Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_200.lzh/4_255.TXT

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1omon, should build a temple for the Lord; and
when he had made provision of gold and silver, and
other things, for it, and had given the pattern of it to
his son; and encouraged and animated him to it, as-
suring him that the Lord would be with him until he
had finished it; and prayed that God would give him
a perfect heart to do it; for he knew the whole suc-
cess depended upon the Lord, notwithstanding all the
preparations he had made: hence the psalm begi.n.s.,
except the Lord build the house; see 1 Chron. xxvm.
20. and xxix. 19. Theodoret is of opinion it was
written for Zorobabel, and respects the building of the
second temple by him; who is called Solomon, be,
cause he descended from him, and restored his work;
but Zorobabel, though he was of the house of David,
.y..et not in the line of Solomon, but of Nathan, Luke
m. 27, 31. The inscription of the Syriac version seems
to agree with this conjecture; which adds, to what is
before observed," and it is also said concerning Haggai
"and Zechariah, who were solicitous for the building
"of the temple." And Arama the Jew says, that it
is 'possible it may be said of the building of the second
temple, and the walls of Jerusalem. But others think
it is a composition of Solomon himself; who might
set out upon the building of the temple with this
song, as he made a prayer at the dedication of it when
finished: and the Targum renders it," a song by the
"hand of Solomon ;" and our translators for the most
part render the particle of, which they here translate
for, as of David, in many places. And so accordingly
it may be rendered here of Solomon{s}, or Solomon's,
and be one of the thousand and five songs he made;
which, besides that called the Song of Solomon, is
the only one extant: and the doctrine of it agrees with
many things in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes;
that all things depend upon the providence and bless-
ing of God, without which all the endeavours of
men are in vain. Kimchi thinks the Messiah is meant,
who is often called Solomon in the book of Canticles,
Cant. iii. 7, 11. and viii. 11, 12. and to whom many
passages in it may be applied.
Ver. 1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour
in vain that build it, &c.] Whether it be understood
literally of an artificial house, as Solomon's own house;
or the house of the Lord, or any other: let a man be ever
so bent upon building one, or have ever so much skill
in drawing the plan of it, or be ever so well provided
to go through the expense of it, or have ever so many
hands employed in it, yet, if the Lord does not give
success, it will all be in vain; the building will fall
down, or be consumed by fire before it is finished; or
by one providence or another he will be.obliged to
desist from it, as in the case of the builders of the
tower and city of Babel. Or whether it be understood
of a family, which is built up by an increase and mul'
tiplication of children; so Leah and Rachel built up
the house of Israel, Ruth iv. !1. this depends upon
the providence of God; for, as it is after said, children
are an heritage of the Lord. Or whether it be under-
stood, figuratively and mystical.ly, of the church
God, th~ house of the living God; the house of Christ,
a spiritual one; a Gospel church, whose materials are
lively stones, or true believers. Now there are build-
ers in this house, some indeed very bad ones; and it
is no wonder that they labour in vain, who reject and
lay aside the foundation and corner-stone, Christ; who
deny his deity, despise his righteousness; or mix grace
and works, law and Gospel, together, and pluck down
with one hand what they build with another : and
though there are others that are good ones, and lay
the foundation, Christ; and build on this foundation
precious truths, comparable to gold, silver, and pre-
cious stones; minister the word, and administer the
ordinances, truly and faithfully; and in all direct to
Christ for grace, strength, peace, comfort, and eternal
life; speak to edification, and are the means of re-
viving the graces of God's people, and of establishing
their souls; as well as of the conversion of sinners, where-
by the house of God is built up; yet if the Lord does
not succeed their ministrations, all is in rain. For the
principal builder is God, Father, Son, and Spirit;
this is mostly applied to the second Person, the Word
and Wisdom of God, Prov. ix. 1. Zech. vi. 12, 13.
Matt. xvi. 18. but not to the exclusion of the Father,
who has laid in Zion a foundation, a precious corner-
stone, and builds souls on it; nor of the Spirit, through
whom saints are built up an habitation for God, Isa.
xxviii. 16. Ephes. ii. 22. The Targum here is, "ifthe
"Word of the Lord does not build the city." It fol-
lows, except the Lord keep the city; the city Jerusa-
lem, as the Targum; who also here makes mention of
the Word of the Lord : or any other city: God, with
the Heathens {t} was called \~polieuv\~, the keeper of cities
this title is given to Minerva by Pindar
of Jupiter's titles{w}. The watchman waketh but in
to preserve it from riots, robberies, fires, 4'c. This
may be applied to the church of God, the city of the
living God, of which saints are fellow-citizens: now
in this city there are watchmen, some indeed that are
blind and asleep, and so quite unfit for this office;
but there are others who are awake and diligent, and
watch in all things; and for the souls of men, and the
good of the city, the church, to prevent heresies, er-
rors, and immoralities; and yet all their watchfifiness
is in yam, unless the Lord keep it, who watches over
his people for good, and that none hurt them; he
wakeful, never slumbers nor sleeps, and constant night
and day; and keeps his people by his power, and as
tenderly as the apple of his eye.
Ver. 2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up
late, &c.] A description of an industrious and la-
borious person, who takes great pains to get a liveli-
hood, or increase his substance; see Psal. civ. 23.
Prov. xxxi. 15, 18. which, yet, as in the former in-
stances, depends upon the blessing of divine Providence,
Prov. x. 4, 22 Eccl. ix. 1L For, after all, it may come to
nothing more-at last than to eat the bread of
that is, to eat bread gotten with much sorrow and
labour; such get bread, and that is all, and not that
without the providence of God. For

{s} \^hmlvl\^ Salomonis, V. L. Tigurine version, Musculus, Muis, Coc-
ceius, Gejerus; so Ainsworth; ipsius Selomoh, Vatablus.
{t} Aristotel. de Mundo, c. 7. Apuleius de Mundo, prope finem.
Phurnutus de Natura Deor. c. 9.
{u} Olympiad. Ode 5.
{w} Pausaniae Attica, sive l. 1. p. 43, 53. Vid Theoph. ad Autolye.
l. 1.p. 76.