Expositions on the Book of Psalms (Coxe abridgment) — Historical footnotes

1. The inscription of this Psalm is, “To the end for the hidden things of the Son, a Psalm of David himself.” As to the hidden things of the Son there may be a question: but since he has not added whose, the very only-begotten Son of God should be understood. For where a Psalm has been inscribed of the son of David, “When,” he says, “he fled from the face of Absalom his son;” although his name even was mentioned, and therefore there could be no obscurity as to whom it was spoken of: yet it is not merely said, from the face of son Absalom; but “his” is added. But here both because “his” is not added, and much is said of the Gentiles, it cannot properly be taken of Absalom. For the war which that abandoned one waged with his father, no way relates to the Gentiles, since there the people of Israel only were divided against themselves. This Psalm is then sung for the hidden things of the only-begotten Son of God. For the Lord Himself too, when, without addition, He uses the word Son, would have Himself, the Only-begotten to be understood; as where He says, “If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed.” For He said not, the Son of God; but in saying merely, Son, He gives us to understand whose Son it is. Which form of expression nothing admits of, save His excellency of whom we so speak, that, though we name Him not, He can be understood. For so we say, it rains, clears up, thunders, and such like expressions; and we do not add who does it all; for that the excellency of the doer spontaneously presents itself to all men’s minds, and does not want words. What then are the hidden things of the Son? By which expression we must first understand that there are some things of the Son manifest, from which those are distinguished which are called hidden. Wherefore since we believe two advents of the Lord, one past, which the Jews understood not: the other future, which we both hope for; and since the one which the Jews understood not, profited the Gentiles; “For the hidden things of the Son” is not unsuitably understood to be spoken of this advent, in which “blindness in part is happened to Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might come in.”

1. The inscription of this Psalm is, “To the end for the hidden things of the Son, a Psalm of David himself.” As to the hidden things of the Son there may be a question: but since he has not added whose, the very only-begotten Son of God should be understood. For where a Psalm has been inscribed of the son of David, “When,” he says, “he fled from the face of Absalom his son;” although his name even was mentioned, and therefore there could be no obscurity as to whom it was spoken of: yet it is not merely said, from the face of son Absalom; but “his” is added. But here both because “his” is not added, and much is said of the Gentiles, it cannot properly be taken of Absalom. For the war which that abandoned one waged with his father, no way relates to the Gentiles, since there the people of Israel only were divided against themselves. This Psalm is then sung for the hidden things of the only-begotten Son of God. For the Lord Himself too, when, without addition, He uses the word Son, would have Himself, the Only-begotten to be understood; as where He says, “If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed.” For He said not, the Son of God; but in saying merely, Son, He gives us to understand whose Son it is. Which form of expression nothing admits of, save His excellency of whom we so speak, that, though we name Him not, He can be understood. For so we say, it rains, clears up, thunders, and such like expressions; and we do not add who does it all; for that the excellency of the doer spontaneously presents itself to all men’s minds, and does not want words. What then are the hidden things of the Son? By which expression we must first understand that there are some things of the Son manifest, from which those are distinguished which are called hidden. Wherefore since we believe two advents of the Lord, one past, which the Jews understood not: the other future, which we both hope for; and since the one which the Jews understood not, profited the Gentiles; “For the hidden things of the Son” is not unsuitably understood to be spoken of this advent, in which “blindness in part is happened to Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might come in.”

