1._Sing to Jehovah a new song. _This exordium proves what I have just said, that the exhortation now given is addressed only to God’s people; for the singular goodness which is particularly extended to them affords more ample matter of praise. The probable conjecture is, that the Psalm was composed... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Let Israel rejoice in his Maker. _He insists upon the same point, that the Lord’s people should rest firmly persuaded that their family had not been chosen out in vain from the rest of the world, but that God would be mindful of his covenant, and not allow the mercies which he had extended to the... [ Continue Reading ]
4._For God hath taken pleasure in his people. _We have spoken elsewhere of the verb רצה, _ratsah _here it means _free favor, _the Psalmist saying that it was entirely of his good pleasure that God had chosen this people to himself. From this source flows what is added in the second clause, that God... [ Continue Reading ]
5._They shall rejoice. _In making mention here of joy, jubilee, and the high praises of God, he shows still more clearly from the effects which it would produce, that he does not speak of a common benefit of God; for had not the deliverance of the people been of a remarkable kind, there would have b... [ Continue Reading ]
7._To execute vengeance, etc_. Both during their exile and after their return from it, this might seem to be altogether incredible. Nor did it take place before the advent of Christ; for though the Machabaei and their posterity reduced the neighboring nations to subjection, this was but a faint prel... [ Continue Reading ]
The next verse, where mention is made of_kings _and _nobles, _is an amplification; for had he only spoken of peoples and nations, this might have been restricted to the common people and men of low condition. Here is something much greater — that kings and others of noble rank would be dragged to pu... [ Continue Reading ]
9._To perform the judgment, etc_. He qualifies what he had said in the previous verses, in which he might have appeared to arm the Lord’s people for deeds of warlike cruelty. At first sight it might appear strange, that they who were called the merciful ones of God, should be sent out with drawn swo... [ Continue Reading ]