Military Duties

It is written in PSAL. CXLIV. I. Blessed be the Lord my strength, who teacheth my Hands to war, and my Fingers to fight.

THat elegant Resemblance of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the close of His last Letter from Heaven to the Church on Earth, Rev. 22.2. A tree of Life which bears twelve manner (a blessed variety) of Fruits, the leaves whereof also are for the healing of the Nations, hath been sometimes not unfitly apply'd unto the Scriptures, those precious Leaves of the Bible, which testify of Him. p. 2There is in these Oracles of God, a delicious Entertainment for the innumerable sorts of Readers to whom these presents come; and the Benefit of the Souldier particularly is not left unconsulted in them. The blessed Suitableness of this miraculous Book unto the Affayrs and Concerns of all men, is, to be found (as the Philosopher saith, of the Soul in the Body) in every part thereof; but the Book of Psalms (a Little Bible, as Luther styl'd it) in peculiarwise, is so remarkable on this score, that it was no imprudence in old Jerom to bid his Friend make This his Vade mecum, his constant Companion, it was no folly in the holy Minister of Constantinople being driven out of that City, to take no part of his Treasures but This, which was unto him pro et prae Divitiis, instead of and better than all the Riches of the World; the renouned Basil therefore very rightly recommended it as A Divine Treasure, and the eloquent Chrysostom no less appositely reputed it as, a Panoply for the Christian. From this Panoply, from this well-furnished Armory, give me leave to offer something for the Use of this Armed, and much honoured Auditory. For this cause the name which the Holy Spirit in a certain place (in Col 3.16.) putteth upon these Psalms is that of spiritual Songs; p. 3partly because the Spirits of men are most singularly suited therein: every man may conceive, as Athanasius long ago observed, That they speak de se, in re sua, to his own case directly. Tis to be hoped that the Spirit of the Souldier especially will anon herein meet with what shall not be impertinent unto him.

p. 3That inspired person, whoever he were, that marshalled the Psalms into the Method wherein we now enjoy them, seems to have had some respect unto the Affinity of Subjects therein handled, in his doing of it. Hence this Hundred-and-forty-fourth Psalm, with the rest unto the end of our Psalter, is employ'd in that business which we expect at the end of our pilgrimage to be put upon; even The magnifying of the LORD JEHOVAH. The Penman of this Composure, is by the Title of it, determined to be David, the sweet singer of Israel. Indeed some passages of it are by Him again repeated in both h◊s first and his second Edition of the Eightee◊◊◊ Psalm; and if the Primitive Christians in th◊ir Pub◊ique Worship, are reported to have had no ◊ommon satisfaction when they heard A◊◊quid ◊◊vidi◊um, any thing of David, sounded among them, tis p. 4to be suppos'd, that we shall not therein come behind them. But the Occasion of the Composure is to be variously guessed at, as an unwritten thing. Those whom we (upon uncertain grounds) reckon the Seventy Greek Translators, or rather Interpreters of the Old Testament, have so inscribed it, A Psalm of David against Goliah; so the Ethiopi◊ likewise, and so the Vulgar Latin. And perhaps David's victory over Goliah, may be one thing referr'd unto in this Song of Zion. I find a Jewish Commentary particularly favouring such a Sentiment. But good old Hilary for one, justly and honestly declames against the foisting in of this clause, where it should not be. Thus much then is all the Conjecture for which we have room left unto us: We may apprehend that the amiable David was now arrived thro an Iliad of Mischiefs and whole Seas of Difficulties, unto a Settlement in his Kingdom over Israel; and that hereupon he now presents unto the Lord, both his Praises for the Vanquishent of the Enemies who had hitherto disquieted him, and his Prayers for the Continuance of his Tranquillity, maugre all future Opposition.

The Rapturous Thanksgivings of the PsalPsalmist p. 5begin as soon as was possible; even at the verse now before us. The gracious Saint is here uttering of his Wishes that the great GOD may forever be well-spoken of by all the world, and this on a double account. Something God hath been to him, and something God had done for him.

p. 5Firstly, For Something that God was to him. He ascribes to the Lord that Title, my Strength, or (Heb. Tzuri) my Rock. q. d.

Th◊ Almighty God has afforded a better Defence to me in all dangers than the ragged Rocks and Caves and Thickets did unto my poor Countrey men, before I by slaying the tall Pagan occasion'd the Routing of the Philistines, who had driven them thereinto.

Nextly, For something that God did for him. He celebrates this Kindness of God unto him, He ◊eaches my hands to war and my fingers to Fight. i. e.

The good God enables me to go through the Military Performances which I am put upon. These Hands of mine that were once wont to hold the Shepherds Crook, and these Fingerr of mine which were wont to solace me with their soft Notes upon my Harp, are now expert in p. 6those Martial 〈…〉 which God hath bin my Teacher in.

There is a divine Teaching herein acknowledged, and the Twofold Subject of it is taken notice of. The Good man first declares the Subject which received this Teaching: This was his Hands & his Fingers. These are by a Synecdoche put for not only all the Members of his body, but also all the Powers of his mind. These may be singled out, because there is a special Vse of these parts in all warly Encounters. There was so particularly, first in Choosing and then in Casting the Stone which laid the Philistean Champion sprawling on the ground. In the Hands also Strength is seated, and Skill is shewed by the Fingers. So both of those Qualifications may herein be glanced at. The good Soul next declares the Subject which this Teaching was Occupy'd about: This was Warring and Fighting. The former Expression [Lakrob] comes from a Root that signifies to Draw near; the Latter [Lammilchama] comes from a Root that signifies to Eat up; because in Warly Engagements, persons first Approach and then Devour one another.