1. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions: Ifrael befeecheth Jehovah to be mindful of those forrows and sufferings, which had been undergone by his fervant David, ere he attained to the throne, and established the ancient church in the beauty of holinefs. That God would "remember" the far greater "afflictions" fuftained for our fake by Meffiah in the days of his humiliation, when through much tribulation he accomplished our redemption, and entered in his glory, is the petition preferred, in these words, by us Chriftians.

2. How he fware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty GoD of Jacob; 3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my houfe, nor go up into my bed; 4. I will not give fleep to mine eyes, or flumber to mine eyelids, 5. Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

In all circumstances and fituations, David was folicitous for the tabernacle and fervice of God. Of the oath and vow here mentioned we have, indeed, no account in the facred hiftory; but we read, 2 Sam. vii. 2. of the uneafinefs which he expreffed to Nathan the prophet, at the thought of his dwelling in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God dwelt only within the curtains of a tent, Nay, we find by 1 Chron. xvi. 43. that he did not bless, and confequently, did not inhabit his own house, until he had brought the ark to Zion, where the temple was afterwards erected. He could take neither pleasure nor reft, until a place was prepared for the refidence of Jehovah in the midst of his people; and from thenceforth he gave himself, with unwearied diligence, to lay in a plen

tiful store of the most coftly materials, filver, gold, and precious stones, which were employed by his fon and fucceffor Solomon, in conftructing the magnificent and myftic edifice. Thus, in the covenant of grace, did the Son of God engage not to take poffeffion of his heavenly palace, nor to enter into his eternal reft, until he had prepared upon the earth a place for the refidence of the Lord; a building framed of materials more precious than gold and filver, more bright and beautiful than rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. All this was planned and executed by one and the fame perfon, who first suffered in meekness and patience like David, then reigned in glory and peace, like Solomon. The believer should spare no pains, no time, no thought, to find out and prepare in his heart an habitation for the God of Jacob, fince our Lord hath gracioufly vouchfafed to make this general promise to us all, " If a man love me, my "Father will love him, and we will come unto him, "and make our abode with him." John xiv. 23.

6. Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.

In other words, as Bishop Patrick hath paraphrased this verfe," And now, behold, the Lord himself, to "our great joy, hath told us the very place where " he will fix his habitation, 1 Chron. xxi. 18. 26. in "the territory of Bethlehem Ephrata *, Gen. xxxv.

13, 19. in the fields of that forest, where the angel

Jerufalem, as Mr. Merrick obferves from Geierus, being fituated not far from Bethlehem, might be comprehended in the region of Ephrata; or nnл may be rendered "near "Ephrata."

"ftood,

"ftood and directed David to build an altar to "the Lord." I Chron. xxi. 18. xxii. 1. Bethlehem Ephratah was the city of David; it was likewife the city wherein the Son of David was born, as the prophet Micah had foretold. "And thou Bethlehem "in the land of Judah, art not the leaft among the "cities of Judah, for out of thee fhall come a Governor, that fall rule my people Ifrael." Micah v. 2. cited by the chief priests and scribes to Herod, Matt. ii. 6. Chriftians, as well as Jews, may therefore fay, and upon the festival of Chrift's nativity, ufing this Pfalm, they do fay, "Lo, we heard of it "at Ephratah" for there the angel first proclaimed the news of the incarnation to the fhepherds: "Be

hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which "shall be to all people; for unto you is born this "day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is 66 Chrift, the Lord." Luke ii. 10. there was" found" the true tabernacle and temple "not made with "hands, the place for Jehovah, the habitation for "the mighty God of Jacob."

7. We will go into his tabernacles: we will wor fhip at his footftool.

If this were the refolution of Ifraelites, who faw the incarnation only in type and figure, how much more ought it to be ours, who live fince the accomplishment of that which was forefhewn; fince the Word, made flesh, hath dwelt upon the earth, and the church hath been erected among the nations? If they worshipped the God of Ifrael, who then dwelt in the holy of holies between the cherubim, fhall not we worship the fame divine perfon, who, though ascended VOL. II. Ff

up

up on high above all heavens, yet hath affured us, that where two or three are gathered together in his name, there is he in the midst of them?

8. Arife, O LORD, into thy reft, thou, and the ark of thy ftrength.

When the ark marched before the children of Ifrael to find out a refting place, it is recorded, Numb. x. 36. that Mofes faid, "Rife up, Jehovah, "and let thine enemies be fcattered, and let them "that hate thee, flee before thee. And when it reft"ed, he faid, Return, or Bring back the many "thousands of Ifrael." The verse before us was used, with the two fucceeding verses, by Solomon, as the conclufion of his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 2 Chron. vi. 41. The purport of the petition, therefore, was, that the prefence of Jehovah might reft upon Zion, and dwell in the house prepared for it, as the fame prefence hath fince dwelt in Christ, and is to be with the Chriftian church to the end of the world.

9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy faints fhout for joy.

The ark being placed in the temple, prayer is next made for the minifters of religion, that they might, through grace, be invefted with righteousness as with a garment, and be both covered and adorned with a robe of inviolable fanctity; that fpiritual joy might fill their hearts, and break forth in fongs of praise to the Lord God of Ifrael. Let not thofe, who have obtained the evangelical priesthood, be exceeded, by the fons of Levi, in holiness and alacrity.

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10. For thy fervant David's fake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

Solomon befeecheth God, for the fake of his favourite fervant David, and the promises made to him and his feed, that he would not deny the request of David's fon, now" anointed" to be king over Ifrael, and, by fo doing, confound, put him to shame, or

turn away his face." That this is the meaning of the phrafe, is plain from 1 Kings ii. 16. where Adonijah says to Bathfheba, "And now I ask "one petition of thee, deny me not ;" in the Hebrew, "turn not away my face." A Chriftian afketh nothing but in the name, and for the fake of the Son of David, Jefus Christ our Lord, in whom all the promises are yea and Amen, and in whom whofoever believeth fhall never be confounded, or denied that which it is really good and profitable for him to receive.

11. The LORD hath fworn in truth unto David ; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I fet upon thy throne.

That this is a prophecy of Meffiah, we have the authority of St. Peter to fay; Acts ii. 30. "David,

being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn "with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, "according to the flesh, he would raise up CHRIST

to fit on his throne;" &c. This promise to David occurs, 2 Sam. vii. 12. and hath a twofold sense, relating to Solomon in type and shadow, to Christ in truth and fubftance. See more on Pf. lxxxix. 3, 4. 12. If thy children will keep my covenant and my