Called — All the inhabitants of the earth, from one end to the other: whom he here summons to be witnesses of his proceedings in this solemn judgment, between him and his people, which is here poetically represented. For here is a tribunal erected, the judge coming to it, the witnesses and delinquen... [ Continue Reading ]
Zion — The place where he was supposed to reside, and where he would now sit in judgment. The perfection — The most amiable place of the whole world, because, of the presence and worship, and blessing of God. Shined — Hath manifested himself in a glorious manner.... [ Continue Reading ]
Our God — The prophet speaks this in the persons of the worshippers of God. Though he be our God, yet he will come to execute judgment upon us. Cease — Or delay to sit in judgment. Tempestuous — This is a farther description of that terrible majesty, wherewith God would clothe himself when he came t... [ Continue Reading ]
Call — To the inhabitants of them, all angels and men, whom he calls in for witnesses of the equity of his proceedings.... [ Continue Reading ]
Gather — O ye angels, summon and fetch them to my tribunal. Which is poetically spoken, to continue the metaphor, and representation of the judgment. My saints — The Israelites, whom God had chosen and separated them from all the nations of the earth, to be an holy and peculiar people to himself, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Declare — God will convince the people of his righteousness, and of their own wickedness, by thunders and lightnings, and storms, or other dreadful signs wrought by him in the heavens. Himself — In his own person. God will not now reprove them, by his priests or prophets, but in an extraordinary man... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear — Having brought in God, as coming to judgment, he now gives an account of the process and sentence of the judge. Testify — I will declare my charge against thee. Thy God — Not only in general, but in a special manner, by that solemn covenant made at Sinai; whereby I avouched thee to be my pecu... [ Continue Reading ]
I will not — This is not the principal matter of my charge, that thou hast neglected sacrifices which thou shouldst have offered.... [ Continue Reading ]
Bullock — Be not so foolish, as to imagine that thou dost lay any obligations upon me by thy sacrifices.... [ Continue Reading ]
The fowls — Such as are wild and fly up and down upon mountains.... [ Continue Reading ]
Offer — If thou wouldest know what sacrifices I prize, and indispensably require, in the first place, it is that of thankfulness, proportionable to my great and numberless favours; which doth not consist barely in verbal acknowledgments, but proceeds from an heart deeply affected with God's mercies,... [ Continue Reading ]
Call — And make conscience of that great duty of fervent prayer, which is an acknowledgment of thy subjection to me, and of thy trust and dependance upon me. Glorify — Thou shalt have occasion to glorify me for thy deliverance.... [ Continue Reading ]
But — With what confidence darest thou make mention of my grace and favour, in giving thee such a covenant and statutes.... [ Continue Reading ]
Kept silence — I did not express my displeasure against thee in such judgments as thou didst deserve. Thoughtest — Thou didst misconstrue my patience and long — suffering, as if it had proceeded from my approbation of thy evil courses. Set in order — I will bring to thy remembrance, and lay upon thy... [ Continue Reading ]
Glorifieth — He and he only gives me the honour that I require, and not he who loads my altar with sacrifices.... [ Continue Reading ]