Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvingeneral agreement, is, that so great will be the ground for rejoicing, that the praises of God willresound in Zion continually, with the energy of the living voice, as well as with musical instruments.This, then, is a confirmation of what was spoken before concerning the glorious restoration of Zion;for by the greatness of the joy, and the manifold harmony and melody of praises, is portrayed thehappiness which shall prevail in the midst of it. At the same time, we have here described the greatdesign of all the gifts which God has conferred upon his Church with so liberal a hand; namely,that the faithful, by hymns and songs, should testify their remembrance of his benefits and gratefullyacknowledge them. 503 The Hebrew word , cholelim, which we have rendered the players uponinstruments, is translated by some, those who dance to the sound of instruments. 504 But this is amatter of no great importance, it being enough to consider the meaning, in short, as this, that therewill be a continual concert of God’s praises in the Church, where he unfolds the treasures of hisgrace, and that the faithful will be heard singing successively and in response. Moreover, the prophetshows his singular love to the Church, and the singular care and zeal which he exercised about her,to encourage and stir up all the godly, by his example, to cultivate and manifest the same zeal,agreeably to what is stated in another psalm,“If I forget thee, O Jerusalem! let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee,let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.” (Psalm137:5)All our affections are then settled on the Church, when, gathered in from the vague and vainobjects by which they are distracted, and regarding with indifference the honors, pleasures, riches,and pageantries of the world, they find enough to engage and satisfy them in the spiritual glory ofChrist’s kingdom, and in that alone.503 Cresswell connects the second clause of this verse with the first, in this manner: — “Singers also, and players upon thepipe, shall chant, ‘All my wells are in thee;’” i.e., says he, “all my sources of refreshment, of hope, and of salvation, are in thee,O Zion!” He adds, “The phrase, wells of salvation, occurs in Isaiah 12:3, the Hebrew word being the same as that which, in ourtwo English versions of the Psalms, is translated springs and fountains.” Walford connects the two clauses in the same manner,“They sing with musical instruments, ‘All my springs are in thee.’” “The persons who are here said to sing,” he observes,“accompanied by musical instruments, are the people spoken of in verse 6. They are described as uniting in a joyful song ofpraise and thanksgiving; and the burden of their song is, ‘All my springs are in thee.’ Springs or fountains are a constant imagefor the blessings which are productive of refreshment and happiness. These new-born converts are, therefore, represented asjoining the universal Church, and offering ascriptions of praise to God, who is the overflowing source of all the streams of good,which refresh and bless the people.”504 “Afin que les fideles en chantant Pseaumes et Cantiques monstrent la souvenance qu’ils ont des benefices receus, et luy enfacent recognoissance.” — Fr.244