Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings (part 2 of 2)

Verse 14.—“The virgins, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto thee.” The highest and most excellent Christian cannot say, I have no need of thee: the queen will not be without any of her true companions. As it is in the body natural, so it is in the church of Christ, or body mystical; all the members being fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love. Eph. iv. 16; Col. ii. 19.—William Troughton.

Verse 14.—“The virgins her companions that follow her.” These are members of the church, but the figure of a bridal train is employed to sustain the allegory. What a bright train the Royal Bride will have as she goes forth to meet the Bridegroom. Kings’ daughters will be there, for every crowned head on earth shall one day bow at the foot of the cross. The daughter of Tyre shall be there—Tyre, the ancient emporium of the nations—to show that the merchandise of the world shall be holiness to the Lord. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Jews and Gentiles will be there—representatives from all peoples, and tongues, and nations. They are “virgins.” They keep themselves unspotted from the world. They are weaned from its idols; they dread its contaminations. Their first care is to preserve the whiteness of their souls by daily washing in the blood of the Lamb.... They “follow” the royal Bride. They keep by her side in storm and sunshine. They follow her in the regeneration. They follow her in the search after her Beloved. Song iii. 2, 3. They follow her to the green pastures and the still waters. They follow her without the camp bearing his reproach. Like Ruth, they leave father and mother to follow her. Ruth i. 16. Like Caleb, they follow the Lord fully. When a crisis comes, and the question, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” involves heavy issues, and hollow-hearted professors fly away like swallows before the storm, they follow her. When persecution comes, and Christ’s faithful witnesses have to prophesy clothed in sackcloth, and perhaps to pass through a baptism of blood to the crown, they follow her: like Peden, when—the bloodhounds of persecution in full chase after him, and the lone moor his home—he thought of Richard Cameron gone to glory, and sighed, “Oh, to be with Richie!”—Duncan Macgregor, M.A., in “The Shepherd of Israel; or, Illustrations of the Inner Life,” 1869.

Verse 15.—“With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought.” No marriage was ever consummated with that triumphal solemnity as the marriage of Christ and believers shall be in heaven. Among the Jews the marriage house was called bethillulah—the house of praise; there was joy on all hands, but not like the joy that will be in heaven when believers, the spouse of Christ, shall be brought thither. God the Father will rejoice to behold the blessed accomplishment and consummation of that glorious design and project of his love. Jesus Christ the Bridegroom will rejoice to see the travail of his soul, the blessed birth and issue of all his bitter pangs and agonies. Isaiah liii. 11. The Holy Spirit will rejoice to see the complement and perfection of that sanctifying design which was committed to his hand (2 Cor. v. 5); to see those souls, whom he once found as rough stones, now to shine as the bright polished stones of the spiritual temple. Angels will rejoice; great was the joy when the foundation of this design was laid, in the incarnation of Christ (Luke ii. 13); great, therefore, must their joy be when the topstone is set up with shouting, crying, Grace, grace. The saints themselves shall rejoice unspeakably, when they shall enter into the king’s palace, and be for ever with the Lord. 1 Thess. iv. 17. Indeed, there will be joy on all hands, except among the devils and damned, who shall gnash their teeth with envy, at the everlasting advancement and glory of believers.—John Flavel.

Verse 15.—“They shall be brought.” Reader! do not fail to observe the manner of expression, the church is brought, she doth not come of herself. No, she must be convinced, converted, made willing. No one can come to Christ, except the Father, who hath sent Christ, draw him. John vi. 44.—Robert Hawker, D.D.

Verse 15.—“They shall enter into the king’s palace.” There are two rich palaces mentioned in this Psalm: the one an ivory palace (verse 8), whereby is signified the assemblies of the saints, and ordinances of divine worship, in which the Lord manifests himself graciously. Here the presence of the Lord is sweet and amiable. Cant. i. 8; Psalm lxxxiv. 2. The other “palace” is mentioned in this fifteenth verse, and it is a palace of glory, a palace more bright and splendid than the finest gold, glorious mansions. John xiv. 2.—William Troughton.

Verse 16.—“Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children.” O church of God, think not thyself abandoned then, because thou seest not Peter, nor seest Paul—seest not those through whom thou wast born. Out of thine own offspring has a body of “fathers” been raised up to thee.—Augustine.

Verse 16.—“Thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.” The new connexion is glorious to the King. Many were his glorious and royal ancestors down to Jesse, but now there are born to him, the Eternal King, sons as the dew from the womb of the morning (Ps. cx. 3), who shall, as princes, occupy the thrones of the world. So our Lord promised to his disciples, “Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matt. xix. 28. And Paul says, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” 1 Cor. vi. 2.—Augustus F. Tholuck.

Verse 16.—“Princes in all the earth.” Others are but princes in their own dominion, but he will make you princes in all lands.... Such a kingdom you shall have, if you will come in to Christ, you shall have the liberty of kings, the abundance and plenty of kings, the power of kings, the victory of kings, and the glory of kings.—John Preston.

Verse 17.—“Therefore shall the people praise thee.” Christ’s espousing unto himself a church, and gathering more and more from age to age by his word and Spirit unto it, his converting souls and bringing them into the fellowship of his family, and giving unto them princely minds and affections, wherever they live, is a large matter of growing and everlasting glory unto his majesty; for in regard of this point, and what is said before in this Psalm, he addeth as the close of all, “Therefore shall the people praise thee.”—David Dickson.

Verse 17.—In the Hebrew text, which is here quoted, there is a particle added to the word ever, which in that case intendeth a proper everlastingness, without any period or end at all, and thereupon translated “for ever and ever.”—William Gouge, D.D. on Hebrews i. 8.

Verse 17 (last clause):—

“When morning gilds the skies, My heart awaking cries; May Jesus Christ be praised.

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When sleep her balm denies, My silent spirit sighs; May Jesus Christ be praised.

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In heaven’s eternal bliss, The loveliest strain is this; May Jesus Christ be praised.

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To God the Word on high, The hosts of angels cry; May Jesus Christ be praised.

Let mortals, too, upraise Their voice in hymns of praise; May Jesus Christ be praised.

Let earth’s wide circle round, In joyful notes resound; May Jesus Christ be praised.

Let air, and sea, and sky, From depth to height reply; May Jesus Christ be praised.

Be this while life is mine, My canticle divine; May Jesus Christ be praised.

Be this the eternal song Through all the ages on; May Jesus Christ be praised.”

Translated by Edward Caswall, in “Poems,” 1861.