An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Those words contain a second Consideration, why the oppressed should seek to God; he giveth songs, that is, matter of songs, or cause of singing, joy and comfort, even in the night. There are several opinions about the meaning of these words. Some (as I showed before) interpret this verse of the oppressors; None (of them) say, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night? So the words are a description, as of the great worldly security, so of the great worldly felicity of those oppressors. Poor men labour all day hard, and being wearied out with their labours, when night cometh they go to bed; But profane great and rich men, idle away the day, and sport and play and sing away the night. As good men have holy songs in the night, (Isa. 30.29.) Ye shall have a song as in the night, when a holy Solemnity is kept, &c. So the wicked have their wanton, vain, revelling songs in the night, when their sensual Solemnities are kept. Belshazzar was drinking in the night, and doubtless, he had his music & songs that night: And as he had his songs, mirth, and music in the night, so he said not Where is God my maker, who giveth me songs in the night: he instead of minding God his maker in his mirth, minded only the gods which himself had made (as the text speaks, Dan. 5.4.) They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and of silver, &c. And thus 'tis in proportion with all the wicked to whom God gives songs in the night, they say not, Where is God my maker? This interpretation which carrieth the songs to the oppressors before spoken of, contains a truth, yet I shall not stay upon it, but take the words as referring to the oppressed.

Those words contain a second Consideration, why the oppressed should seek to God; he giveth songs, that is, matter of songs, or cause of singing, joy and comfort, even in the night. There are several opinions about the meaning of these words. Some (as I shewed before) interpret this verse of the oppressors; None (of them) say, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night? So the words are a description, as of the great worldly security, so of the great worldly felicity of those oppressors. Poor men labour all day hard, and being wearied out with their labours, when night cometh they go to bed; But prophane great and rich men, idle away the day, and sport and play and sing away the night. As good men have holy songs in the night, (