God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
Ver. 3. God came from Teman] The prophet alludeth to that of Moses in his swan-like song, Deuteronomy 33:2, and allegeth God's benefits of old, for his own and their present confirmation of faith; without which prayer would be to no purpose; hence effectual prayer is called the "prayer of faith," James 5:15. Whatsoever ye ask believing ye shall receive, saith our Saviour, Mark 11:24. "Cast thy burden" (or thy request) "upon the Lord," saith David, Psalms 55:22. To help us so to do it is of singular use to consider what God hath done heretofore; for thou hast, thou wilt, is an ordinary medium of Scriptural logic, see Psalms 85:1,4. There be six hast's drawing in the next, Turn us again, &c., Psalms 85:4; see also 2 Corinthians 1:10. God's majesty and might when he gave the law in Sinai is here set forth, to show how easily he can, if he please, turn again the captivity of his people, as the streams in the south, Psalms 126:4 .
And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah] He that is holiness itself (a title far too good for that man of sin, that Merum Scelus pure wickedness, the Pope, Philip the Fair of France did him right in writing to him thus, Sciat tua maxima Fatuitas, &c., Be it known to your foolishness, not to your holiness), and that must be sanctified in righteousness, Isaiah 5:16. Mount Paran was contiguous to the mountains Sinai and Teman, otherwise called Seir for its roughness, Deuteronomy 33:2. Selah. This the Seventy make to be a musical notion, rendering it Diapsalma. a pause in music. It seemeth to import an asseveration of a thing so to be, and an admiration thereat. The Jews to this day use it in their prayers for Legnolam, i.e. For ever, or Amen. It is probable, that when the singers of the temple came to a Selah (which word is used ninety-two times in Scripture, and only in Psalms and Songs) they made a pause, that the hearers might stay their thoughts awhile upon the preceding matter, worthy of more than ordinary observation. Hence Tremellius and Junius express Selah by the adverbs Summe, Maxime, Vehementissime, Excellenter. It was doubtless a singular mercy of God to his people of Israel, that be came from Teman, &c., to speak with them from heaven; and there to give them "right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments,"Nehemiah 9:13,14. This when he did,
His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise] The law was given in a most majestic manner, Exo 19:17-25 partly to procure reverence to the doctrine of it, partly to set forth the nature and office of it, which is to terrify offenders, and to drive them to Christ; and partly also to show that God hath power and weapons enough to defend those that keep his law, and to punish such as would draw them off from their obedience thereunto. That is a pious meditation of a reverend writer (Dr Hall), if the law were thus given, how shall it be required? If such were the proclamation of God's statutes, what shall the sessions be? I see and tremble at the resemblance.