The author of this psalm is unknown, and the occasion on which it was composed cannot now be ascertained. It belongs to the same “class” as Psalms 78; Psalms 105; as referring to the ancient history of the Hebrew people, and as deriving lessons of instruction, admonition, gratitude and praise from t... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAISE YE THE LORD - Margin, “Hallelu-jah.” The two Hebrew words mean, “praise ye the Lord.” They are the same words with which the previous psalm closes, and are here designed to indicate the general duty illustrated in the psalm. O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD - See the notes at Psalms 105:1. FOR H... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO CAN UTTER THE MIGHTY ACTS OF THE LORD? - Who can speak the great things of God? Who can find language which will suitably express what he has done, or which will “come up” in sublimity to his acts? In other words, human language must fall immeasurably short of adequately expressing the praises o... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT KEEP JUDGMENT - They are blessed, for their conduet is right, and it leads to happiness. The Hebrew is, “the keepers of judgment;” that is, they who observe the rules of justice in their conduct, or who are governed by the principles of integrity. AND HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNE... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER ME, O LORD, WITH THE FAVOR THAT THOU BEAREST UNTO THY PEOPLE - literally, “Remember me with the favor of thy people.” This is the language of the author of the psalm: a pious ejaculation such as will occur to the mind in recounting what God has done for his church; what are the advantages o... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I MAY SEE THE GOOD OF THY CHOSEN - Thy chosen people; or, thine elect. That I may possess and enjoy the same favor and happiness which they do. It is implied here that there are special favors conferred on them; or, that happiness is found in the friendship of God which is not to be found elsew... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE SINNED WITH OUR FATHERS - We have sinned as “they” did; we have followed their example. The illustration of the manner in which the nation had sinned occupies a considerable part of the remainder of the psalm; and the idea here is, that, in the generation in which the psalmist lived, there h... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR FATHERS UNDERSTOOD NOT - They did not fully comprehend the design of the divine dealings. They did not perceive the greatness of the favor shown to them, or the obligation to obey and serve God under which they were placed by these remarkable manifestations. THY WONDERS IN EGYPT - The miracles... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, HE SAVED THEM FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE - For the promotion of his own honor and glory; that it might be seen that he is powerful and merciful. This is constantly given as the reason why God saves people; why he forgives sin; why he redeems the soul; why he delivers from danger and from deat... [ Continue Reading ]
HE REBUKED THE RED SEA ALSO - The word rendered “rebuke” commonly means to chide - as when one is angry with another for having done wrong. Here it is evidently a poetic term, meaning that he spake “as if” he were angry; or “as if” the Red Sea did wrong in presenting an obstacle or obstruction to th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAVED THEM FROM THE HAND OF HIM THAT HATED THEM - From Pharaoh. By making a path through the waters, they were enabled to escape; by the overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red Sea, they were completely and forever delivered from their oppressors. Exodus 14:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WATERS COVERED THEIR ENEMIES ... - Exodus 14:27; Exodus 15:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN BELIEVED THEY HIS WORDS - In immediate view of his interpositions in their behalf in conducting them through the Red Sea, and in the destruction of their enemies. THEY SANG HIS PRAISE - In the song composed by Moses on the occasion of their deliverance. Exodus 15.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SOON FORGAT HIS WORKS - On Psalms 106:13, see the notes at Psalms 78:17. Literally, here, as in the margin, “They made haste, they forgat.” They did it soon; did it without any delay. It was as if they were impatient to have it done. THEY WAITED NOT FOR HIS COUNSEL - For the fulfillment of his... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT LUSTED EXCEEDINGLY IN THE WILDERNESS - Margin, as in Hebrew, “lusted a lust.” The reference is to their desire of better food than the manna. AND TEMPTED GOD IN THE DESERT - Tried God, whether he “could” provide for them food and drink. Psalms 78:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE GAVE THEM THEIR REQUEST - By sending great quantities of quails. Numbers 11:31. BUT SENT LEANNESS INTO THEIR SOUL - The word translated “leanness” is from a verb - רזה _râzeh_ - to make thin; to cause to waste away; to destroy. The radical idea is that of abrading or “scraping;” and hence, i... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ENVIED MOSES ALSO IN THE CAMP - They were envious of him, or rebelled against him, as assuming too much authority. See Numbers 16:1. The reference here is rather to the “result” of that envy in producing rebellion than to the envy itself. It is true, however, that the foundation of their opposi... [ Continue Reading ]
