The foregoing psalm was
very plain and easy, but in this are things dark and hard to be understood.
It is an encomium of Zion, as a type and figure of the gospel-church,
to which what is here spoken is very applicable. Zion, for the temple's sake, is here preferred,
I. Before the rest of the land
of Canaan, as being crowned with special tokens of
God's favour, ver. 1-3. II. Before any other place or country whatsoever, as
being replenished with more eminent men and with a greater plenty of divine
blessings, ver. 4-7. Some think it was penned to express the joy of God's
people when Zion
was in a flourishing state; others think it
was penned to encourage their faith and hope when Zion
was in ruins and was to be rebuilt after the
captivity. Though no man cared for her (Jer. xxx. 17, "This is Zion
whom no man seeketh after"), yet God had done great things for her, and
spoken glorious things of her, which should all have their perfection and
accomplishment in the gospel-church; to that therefore we must have an eye
in singing this psalm.
A psalm or song for the sons of Korah.
1
His foundation is in the holy mountains. 2 The LORD
loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
Some make the first words
of the psalm to be part of the title; it is a psalm or song whose subject is
the holy mountains--the temple built in Zion upon Mount Moriah. This is the
foundation of the argument, or beginning of the psalm. Or we may suppose the
psalmist had now the tabernacle or temple in view and was contemplating the
glories of it, and at length he breaks out into this expression, which has
reference, though not to what he had written before, yet to what he had
thought of; every one knew what he meant when he said thus abruptly, Its
foundation is in the holy mountains. Three things are here observed, in
praise of the temple:-- 1. That it was founded on the holy mountains, v.
1. The church has a foundation, so that it cannot sink or totter; Christ
himself is the foundation of it, which God has laid. The Jerusalem above is
a city that has foundations. The foundation is upon the mountains. It is
built high; the mountain of the Lord's house is established upon the top
of the mountains, Isa. ii. 2. It is built firmly; the mountains are
rocky, and on a rock the church is built. The world is founded upon the seas
(Ps. xxiv. 2), which are continually ebbing and flowing, and are a very weak
foundation; Babel was built in a plain, where the ground was rotten. But the
church is built upon the everlasting mountains and the perpetual hills; for
sooner shall the mountains depart, and the hills be removed, than the
covenant of God's peace shall be disannulled, and on that the church is
built, Isa. lxiv. 10. The foundation is upon the holy mountains. Holiness is
the strength and stability of the church: it is this that will support it
and keep it from sinking; not so much that it is built upon mountains as
that it is built upon holy mountains--upon the promise of God, for the
confirming of which he has sworn by his holiness, upon the sanctification of
the Spirit, which will secure the happiness of all the saints. 2. That God
had expressed a particular affection for it (v. 2): The Lord
loveth the gates of Zion, of the temple, of the houses of doctrine
(so the Chaldee), more than all the dwellings of Jacob, whether in
Jerusalem or any where else in the country. God had said concerning Zion, This
is my rest for ever; here will I dwell. There he met his people, and
conversed with them, received their homage, and showed them the tokens of
his favour, and therefore we may conclude how well he loves those gates.
Note, (1.) God has a love for the dwellings of Jacob, has a gracious regard
to religious families and accepts their family-worship. (2.) Yet he loves
the gates of Zion better, not only better than any, but better than all, of
the dwellings of Jacob. God was worshipped in the dwellings of Jacob, and
family-worship is family-duty, which must by no means be neglected; yet,
when they come in competition, public worship (cæteris paribus--other
things being equal) is to be preferred before private. 3. That there was
much said concerning it in the word of God (v. 3): Glorious things
are spoken of thee, O city of God! We are to judge of things and persons
by the figure they make and the estimate put upon them in and by the
scripture. Many base things were spoken of the city of God by the enemies of
it, to render it mean and odious; but by him whose judgment we are sure is
according to truth glorious things are spoken of it. God said of the temple,
My eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually; I have sanctified this
house, that my name may be there for ever, 2 Chron. vii. 16. Beautiful
for situation is Mount Zion, Ps. xlviii. 2. These are glorious things.
Yet more glorious things are spoken of the gospel-church. It is the spouse
of Christ, the purchase of his blood; it is a peculiar people, a holy
nation, a royal priesthood, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. Let us not be ashamed of the church of Christ in its meanest
condition, nor of any that belong to it, nor disown our relation to it,
though it be turned ever so much to our reproach, since such glorious things
are spoken of it, and not on iota or tittle of what is said shall fall to
the ground.
