Psalms 66:1 «To the chief Musician, A Song [or] Psalm. » Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Ver. 1. _Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands_] Heb. All the earth; shout aloud for joy, as the people did at the return of the ark, so that the earth rang again. God shall one day show himsel... [ Continue Reading ]
Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Ver. 2. _Make his praise glorious_] Heb. Put glory to his praise; so Joshua 7:19. God's glory is as himself, eternal and infinite, no way capable of our addition or detraction; howbeit, to try how we prize it, and will exalt it, he declar... [ Continue Reading ]
Say unto God, How terrible [art thou in] thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. Ver. 3. _Say unto God_] Hereby it appeareth that this, among other psalms of like nature, was written for the perpetual use of the Church, and to serve for a set f... [ Continue Reading ]
_All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing [to] thy name. Selah._ Ver. 4. _All the earth shall worship thee_] Heb. they shall bow down to thee, stoop to thy government, submit to the sceptre of thy kingdom; they shall become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Come and see the works of God: [he is] terrible [in his] doing toward the children of men. Ver. 5. _Come and see_] _Venite, videte; _ he taketh good people by the hand, as it were, leading them to the sight of God's stupendous proceedings, which may not be slighted, Isaiah 5:12 . _ Toward the chil... [ Continue Reading ]
He turned the sea into dry [land]: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him. Ver. 6. _He turned the sea into dry land_] A mercy much celebrated, and not without cause, in all later ages. _ They went through the flood on foot_] That is, through the river Jordan, when it had... [ Continue Reading ]
He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. Ver. 7. _He ruleth by his power_] As sole sovereign, universal monarch, αυτοκρατωρ, παντοκρατωρ. Sesostris, king of Egypt, would needs be styled κοσμοκρατωρ, emperor of the whole world (Her... [ Continue Reading ]
O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Ver. 8. _O bless our God, ye people_] We must not only publish God's praises, but provoke others also so to do.... [ Continue Reading ]
Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. Ver. 9. _Which holdeth our soul in life_] Heb. putteth, that is, bestoweth life on us, preserveth it, restoreth it. Some think this psalm was made upon David's deliverance from the giant that sought to kill him, 2 Samuel 21:16... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Ver. 10. _For thou, O God, hast proved us_] _Non ut ipse sciat sed ut scire nos faciat,_ saith Austin. God proveth his people, not thereby to better his own knowledge of them, John 2:25; John 6:6; Joh 21:17; Acts 1:24, but to... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Ver. 11. _Thou broughtest us into the net_] A metaphor from hunters or fowlers, _Utitur figuris tanquam in poemate._ Thou layedst affliction upon our loins] _Coarctationem in lumbis; _ we are not only hampered, as in a net, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy [place]. Ver. 12. _Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads_] Subjected us to the villanies and outrages of the basest persons, who have used us more like beasts than me... [ Continue Reading ]
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, Ver. 13. _I will go into thine house, &c._] I will begin to others in that public solemn thanksgiving, and not grudge at the cost; I will be _Vir gregis,_ as the he-goat before the flocks, Jeremiah 50:8 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. Ver. 14. _Which my lips have uttered_] Heb. have opened, that is, which I have uttered _diductis labiis,_ with lips wide open. _Videmus qualiter vota nuncupari soleant,_ saith Vatablus, Here we see after what sort vows use... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah._ Ver. 15. _I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings_] Heb. marrow, the very best of the best; and better I could beteem the Lord if I had it. _ With the incense of ra... [ Continue Reading ]
Come [and] hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. Ver. 16. _Come and hear_] He had said before, "Come and see," Psalms 66:5. He held it a greater honour _prodesse quam praeesse._ All ye that fear God] For such only will hear to good purpose; others either can... [ Continue Reading ]
I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. Ver. 17. _I cried unto him_] I prayed fervently and frequently. _ And he was extolled, &c._] My prayers were soon turned into praises, which I silently framed within myself even while I was praying.... [ Continue Reading ]
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]: Ver. 18. _If l regard iniquity in my heart_] If I have but a month's mind to it, as we say; if I cast but a leering look towards it; if there be in me but an irresolution against it; how much more, then, if I allow it and wallow in it?... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 66:19 [But] verily God hath heard [me]; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Ver. 19. _But verily God hath heard me_] As I well perceive by his answer, full and enlarged, as the cloud that riseth out of the earth in thin and insensible vapours, falleth down in great and abundant showe... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [be] God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Ver. 20. _Blessed be God, &c._] This is the conclusion of David's syllogism, in this and the two former verses; and herein his logic is better than Aristotle's.... [ Continue Reading ]