On these verses see Numbers 16:31. This refers to the time when they rebelled against Moses.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY MADE A CALF IN HOREB - Exodus 32:4. Probably in resemblance of the Egyptian god “Apis.” The image was made by Aaron out of materials furnished by the people, and at their request Exodus 32:1, so that it might be said to be the act of the people. AND WORSHIPPED THE MOLTEN IMAGE - The word rende... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS THEY CHANGED THEIR GLORY - Their true glory - the proper object of worship - God. Compare the notes at Romans 1:23. They “exchanged” that as an object of worship for the image of an ox. INTO THE SIMILITUDE OF AN OX THAT EATETH GRASS - Into the likeness of an ox. That is, They worshipped God und... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY FORGAT GOD THEIR SAVIOUR ... - The God who had saved, or delivered them, out of Egypt. The sentiment here is the same as in Psalms 78:11. See the notes at that place.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HE SAID THAT HE WOULD DESTROY THEM - See Exodus 32:10. He threatened to destroy them, and he would have done it, if Moses had not interposed and pleaded for them. There was nothing strange or very unusual in this. Many a descending curse upon guilty people is turned away by prayer, and by... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THEY DESPISED THE PLEASANT LAND - Margin, as in Hebrew, “land of desire.” That is, a country “to be desired,” - a country whose situation, climate, productions, made it desirable as a place of abode. Such Palestine was always represented to be to the children of Israel (Leviticus 20:24; Numbers... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MURMURED IN THEIR TENTS ... - Numbers 14:2, Numbers 14:27. They complained of Moses; they complained of their food; they complained of the hardships of their journey; they complained of God. They did this when “in their tents;” when they had a comfortable home; when safe; when provided for; when... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HE LIFTED UP HIS HAND AGAINST THEM - Numbers 14:27. He resolved to cut them off, so that none of them should reach the promised land. TO OVERTHROW THEM IN THE WILDERNESS - literally, to cause them to “fall.”... [ Continue Reading ]
TO OVERTHROW THEIR SEED ALSO AMONG THE NATIONS - Margin, as in Hebrew, “to make them fall;” to wit, among the surrounding people. The reference here is to the posterity of those who complained and fell in the wilderness. The result of their rebellion and complaining would not terminate with them. It... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY JOINED THEMSELVES ALSO UNTO BAAL-PEOR - They joined in their devotions, or, they shared in the rites of idolatrous worship. This occurred when they were in the regions of Moab, and on the very borders of the promised land. Numbers 25. Many other instances of a similar kind are passed over by th... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS THEY PROVOKED HIM TO ANGER WITH THEIR INVENTIONS - The word rendered “inventions” means properly “works; deeds;” then it is used in the sense of “evil” deeds, crimes. AND THE PLAGUE BRAKE IN UPON THEM - See Numbers 25:8. No less than twenty-four thousand fell in the plague. Numbers 25:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN STOOD UP PHINEHAS, AND EXECUTED JUDGMENT ... - Inflicted summary punishment upon a principal offender. Numbers 25:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS - See Numbers 25:11. Compare the notes at Romans 4:3. The meaning here is, that this was regarded as a “proof” or “demonstration” that he was a righteous man - a man fearing God. UNTO ALL GENERATIONS FOR EVERMORE - Hebrew, “To generation and generation... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ANGERED HIM ALSO AT THE WATERS OF STRIFE - Numbers 20:3. They complained of the lack of water. They wished that they had died as others had done. They murmured against God as if he could not supply their needs. They showed an unbelieving and rebellious spirit - provoking God, and tempting Moses... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY PROVOKED HIS SPIRIT - literally, “They made his spirit bitter,” or they embittered his soul. They threw him off his guard, so that instead of manifesting the meekness and gentleness which so eminently characterized him in general (see Numbers 12:3), he gave way to expressions of anger.