7. “Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly hath perished” (ver. 5). We take this to be more suitably said to the Lord Jesus Christ, than said by Him. For who else hath rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly perished, save He, who after that He ascended up into heaven, sent the Holy Ghost, that, filled by Him, the Apostles should preach the word of God with boldness, and freely reprove men’s sins? At which rebuke the ungodly perished; because the ungodly was justified and was made godly. “Thou hast effaced their name for the world, and for the world’s world. The name of the ungodly hath been effaced. For they are not called ungodly who believe in the true God. Now their name is effaced “for the world,” that is, as long as the course of the temporal world endures. “And for the world’s world.” What is “the world’s world,” but that whose image and shadow, as it were, this world possesses? For the change of seasons succeeding one another, whilst the moon is on the wane, and again on the increase, whilst the sun each year returns to his quarter, whilst spring, or summer, or autumn, or winter passes away only to return, is in some sort an imitation of eternity. But this world’s world is that which abides in immutable eternity. As a verse in the mind, and a verse in the voice, the former is understood, the latter heard; and the former fashions the latter; and hence the former works in art and abides, the latter sounds in the air and passes away. So the fashion of this changeable world is defined by that world unchangeable which is called the world’s world. And hence the one abides in the art, that is, in the Wisdom and Power of God: but the other is made to pass in the governance of creation. If after all it be not a repetition, so that after it was said “for the world,” lest it should be understood of this world that passeth away, it were added “for the world’s world.” For in the Greek copies it is thus, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος Which the Latins have for the most rendered, not, “for the world, and for the world’s world;” but, “for ever, and for the world’s world,” that in the words “for the world’s world,” the, words “for ever,” should be explained. “The name,” then, “of the ungodly Thou hast effaced for ever,” for from henceforth the ungodly shall never be. And if their name be not prolonged unto this world, much less unto the world’s world.

7. “Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly hath perished” (ver. 5). We take this to be more suitably said to the Lord Jesus Christ, than said by Him. For who else hath rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly perished, save He, who after that He ascended up into heaven, sent the Holy Ghost, that, filled by Him, the Apostles should preach the word of God with boldness, and freely reprove men’s sins? At which rebuke the ungodly perished; because the ungodly was justified and was made godly. “Thou hast effaced their name for the world, and for the world’s world. The name of the ungodly hath been effaced. For they are not called ungodly who believe in the true God. Now their name is effaced “for the world,” that is, as long as the course of the temporal world endures. “And for the world’s world.” What is “the world’s world,” but that whose image and shadow, as it were, this world possesses? For the change of seasons succeeding one another, whilst the moon is on the wane, and again on the increase, whilst the sun each year returns to his quarter, whilst spring, or summer, or autumn, or winter passes away only to return, is in some sort an imitation of eternity. But this world’s world is that which abides in immutable eternity. As a verse in the mind, and a verse in the voice, the former is understood, the latter heard; and the former fashions the latter; and hence the former works in art and abides, the latter sounds in the air and passes away. So the fashion of this changeable world is defined by that world unchangeable which is called the world’s world. And hence the one abides in the art, that is, in the Wisdom and Power of God: but the other is made to pass in the governance of creation. If after all it be not a repetition, so that after it was said “for the world,” lest it should be understood of this world that passeth away, it were added “for the world’s world.” For in the Greek copies it is thus, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος Which the Latins have for the most rendered, not, “for the world, and for the world’s world;” but, “for ever, and for the world’s world,” that in the words “for the world’s world,” the, words “for ever,” should be explained. “The name,” then, “of the ungodly Thou hast effaced for ever,” for from henceforth the ungodly shall never be. And if their name be not prolonged unto this world, much less unto the world’s world.

7. “Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly hath perished” (ver. 5). We take this to be more suitably said to the Lord Jesus Christ, than said by Him. For who else hath rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly perished, save He, who after that He ascended up into heaven, sent the Holy Ghost, that, filled by Him, the Apostles should preach the word of God with boldness, and freely reprove men’s sins? At which rebuke the ungodly perished; because the ungodly was justified and was made godly. “Thou hast effaced their name for the world, and for the world’s world. The name of the ungodly hath been effaced. For they are not called ungodly who believe in the true God. Now their name is effaced “for the world,” that is, as long as the course of the temporal world endures. “And for the world’s world.” What is “the world’s world,” but that whose image and shadow, as it were, this world possesses? For the change of seasons succeeding one another, whilst the moon is on the wane, and again on the increase, whilst the sun each year returns to his quarter, whilst spring, or summer, or autumn, or winter passes away only to return, is in some sort an imitation of eternity. But this world’s world is that which abides in immutable eternity. As a verse in the mind, and a verse in the voice, the former is understood, the latter heard; and the former fashions the latter; and hence the former works in art and abides, the latter sounds in the air and passes away. So the fashion of this changeable world is defined by that world unchangeable which is called the world’s world. And hence the one abides in the art, that is, in the Wisdom and Power of God: but the other is made to pass in the governance of creation. If after all it be not a repetition, so that after it was said “for the world,” lest it should be understood of this world that passeth away, it were added “for the world’s world.” For in the Greek copies it is thus, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος Which the Latins have for the most rendered, not, “for the world, and for the world’s world;” but, “for ever, and for the world’s world,” that in the words “for the world’s world,” the, words “for ever,” should be explained. “The name,” then, “of the ungodly Thou hast effaced for ever,” for from henceforth the ungodly shall never be. And if their name be not prolonged unto this world, much less unto the world’s world.

