John Trapp on Psalms 97

PSAL. XCVII.

VErſ. 1. The Lord reigneth] This is matter of greateſt joy to the Righteous. Gandeo quod Chriſtus Dominus eſt, al[illegible: 1 letter]oqui totus deſperaſſem, I am glad that Chriſt is Lord of all; for otherwiſe I ſhould utterly have been out of hope, ſaith Micon[illegible: 1 letter] us in an Epiſtle to Calvin, upon the view of the Churches enemies.

Let the multitude of Iſles be glad] As more happy herein than any of thoſe called the Fortunate Iſlands, Turk. Hiſt. or than Cyprus anciently called Macaria, that is, The bleſſed Iſle, for her abundance of commodities.

Verſ. 2. Clouds and darkneſſe are round about him] As once at the delivering of the Law; ſo now in the publiſhing Goſpel, he is no leſſe terrible, having vengeance in ſtore for the diſobedient, 2 Cor. 10.6. It is a ſavour of death to unbeleevers. Chriſt came to ſend fire on the earth, Luk. 12.49.

Righteouſneſſe and judgement, &c.] Mercy Chriſt hath for the penitent: judgement for the rebellious, who ſeek to dethrone him. Woe to thoſe Goſpel-ſinners.

Verſ. 3. A fire goeth before him] For even our God is a conſuming fire, Heb. 12.29. (and not the God of the Jews only) as ſhall well appear at the laſt day, 2 Theſ. 1.8. See the Note on verſe 2.

Verſ. 4. His Lightenings enlightened the World] His Apoſtles, thoſe fulmina Eccleſinſtica, ſhall ſpread Goſpel-light and amaze people; the Lord working with them, and confirming their word with ſignes following, Mar. 16.20.

Verſ. 5. The hills melted like wax] Nothing ſhall be ſo ſtout and ſteady as to be able to ſtand before them.

Before the Lord] Adon, Dominator, The Maker and Maſter of all, the rightfull Proprietary and Paramount. The Latine tranſlation hath it, All the earth is before the face of the Lord.

Verſ. 6. The Heavens declare his Righteouſneſſe] As ſo many Catholick Preachers, Pſal. 19.1. & 50.4.6. By Heavens ſome underſtand Angels, concurring with men to glorifie God. Others, the heavenly bodies pleading Gods cauſe againſt Atheiſts and Idolaters. They that worſhipped the Sun were Atheiſts by night; and they that worſhipped the Moon were Atheiſts by day, as Cyrill wittily.

Verſ. 7. Confounded be all they that ſerve graven images] Thoſe Inſtruments of Idolatry, and lurking-places of Devils, diabolicae inſpirationis & inſtine[illegible: 1 letter]us participes. Such and their Servants we may lawfully pray againſt.

That boaſt themſelves of Idols] As did that Idolatrous Micah, Judg. 17. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. Julian called therefore Idolian, the Papiſts at this day. See D. Rainolds de Idololatria Romana.

Worſhip him all ye Gods] i. e. All ye Angels, ſaith the Greek and Arabick; and the Apoſtle ſaith the ſame, Hob. 1.6. proving Chriſt to be God-man. This Pſalm ſaith Beza is highly to be prized of all Chriſts, as containing a moſt divine Epitome of all Goſpel-myſteries.

Verſ. 8. Sion heard and was glad] Heard what? the downfull of the Devills Kingdom, and the erecting of Chriſts ſcepter; this was good news to the Church, and her Children. Bern was the firſt Town that after the Reformation burnt their images. Zurich followed on an Aſhwenſday, which they obſerve and celebrate every year to this day, with all mirth, playes and paſtimes,Act. & Mon. as an Aſhwedneſday of Gods own making.

Verſ. 9. For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth] Declared now to be ſo with power, as Rom. 1.4. and the World convinced of ſingularr ſottiſhneſſe in fancying other divinities.

Thou art exalted far above all gods] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this World, but alſo in that which is to come, Epheſ. 1.21. Here then we have the ſuperexaltation of Chriſts perſon; and the Apoſtle manifeſtly alludeth to it, Epheſians 4.10. Phil. 2.9.

Verſ. 10. Ye that love the Lord] As having taſted of Chriſts ſweetneſſe, being juſtified by his merit, and ſanctified by his Spirit, 1 Pet. 2.4 1 Cor. 6.11. carried after him with ſtrength of Deſire, Pſal. 42.1. and Delight, Pſal. 73.25. Such as theſe only are Chriſts true ſubjects; others will pretend to him, but they are but Hangbies, unleſſe the love of Chriſt conſtrain them to hate evill, to hate it as Hell, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Rom. 12.9. Sin ſeemeth to have its name of Sana to hate (the word here uſed) becauſe it is moſt of all to be hated, as the greateſt evil; as that which ſetteth us furtheſt from God the greateſt good. This none can do but thoſe that love the Lord Chriſt in ſincerity; for all hatred comes from love. A naturall man may be angry with his ſin, as a man is ſometimes with his wife or friend for ſome preſent vexation; but hate it hee cannot; yea he may leave it (for the ill conſequents of ſin) but not loathe it. If he did, he would loathe all, as well as any; for hatred is ever againſt the whole kind of a thing, ſaith Ariſtole. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Rhetor. lib. 2[illegible: 1 letter]

Verſ. 11. Light is ſown for the Righteous] The Righteous is haeres cruc [illegible: 2 letters] the Heir of the Croſſe; and many are his troubles. A Child of light may walk in darkneſſe and have no light, Iſa 50.10. yet Chriſt will not leave him comfortleſſe, Joh. 14. Light is ſown for him; 'tis yet ſeeding-time, and that is uſually wet and dropping; and the ſeed muſt have a time to lye, and then to grow, ere a crop can be expected; there muſt be alſo weeding and clodding. &c. behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it. By ye alſo patient, ſtabliſh your hearts, &c. Jam. 5.7, 8. We look not to ſow and reap in a day, as He ſaith of the Hyperborean people far North, that they ſow ſhortly after the Sun-riſing with them, and reap before the Sun-ſer, ſo: becauſe the whole half year is one continuall day with them.Heresbach d[illegible: 1 letter] reruſt. Deliverance will come in Gods good time; and as before the morning-light is the thickeſt darkneſſe; as the ſeed that lyeth longeſt under ground, commeth up at length with greateſt increaſe, ſo here. Semen modicum, ſed me ſſis faecunda, ſaith Aben-Ezra on the Text.

And gladneſſe for the upright] This clauſe expoundeth the former.

Verſ. 12. Rejoyce in the Lord] See Pſal. 32. ult. with the Note.

At the remembrance of his holineſſe] That is, of himſelf; for whatſoever is in God is God; as alſo of his works and benefits, whereby he giveth you ſo good occaſion to remember him.