1.

I have not thought that the CVIII^th Psalm required an exposition; since I have already expounded it in the LVII^th Psalm, ¹ and in the LX^th, of the last divisions of which this Psalm consisteth. For the last part of the LVII^th is the first of this, as far as the verse, "Thy glory is above all the earth." Henceforth to the end, is the last part of the LX^th: as the last part of the CXXXV^th is the same as that of the CXV^th, ² from the verse, "The images of the heathen are but gold and silver:" as the XIV^th³ and LIII^d, ³ with a few alterations in the middle, have everything the same from the beginning to the end. Whatever slight differences therefore occur in this CVIII^th Psalm, compared with those two, of parts of which it is composed, are easy to understand; just as we find in the LVII^th, ⁴ "I will sing and give praise; awake, O my glory:" here," I will sing and give praise, with my glory." ⁵ Awake, is said there, that he may sing and give praise therewith. Also, there, "Thy mercy is great" (or, as some translate, "is lifted up") "unto the heavens;" ⁶ but here, "Thy mercy is great above the heavens." ⁷ For it is great unto the heavens, that it may be great in the heavens; and this is what he wished to express by "above the heavens." Also in the LX^th, "I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem:" ⁸ here "I will be exalted, and will divide Shechem." ⁹ Where is shown what is signified in the division of Shechem, which it was prophesied should happen after the Lord's exaltation, and that this joy doth refer to that exaltation; so that He rejoiceth, because He is exalted. Whence he elsewhere saith, "Thou hast turned my heaviness into joy; Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness." ¹⁰ Also there "Ephraim, the strength of my head:" ¹¹ but here, "Ephraim the taking up of my head." ¹² But strength cometh from taking up, that is, He maketh men strong by taking up, causing fruit in us; for the interpretation of Ephraim is, bearing fruit. But "taking up" may be understood of us, when we take up Christ; or of Christ, when He, who is Head of the Church, taketh us up. And the words, "them that trouble us," in the former Psalm, ¹³ are the same with "our enemies," in this. ¹⁴