4
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold
Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the
highest himself shall establish her. 6 The LORD
shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was
born there. Selah. 7 As well the singers as the players on
instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.
Zion is here compared with
other places, and preferred before them; the church of Christ is more
glorious and excellent than the nations of the earth. 1. It is owned that
other places have their glories (v. 4): "I will make mention
of Rahab" (that is, Egypt) "and Babylon, to those that know
me and are about me, and with whom I discourse about public affairs; behold
Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia" (or rather Arabia), "we
will observe that this man was born there; here and there one famous
man, eminent for knowledge and virtue, may be produced, that was a native of
these countries; here and there one that becomes a proselyte and worshipper
of the true God." But some give another sense of it, supposing that it
is a prophecy or promise of bringing the Gentiles into the church and of
uniting them in one body with the Jews. God says, "I will reckon
Egypt and Babylon with those that know me. I will reckon them my people
as much as Israel when they shall receive the gospel of Christ, and own them
as born in Zion, born again there, and admitted to the privileges of Zion as
freely as a true-born Israelite." Those that were strangers and
foreigners became fellow-citizens with the saints, Eph. ii. 19. A
Gentile convert shall stand upon a level with a native Jew; compare Isa. xix.
23-25. The Lord shall say, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the
work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance. 2. It is proved that the
glory of Zion outshines them all, upon many accounts; for, (1.) Zion shall
produce many great and good men that shall be famous in their generation, v.
5. Of Zion it shall be said by all her neighbours that this and that man
were born in her, many men of renown for wisdom and piety, and
especially for acquaintance with the words of God and the visions of the
Almighty--many prophets and kings, who should be greater favourites of
heaven, and greater blessings to the earth, than ever were bred in Egypt or
Babylon. The worthies of the church far exceed those of heathen nations, and
their names will shine brighter than in perpetual records. A man, a man
was born in her, by which some understand Christ, that man, that son of
man, who is fairer than the children of men; he was born at Bethlehem near
Zion, and was the glory of his people Israel. The greatest honour that ever
was put upon the Jewish nation was, that of them, as concerning the
flesh, Christ came, Rom. ix. 5. Or this also may be applied to the
conversion of the Gentiles. Of Zion it shall be said that the law which went
forth out of Zion, the gospel of Christ, shall be an instrument to beget
many souls to God, and the Jerusalem that is from above shall be
acknowledged the mother of them all. (2.) Zion's interest shall be
strengthened and settled by an almighty power. The Highest himself shall
undertake to establish her, who can do it effectually; the accession
of proselytes out of various nations shall be so far from occasioning
discord and division that it shall contribute greatly to Zion's strength;
for, God himself having founded her upon an everlasting foundation, whatever
convulsions and revolutions there are of states and kingdoms, and however
heaven and earth may be shaken, these are things which cannot be shaken, but
must remain. (3.) Zion's sons shall be registered with honour (v. 6):
"The Lord shall count, when he writes up the people, and takes a
catalogue of his subjects, that this man was born there, and so is a
subject by birth, by the first birth, being born in his house--by the second
birth, being born again of his Spirit." When God comes to reckon with
the children of men, that he may render to every man according to his works,
he will observe who was born in Zion, and consequently enjoyed the
privileges of God's sanctuary, to whom pertained the adoption, and the
glory, and the covenants, and the service of God, Rom. ix. 4; iii. 1, 2. For
to them much was given, and therefore of them much will be required, and the
account will be accordingly; five talents must be improved by those that
were entrusted with five. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest,
and where thou was born. Selah. Let those that dwell in Zion mark
this, and live up to their profession. (4.) Zion's songs shall be sung
with joy and triumph: As well the singers as the players on instruments
shall be there to praise God, v. 7. It was much to the honour of
Zion, and is to the honour of the gospel-church, that there God is served
and worshipped with rejoicing: his work is done, and done cheerfully; see
Ps. lxviii. 25. All my springs are in thee, O Zion! So God says; he
has deposited treasures of grace in his holy ordinances; there are the
springs from which those streams take rise which make glad the city of
our God, Ps. xlvi. 4. So the psalmist says, reckoning the springs from
which his dry soul must be watered to lie in the sanctuary, in the word and
ordinances, and in the communion of saints. The springs of the joy of a
carnal worldling lie in wealth and pleasure; but the springs of the joy of a
gracious soul lie in the word of God and prayer. Christ is the true temple;
all our springs are in him, and from him all our streams flow. It pleased
the Father, and all believers are well pleased with it too, that
in him should all fulness dwell.
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