & with the Lord, Num. 20. 1, 3, 13. day of Massah] that is, of Tentation: by day againe we may understand the whole space wherein they tempted God ten times, as is said, Num. 14. 22. (so the day of salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. is the time thereof.) Yet there was a speciall day and place of Tentation named Massah, Ex. 17. 2, 7. whereupon Moses warned the people, Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah, Deut. 6. 16. Vers. 9. tempted me] hereupon the Apostle saith, they tempted Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 9. my worke] that is, workes, Heb. 3. 9. both in miraculous mercies giving them bread from heaven, and waters out of the rockes, &c. Psal. 78. 15,—23, &c. and in punishments for their rebellions, Psal. 78. 31, 33, &c. Heb. 3. 17. For worke sometime signifieth reward, Psal. 109. 20. Iob 7. 2. Lev. 19. 13. Vers. 11. if they shall enter] that is, they shall not enter, Heb. 3. 11. 18. a part of the oath is not uttered; see Psal. 89. 36. This oath was made at Cadesh, where the people through unbeleese refused to enter the promised land, Num. 14. 21, 22, 23, 30, 32. Heb. 3. 17. 19. my rest] the land of Canaan, Deut. 12. 9. 1 Chron. 23. 25. a figure of a better rest which we that have beleeved the word doe enter into, Heb. 4. 3. for if that land (wherein now they were) had beene their rest, David would not have spoken of another; there remaineth therfore a Rest for the people of God; let us studie to enter into it, Heb. 4. 8, 9, 11.