Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvin2. And his tabernacle was in Salem Here the reason is assigned why God, putting the Assyriansto flight, vouchsafed to deliver the city of Jerusalem, and to take it under his protection. The reasonis, because he had there chosen for himself a dwelling-place, in which his name was to be calledupon. The amount, in short, is, first, that men had no ground to arrogate to themselves any sharein the deliverance of the city here portrayed, God having strikingly showed that all the glory washis own, by displaying from heaven his power in the sight of all men; and, secondly, that he wasinduced to oppose his enemies from no other consideration but that of his free choice of the Jewishnation. God having, by this example, testified that his power is invincible for preserving his Church,it is a call and an encouragement to all the faithful to repose with confidence under his shadow. Ifhis name is precious to himself, it is no ordinary pledge and security which he gives to our faithwhen he assures us that it is his will that the greatness of his power should be known in thepreservation of his Church. Moreover, as the Church is a distinguished theater on which the Divineglory is displayed, we must always take the greatest care not to shroud or bury in forgetfulness, byour ingratitude, the benefits which have been bestowed upon it, and especially those which oughtto be held in remembrance in all ages. Farther, although God is not now worshipped in the visibletabernacle, yet as by Christ he still dwells in the midst of us, yea even within us, we will doubtlessexperience, whenever we are exposed to danger, that under his protection we are in perfect safety.If the earthly sanctuary of Jerusalem afforded to God’s ancient people succor while it stood, wemay rest assured that he will have no less care of us who live in the present day, when we considerthat he has vouchsafed to choose us as his temples in which he may dwell by his Holy Spirit. Herethe prophet, in speaking of Jerusalem, uses merely the name of Salem, which was the simple anduncompounded name of the city, and had been applied to it very anciently, as appears from Genesis14:18. Some think that the name in the course of time assumed its compound form, by having Jebusprefixed to Salem; for Jebus was the name by which it was afterwards known in the interveningperiod, as we learn from the Book of Judges, Judges 19:10, it being so called because it was inhabitedby the Jebusites. But we will be more correct as to the etymology of the word, if we derive it fromthe verb , yereh, which signifies will see, 267 because Abraham said,“God will look out for himself a lamb for a burnt-offering,” (Genesis 22:8.)3. There he broke the arrows of the bow. We have here stated the particular way in which Godwas known in Judah. He was known by the wonderful proofs of his power, which he exhibited inpreserving the city. Under these figures is described the destruction of the enemies of the chosenpeople. 268 They could not otherwise have been overthrown than by being despoiled of their armorand weapons of war. It is therefore said, that the arrows, the swords, and the shields, were broken,yea, all the implements of war; implying that these impious enemies of the Church were deprivedof the power of doing harm. The fact indeed is, that they were wounded and slain, while theirweapons remained uninjured; but this metonymy, by which what befell themselves is representedas happening to their implements of war, is not improper. Some translate the word , reshaphim,points of weapons! Properly, it should be rendered fires; 269 but it is more accurate to take it for267 From , raäh, he saw, or beheld268 “This seems to allude to the miraculous destruction of the Assyrian army, as recorded in Isaiah 27:36.” — Warner.269 “The Hebrew , [here rendered arrows,] signifies fire, Job 5:7, where ‘sparks that fly upward’ are poetically expressed by, ‘the sons of the fire.’ By metaphor it is applies to an ‘arrow’ or ‘dart’ shot out of a bow, and, by the swiftness of the motion,supposed to be inflamed. See Cant. 8, 6, where of love it is said, (not the coals, but) ‘the arrows thereof are arrows of fire,’ itshoots, and wounds, and burns a man’s heart, inflames it vehemently by wounding it. The poetical expression will best be118