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DID NOT DESTROY THE NATIONS - The Canaanites, Hivites, Jebusites, etc.; the nations that inhabited the land of Canaan. CONCERNING WHOM THE LORD COMMANDED THEM - The command on this subject was positive; and it was to destroy them, to spare none of them. Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteron... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WERE MINGLED AMONG THE HEATHEN - Among the nations; by intermarriage, and by commerce. They suffered them to remain in the land, contrary to the command of God, and thus greatly exposed and endangered the purity of their religion and their own morals. See Judges 2:2; Judges 3:5. AND LEARNED THEI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SERVED THEIR IDOLS - Judges 2:12, Judges 2:17, Judges 2:19; Judges 3:6. WHICH WERE A SNARE UNTO THEM - Like the snares or toils by which birds and wild beasts are caught. That is, they were taken unawares; they were in danger when they did not perceive it; they fell when they thought themse... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THEY SACRIFICED THEIR SONS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS - See 2 Kings 16:3; Ezekiel 16:20; Ezekiel 20:31; Isaiah 57:5. UNTO DEVILS - Hebrew, שׁדים _shêdiym_. The Septuagint, δαιμονίοις _daimoniois_, “demons.” So the Vulgate, _“daemoniis.”_ The word is used only in the plural number, and is applied to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHED INNOCENT BLOOD ... - The blood of those who had committed no crime; who did not “deserve” the treatment which they received. That is, they were sacrificed “as” innocent persons, and “because” it was believed that they “were” innocent: the pure for the impure; the holy for the unholy. It was... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WERE THEY DEFILED WITH THEIR OWN WORKS - By their very attempts to deliver themselves from sin. They were corrupt, and the consciousness that they were sinners led them to the commission of even greater enormities in attempting to expiate their guilt, even by the sacrifice of their own sons and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WAS THE WRATH OF THE LORD KINDLED AGAINST HIS PEOPLE - Anger is often compared with a fire; as we say now, a man is “inflamed” with passion. See Esther 1:12; Lamentations 2:3; Psalms 79:5; Psalms 89:46; Jeremiah 4:4; Judges 2:14. Of course, this must be taken in a manner appropriate to God... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE GAVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF THE HEATHEN - That is, of foreign nations. They were indeed “pagans,” in the sense in which that term is used now - that is, they were ignorant of the true God, and worshipped idols; but that idea is not necessarily in the original word. The word “Gentiles” expresse... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR ENEMIES ALSO OPPRESSED THEM - Septuagint, “Afflicted them,” They invaded their country; they destroyed their vintages; they laid desolate their land; they made them captives. AND THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO SUBJECTION - Hebrew, made to bow.... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY TIMES DID HE DELIVER THEM - From danger of invasion; from foreign arms; from entire overthrow. Numerous instances of this are recorded in the history of the Hebrew people. BUT THEY PROVOKED HIM WITH THEIR COUNSEL - This does not mean that they gave counsel or advice to God; but it refers to th... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, HE REGARDED THEIR AFFLICTION - literally, “And he looked upon the trouble that was upon them;” or, “and he saw in the distress to them.” The meaning is, that he did not turn away from it; he saw the need of interposition, and he came to them. WHEN HE HEARD THEIR CRY - literally, “In h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE REMEMBERED FOR THEM HIS COVENANT - His solemn promises made to their fathers. He remembered that covenant in their behalf; or, on account of that, he came and blessed them. He had made gracious promises to the patriarchs; he had promised to be the God of their posterity; he had his own great... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE THEM ALSO TO BE PITIED OF ALL THOSE THAT CARRIED THEM CAPTIVES - That is, he exercised such control over the minds of the pagan that they were willing to show them mercy and to release them. It was not by any native tenderness on the part of the pagan; it was not because they were disposed o... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE US, O LORD OUR GOD, AND GATHER US FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN - From among the nations. From this it would seem that the psalm was composed when the nation was in captivity, or was dispersed among the nations that were hostile to them. The prayer is, that as God had, in former periods, recovered his... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING - Forever. As he has been adored in the past - even from the beginning of the creation - so let him be adored and praised in all periods to come - forever and forever. See the notes at Psalms 41:13. AND LET ALL THE PEOPLE SAY, AMEN -... [ Continue Reading ]