John Trapp on Psalms 45:1

PSAL. XLV.

UPon Shoſhannim] The name of an Inſtrument with ſix ſtrings, faith Kimchi. Or,Cant. 2.1, 2. Steph, de urb. concerning the Lillies, that is, the Meſſiah and his people, faith Kabuenaki. The City Shuſan had its name from Lillies there plentifully growing; as Rhodos from Roſes, Florence from flowers, &c.

Maſchil] It is not ſaid (as elſewhere) of David; and yet ſome will have him to have been the penman; others, Salomon; epitomizing his book of Canticles; with which indeed it is of the ſelf-ſame argument, viz.

Aſong of loves] An Epithalamium or nuptiall verſe, made at the marriage of Solomon and the Shulamite. As for Pharaohs Daughter, diverſe good Divines are of opinion, that neither here, nor in the Canticles any reſpect is had, or alluſion made to that match of Salomon with her, ſo expreſly condemned by the Holy Ghoſt, 1 King. 11. ut perabſurdum mihi videatur, illud matrimonium exiſtimare fuiſſe tante rei typum, faith learned Beza. Ainſworth rendreth it, A ſong of the well-beloved Virgins, friends of the Bridegroom and Bride, verſ. 9.14. to ſet forth Chriſt in his glory, and his Church in her beauty. So when Hieron had freed the Locrians from the tyranny of Anaxilas and Cleophron, the Virgins ſang his praiſe, as is to be read in Pindarus his Odes; which Politian preferred before Davids Pſalmes, auſu nefario, Pind. Pi. 2. like an Atheiſt as he was.

Verſ. 1.Exordium ut vocant floridum. My heart is enditing a good matter] Heb. Fryeth, ſicut qua in ſartagine friguntur, as things are fryed in a frying-pan, Levit. 7.9. The Prophet, being to ſing of ſuch a ſublime ſubject, would not utter any thing but what he had duly diſgeſted, throughly thought upon, and was deeply affected with. What an high pitch flieth St. Paul, whenever he ſpeaketh concerning Chriſt? See Epheſ. 1.6. & 2.4, 7. & 3.19. The like is reported of Origen, Nuſquam non ardet, faith Eraſmus; ſed nuſquam eſt ardentior quam ubi Chriſti ſermones actuſ que tractet; that he was ever earneſt;Praefat. ad Origen. opera. but moſt of all, when he diſcourſed of Chriſt. Of Johannes Mollias a Bononian it is ſaid,Act. & Mon. ſol. 855. that whenſoever he ſpake of Jeſus Chriſt, his eyes dropped; for hee was fraught with a mighty fervency of Gods holy Spirit; and like the Baptiſt, he was firſt a burning (boyling or bubling) and then a ſhining light. Ardor mentis eſt lux Doctrinae.

I speak of the things which I have made touching the King] Or, I will ſpeak in my works, that is in this Pſalm, concerning the King, viz. Salomon, and Him that is greater than Salomon in all his glory, Chriſt the King of the Church. Works he calleth this Poem, not for the greatneſſe, but for the exquiſiteneſſe thereof; it being breve & longum plane que aureum; utpote in quo univerſa pane ſalutis noſtrae myſteria continentur, as containing almoſt all the myſteries of mans ſalvation.

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer] i. e. I will roudly and readily relate what I have ſo well ruminated; and dexterouſly deliver my moſt mature meditations concerning the myſtical marriage of Chriſt and his Church. This is a good preſident for Preachers. Demoſthenes would have ſuch a one branded for a pernicious man to the Common-wealth, who durſt propoſe any thing publickly, which hee had not before-hand ſeriouſly pondered. And Ariſtides being preſſed to ſpeak to ſomething propounded ex tempore, anſwered; propound to day, and I will anſwer to morrow; for we are not of thoſe that ſpit or ſpue up things, &c.