Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_200.lzh/4_246.TXT

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their own account, and on the account of others, and
because of the glory of God.
Ver. 2. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, 0 Jeru-
salem.] Which is to be understood not merely literally
of the city of Jerusalem, and of continuance in the
possession of it, it being lately taken out of the hands
of the Jebusites; but spiritually of the church of God,
which is often called by this name; the gates of which
are the same as the gates of Zion, and the gates of
wisdom, the word and ordinances; attendance on
which is signitied by standing: and which also denotes
continuance therein: and happy are those that are
within these gates, and have a comfortable assurance
of their abiding there; and still more happy will they
be who will be admitted within the gates of the New
Jerusalem, which are said to be twelve, and every, one
of them of one pearl; and through which none shall
enter into the city but pure and holy persons, Rev. xxi.
2, 12, 21, 25, 27. and xxii. 14.
Ver. 3. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact
together.'] In David's time the upper and lower city were
joined together, the streets regularly built, the houses
contiguous, not straggling about, here and there
one {c}. So the church of  God, like that, is built
in a good situation, on a rock and hill, where it is
firm and visible; like a city full of inhabitants, governed
by wholesome laws, under proper officers; a free city,
which enjoys many privileges and immunities; a well-
forrifled one, having salvation for walls and bulwarks
about it; a royal city, the city of the great King, the city
of our God, the name of which is Jehovah-shammah,
the Lord is there: and this is compact together when
its citizens are united in affection to one another;
agree in their religious sentiments; join in social wor-
ships, and live in subjection to one Head and King,
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Jews often speak, and so
some of their commentators on this passage, of. a
Jerusalem above and below, and of the one being made
like unto the other: so the Targum, "Jerusalem is
"built in the firmament as a city, as Jerusalem on
"earth ;" see Gal. iv.
Vet. 4. Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the
Lord, &c.] The twelve tribes of Israel; the males
of them went up three times a year to Jerusalem to
worship, at the feasts of passover, pentecost, and
tabernacles; and was typical of the church of Christ,
where the worship of God is carried on, his word
preached, and ordinances administered; and whither
saints go and attend for their own profit and the glory
of God; this is the city of our solemnities, Isa. xxxiii.
£0. and lvi. 7. Unto the testimony of Israel; the ark
of the testimony a symbol of the divine Presence. The
law is called a testimony, because it testified the will
of God to be done; this was put into an ark, which
had its name from thence, and was typical of Christ,
the end of the law for righteousness; and over the ark
was the divine Presence: hither the tribes came to
worship God, and to consult him; "who (the Targum
"here says} testifies to Israel, that his divine Majesty
"dwells among them, when they go to confess unto
"the name of the Lord." The Gospel is called the
testimony of Christ; and it is what testifies concerning
his person, office, and grace, unto the Israel of God;
and who go up to the house of God in order to hear it.
To give thanks unto the name of the Lord; for all his
mercies and blessings, both temporal and spiritual;
and which should be acknowledged, not only in a
private manner, but publicly in the house of God; see
Psal. c. 4. and cxi. 1.
Ver. 5. For there are set thrones of judgment, &e.]
In Jerusalem as the Targum; here were courts of
judicature, and thrones for the judges to sit upon, to
execute judgment and justice to the p.eople. The
thrones of the house of David; the Targnm is, "thrones
"in the house of the sanctuary, for the kings of the
"house of David ;" who might sit there, as the Jews
say, when others might not. In the church of Christ,
the heavenly Jerusalem, every saint is a king, as well
as a priest, and all have thrones and seats there; 'have
a power 0f judging, not only lesser matters pertaining
to this life, but such as regard the spiritual peace and
welfare of the church and interest of Christ; having
laws and rules given them to go by, in the admission
and exclusion of members, and respecting their con-
duct to each other, and to their Lord and head: and
in the New Jerusalem there will be thrones set, not
only for the twelve apostles of Christ, and for the
martyrs of Jesus, but for all the saints; there will be
the thrones of God and of the Lamb, and every over-
comer shall sit down on the same; this honour will
have all the saints, Matt. xix 28. Rev. xx. 4. and xxii.
3. and iii. 21.
Ver. 6. Pray .for the peace of Jerusalem, &c.] This
is said to the persons that solicited the psalmist to go
into the house of the Lord; to the truly godly among
the tribes that went thither to worship; to his brethren
and companions, for whose sake he wished well to.
Zion; to praying souls, who should not be singular and
selfish; not only pray for themselves, but for others;
for all saints, and for the church of God in general;
for Jerusalem, not merely literally considered; though
as that was the metropolis of the nation, and many of
them the psalmist addresses were inhabitants of it, it
became them to seek and pray for the peace of it, their
own peace being concerned in it; see Jer. xxix. 7. but
for the spiritual and heavenly Jerusalem, the church of
God, and for the peace of it; that Christ, the Man, the
Peace, the Peacemaker, who then was not come,
might come; that the members of it might enjoy spi-
ritual peace in their sonis, and might have peace one
with another, and be at peace with their enemies; and
enjoy the abundance of peace and prosperity, which
will be in the latter day; and will lie in freedom from
persecution, in a destruction of antichrist and all the
the enemies of the church; in the purity of Gospel
truths and ordinances, and the spread of them; in
numerous conversions of Jews and Gentiles; in the
unity of the Lord's people in sentiment, worship, and
affection; and in a large increase of spiritual light and
holiness: all which should be earnestly prayed for by the
well-wishers of the cause of Christ; see Isa. lxii. 6, 7.
There may be an allusion to the name of Jerusalem,

{c} Hecataeus, an Heathen writer, describes Jerusalem as a strong
fortified city, fifty furlongs in circumference; and inhabited by twelve
myriads, or a hundred and twenty thousand men. Vid. Euseb. Praepar.
Evangel. l. 9. c. 4.