For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what [is] his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, [is] his name.
Ver. 13. For lo, he that formeth the mountains, &c.] q.d. If my mercy move thee not to a humble submission, let my majesty; and for that end consider and tremble at my Nomen Maiestativum, my transcendent excellencies as they are here displayed, descried, and described, for thy learning, with a great deal of solemnity and state; to the end that thou mayest not expect evils, but prevent them, as Demosthenes counselled his countrymen.
He that formeth the mountains] At first, doubtless, with the rest of the universe (though some held they were cast up by Noah's flood); see Psalms 90:1,2; by his mere Fiat, without tool or toil, Isaiah 40:28. This the blind heathens saw, and thus hieroglyphically set forth: in Thebes, a town of Egypt, they worshipped a God, whom they acknowledged to be immortal. And how painted they him? In the likeness of a man blowing an egg out of his mouth; to signify that he made the round world by his word.
And createth the wind] The world's besom (as Rupertus calleth it) wherewith God sweepeth his great house, and whereby he setteth forth his inexpressible power. See for this Psalms 18:11; Psa 148:8 Job 28:25 Jeremiah 10:12; Senec. lib. v. Nat. Quaest. cap. 18. And although we cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth, John 3:8, yet can we with Cruciger contemplate the footsteps of God in this and other creatures; saying with Paul, that God is so near unto us, that he may almost be felt with our hands, ψηλαφησειαν, Acts 17:29 .
And declareth unto man what is his thought] What language he hath in his heart, what he talketh within himself (quid sermocinetur, quidve cogitet, Drus.), as the rich fool did, Luke 12:17. Jesus knew the Pharisee's thoughts; yea, "thou understandest my thought afar off," saith David, Psalms 139:2, even before I conceive them. Jerome and Theodotion refer the affix to God, and renders it thus, Who declareth unto man his word and will therein revealed, Eloquium suum, τον λογον αυτου. The Seventy read thus, Who declareth unto man his Christ τον χριστον αυτου, sensu pio et egregio, saith Mercer, sed alieno; for Ma-sicho they read Meshicho; perperam. wrongly.
That maketh the morning darkness] As he did at Sodom, whereon the sun shone bright in the morning, but ere night there was a dismal change. So in Egypt, Exodus 10:22; so in Jewry at Christ's death, Matthew 27:45. Let this teach us to bless God for the light both natural, Genesis 1:4, and supernatural, 2 Corinthians 4:4,5, and to pray, that our gospel sun may not set at noon tide, nor our light be put out in obscure darkness; but rather that he would make our darkness morning (for so the words may be read here), by clearing up those truths to us that yet lie in part undiscovered. Oh, cry after Christ, as the poor man in the Gospel, "Lord, that mine eyes might be opened!" Oh that thou wouldest give me sight and light! Sun of righteousness, shine upon my dark soul.
And treadeth upon the high places of the earth] As being "higher than the highest," excelsus super excelsos, Ecclesiastes 5:8, "terrible to all the kings of the earth" (those dread sovereigns), Psalms 76:12, "the most high God," Genesis 14:18; Genesis 14:22, that hath heaven for his throne and earth for his footstool; yea, those highest places of the earth, the tops of mountains, and rocks inaccessible. "But who is this King of glory?"
The Lord, the God of hosts is his name] "Give therefore unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness," &c.: "Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy," Psalms 29:1,2; Psalms 99:5 .