Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: [for] praise is comely for the upright. Ver. 1. _Rejoice in the Lord, O ye rightness_] That is, O ye upright in heart, as it followeth here, and as Psalms 32:11. For as there he ended, so here he beginneth, calling upon the saints to be cheerful; and indeed ther... [ Continue Reading ]
Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings. Ver. 2. _Praise the Lord with harp_] Or cittern, Jubal's invention, Genesis 4:21, much used by David and others of old under the Jewish pedagogy, as a help to devotion, as were also other musical instrume... [ Continue Reading ]
Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. Ver. 3. _Sing unto him a new song_] _sc._ Upon every new emergent occasion. God reneweth his mercies not only every morning, but every moment: so should we our praises; every breath we draw should praise the Lord, Psalms 150:6. Doth God gi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the word of the LORD [is] right; and all his works [are done] in truth._ Ver. 4. _For the word of the Lord is right_] Every word of God is pure and precious, Proverbs 30:5; his commandment holy, and just, and good, Romans 7:12; but by word here we are to understand God's counsel and decree con... [ Continue Reading ]
He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. Ver. 5. _He loveth righteousness and judgment_] _q.d._ How can he do otherwise than right, whose nature is such that he loveth righteousness and judgment? that is, _probat probanda, et damnat damnanda._ The earth... [ Continue Reading ]
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Ver. 6. _By the word of the Lord were the heavens made_] His fiat, or, Let them be, gave them a being. Or, by his essential Word, which is his Son, the second person in Trinity, Pro 8:27 John 1:3 Col... [ Continue Reading ]
He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Ver. 7. _He gathereth the waters of the sea together_] Confining them to their concave, to the pit he digged for them. _Ecce altera misericordia,_ saith Kimchi here, Behold another mercy; without the whic... [ Continue Reading ]
Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. Ver. 8. _Let all the earth fear the Lord_] viz. For these stupendous works of his, sufficient to strike an awe into all creatures of the Divine majesty, Jeremiah 5:22. "Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of... [ Continue Reading ]
For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast. Ver. 9. _For he spake, and it was done_] So true is that saying, _Dei dicere est facere._ For God to say is to do. And a great shame it is to men to disobey the great Creator; and not rather to follow the example of the unreasonable... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. Ver. 10. _The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought_] _i.e._ He counterworketh the devil and his imps, who would overturn and destroy the fair order of nature, mingle heaven and... [ Continue Reading ]
The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Ver. 11. _The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever_] That counsel of his, whereby he hath decreed to maintain government among men, to relieve the oppressed, to punish the wicked, to uphold the Church, is firm... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and] the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Ver. 12. _Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord_] viz. By special favour and covenant. The preservation of the Church (which hath so few friends on earth, and so many enemies in ea... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. Ver. 13. _The Lord looketh from heaven_] _Ita respicit universos quasi singulos, ita singulos quasi solos._ And this doctrine of God's particular providence is, _fides nationum quarum Deus est Dominus,_ saith Kimchi, taught in the Chur... [ Continue Reading ]
From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. Ver. 14. _From the place of his habitation he beholdeth_] And this is a very great condescension, since he humbleth himself to behold things in heaven, Psalms 113:6, to look out of himself upon the saints and angels;... [ Continue Reading ]
He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. Ver. 15. _He fashioneth their hearts alike_] _i.e._ One's as well as another's. _Unum pariter ac aliud_ (Kimchi). The Arabic hath it, _Format sigillatim,_ he fashioneth them severally one after another; and not all souls together, as... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. Ver. 16. _There is no king saved by the multitude of an host_] Witness Sennacherib, Xerxes, Bajazet. Away, then, with creature confidence; it will be the ruin of all that rest in it, whether it be in... [ Continue Reading ]
An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength. Ver. 17. _An horse is a vain thing_] And yet a warlike creature, full of terror _See Trapp on "_ Psa 32:9 _"_ and so swift in service, that the Persians dedicated him to the sun (Pausan.). See Job 41:20 Pro... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; Ver. 18. _Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him_] He looketh upon such with singular delight; not without sweet intimations of his singular kindness and care of their good. _ Upon them that h... [ Continue Reading ]
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Ver. 19. _To deliver their soul_] Freedom from troubles he promiseth not; but deliverance in due time he assureth them; and support in the mean while, to keep them alive in famine.... [ Continue Reading ]
Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield. Ver. 20. _Our soul waiteth for the Lord_] _i.e._ Patiently tarrieth the Lord's leisure. We can both wait and want for a need.... [ Continue Reading ]
For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Ver. 21. _Our heart shall rejoice in him_] We shall be sure of a happy issue and event; but yet so as that we pray for it, as in the next words.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Ver. 22. _Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee_] Not that we would have no more mercy than we have trust; but we would show that our trust is bottomed upon thy promises, and that we humbly expect the full ac... [ Continue Reading ]