7. “Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly hath perished” (ver. 5). We take this to be more suitably said to the Lord Jesus Christ, than said by Him. For who else hath rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly perished, save He, who after that He ascended up into heaven, sent the Holy Ghost, that, filled by Him, the Apostles should preach the word of God with boldness, and freely reprove men’s sins? At which rebuke the ungodly perished; because the ungodly was justified and was made godly. “Thou hast effaced their name for the world, and for the world’s world. The name of the ungodly hath been effaced. For they are not called ungodly who believe in the true God. Now their name is effaced “for the world,” that is, as long as the course of the temporal world endures. “And for the world’s world.” What is “the world’s world,” but that whose image and shadow, as it were, this world possesses? For the change of seasons succeeding one another, whilst the moon is on the wane, and again on the increase, whilst the sun each year returns to his quarter, whilst spring, or summer, or autumn, or winter passes away only to return, is in some sort an imitation of eternity. But this world’s world is that which abides in immutable eternity. As a verse in the mind, and a verse in the voice, the former is understood, the latter heard; and the former fashions the latter; and hence the former works in art and abides, the latter sounds in the air and passes away. So the fashion of this changeable world is defined by that world unchangeable which is called the world’s world. And hence the one abides in the art, that is, in the Wisdom and Power of God: but the other is made to pass in the governance of creation. If after all it be not a repetition, so that after it was said “for the world,” lest it should be understood of this world that passeth away, it were added “for the world’s world.” For in the Greek copies it is thus, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος Which the Latins have for the most rendered, not, “for the world, and for the world’s world;” but, “for ever, and for the world’s world,” that in the words “for the world’s world,” the, words “for ever,” should be explained. “The name,” then, “of the ungodly Thou hast effaced for ever,” for from henceforth the ungodly shall never be. And if their name be not prolonged unto this world, much less unto the world’s world.

12. “Sing to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion” (ver. 11), is said to them, whom the Lord forsakes not as they seek Him. He dwelleth in Sion, which is interpreted watching, and which beareth the likeness of the Church that now is; as Jerusalem beareth the likeness of the Church that is to come, that is, the city of Saints already enjoying life angelical; for Jerusalem is by interpretation the vision of peace. Now watching goes before vision, as this Church goes before that one which is promised, the city immortal and eternal. But in time it goes before, not in dignity: because more honourable is that whither we are striving to arrive, than what we practise, that we may attain to arrive; now we practise watching, that we may arrive at vision. But again this same Church which now is, unless the Lord inhabit her, the most earnest watching might run into any sort of error. And to this Church it was said, “For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are:” again, “that Christ may dwell in the inner man in your hearts by faith.” It is enjoined us then, that we sing to the Lord who dwelleth in Sion, that with one accord we praise the Lord, the Inhabitant of the Church. “Show forth His wonders among the heathen.” It has both been done, and will not cease to be done.

20. And because it is believed that he is to arrive at so great a pitch of empty glory, and he will be permitted to do so great things, both against all men and against the Saints of God, that then some weak ones shall indeed think that God cares not for human affairs, the Psalmist interposing a diapsalma, adds as it were the voice of men groaning and asking why judgment is deferred.