Sermon VI.1
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.
“My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer,” etc. — Ps. xlv. 1–3.
The whole Book of Psalms hath a peculiar respect unto Jesus Christ, either directly or in the person of David, who was his greatest personal type, next to Aaron and Melchizedeck; but there are some psalms that are altogether directly prophetical of him and of his offices, — namely, the 2nd psalm is prophetical of his kingdom; the 16th psalm, of the work of his mediation and obedience to God therein; the 22d, of his priestly office, his sufferings, death, his resurrection, and intercession; the 40th, of his oblation and suffering; the 72d, of his kingly and prophetical power and glorious regard unto his people; the 68th, of his glorious exaltation; and this 45th psalm is a prophecy and description of his person, and his kingly office, and of the espousals of him and his church.
The title of the psalm is, “To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.”
“To the chief musician;” so לַמְנַצֵּחַ is generally rendered, — “To him that excels.” As נָצָח signifies eternal, I have sometimes thought it might be as well rendered, “In perpetuam rei memoriam;” — “For an everlasting remembrance.” But we may take it in the common acceptation, — that it was recommended unto him that did preside over the rest of the Levites in the worship of God in the temple, by singing on instruments of music.
“Upon Shoshannim.” The word signifies lilies; whether it was a musical instrument or a certain tune, we know not, neither do the Jews.
“For the sons of Korah.” Who these were we may see, 1 Chron. ix. 19, “The Korahites were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle,” etc. What were they else? Verse 33, “These are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free;” for they were employed in the work of singing the praises of God with instruments of music day and night.
David was the first who brought musical instruments into the solemn worship of God; not but that they did occasionally make use of timbrels and cymbals in the praises of God before, but he was the first that brought in a great number of musical instruments into the worship of God. And he speaks expressly, in 1 Chron. xxiii. 5, of praising God with instruments of music, “which,” says he, “I made.” He did it by the direction of the Spirit of God; otherwise he ought not to have done it: for so it is said, 1 Chron. xxviii. 12, when he had established all the ordinances of the temple, — the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit. And verse 19, “All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.” It was all revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, without which he could have introduced nothing at all into the worship of God. The Lord prepared him for this service while he was a shepherd; at which time he had attained great skill in singing on musical instruments.
And I cannot but observe, by the way, that it is a great mercy when God will engage the natural faculties and abilities of men, especially wherein they are excellent, in any way of his service. David had got an excellency in this faculty, and God engages it in his service. And those that had skill therein, and were not so engaged, are condemned in the prophet Amos, chap. vi. 5. What were they condemned for? Why, that they would invent instruments of music like David. David did it to serve the Lord; and they did it to serve their lusts. Where men have any peculiar faculty or ability, it is an unspeakable mercy to have it engaged for God; for otherwise it will certainly be engaged for the devil: and, to render the mercy more singular, I think it is evident the devil hath got the use and advantage of natural faculties and abilities above what is given up to God.
Again: this was David’s special inclination; whence he is called “The sweet psalmist of Israel.” The edge of his spirit lay to it. And we may observe, that it is an excellent mercy when the edge of our spirits, in special inclination, is engaged for the service of God. Prov. xxvii. 17, as “iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Every man hath an edge; and there are several ways whereby it is sharpened. There is no man but cuts one way or other; and company and society is the great means whereby the edge is sharpened. One cuts to the world, another to pleasures, to lusts; and such company makes him more sharp. It is well when the edge of a man’s spirit is set for the things of God, and he has some to sharpen that edge; for that way that a man’s edge is set, that way is he. He may do something in the worship of God; but if his edge be to the world, that way is he; and if his edge be to lust and pleasure, that way is he. Now, here was David; the special inclination and edge of his spirit was set towards God, and so was employed of God.