INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 115 This psalm is by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, joined to the former, and makes one psalm with it: and Kimchi says, that in some books the psalm does not begin here; but in the best and correct copies of the Hebrew, and in the Targum,... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT UNTO US, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT UNTO THY NAME GIVE GLORY,.... There is no glory due to men; no, not to the best of men, not to be given them on any account whatever; neither on account of things natural, civil, and temporal, nor on account of things spiritual and eternal; but all to be given t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE SHOULD THE HEATHEN SAY,.... The nations about Israel, the nations of the world; the Gentiles in any age; the Papists in ours, sometimes called the Heathen, Psalms 10:16. The church expostulates with the Lord why those should be suffered to say, in a reproachful, insulting, manner, and by w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT OUR GOD IS IN THE HEAVENS,.... His habitation is in the heavens, as the Targum; the Septuagint and Arabic versions add, "and in earth": he is in both, and fills both with his presence; and cannot be contained in either. He is the Maker and Possessor of heaven and earth; the one is his throne, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR IDOLS ARE SILVER AND GOLD,.... The idols of the Gentiles; so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions. The gods they serve and worship are not in the heavens; but the matter of which they are made is dug out of the earth: and this is the greatest excellency and valu... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE MOUTHS, BUT THEY SPEAK NOT,.... These idols are carved with mouths, but they make no use of them; if any cry to them for they cannot answer them, nor save them from their troubles. Baal's priests cried to their idol, but was no voice heard, nor answer returned; they are rightly called dumb... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE EARS, BUT THEY HEAR NOT,.... The makers of them have taken care to place a pair of ears to their heads, but could not convey the faculty of hearing to them; so that though their priests may cry from morning to noon, as Baal's worshippers did, saying, O Baal, hear us; and even tonight, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE HANDS, BUT THEY HANDLE NOT,.... So as to feel any thing that is put into their hands; they cannot make use of their hands to stretch them out, and receive anything from their worshippers; nor can they give anything to them: but our God receives and accepts the sacrifices of his people, the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT MAKE THEM ARE LIKE UNTO THEM,.... As stupid as the matter of which they are made; as sottish and as senseless as the idols themselves, see Isaiah 44:9. Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it as a petition, "let them that make them be like unto them"; and so the Targum, the Septuagint, Vulgate L... [ Continue Reading ]
O ISRAEL, TRUST THOU IN THE LORD,.... Or, "the house of Israel hath trusted in the Lord": so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions: the Targum is, "Israel trusteth in the Word of the Lord;'' in distinction from the Heathens, that trust in their idols. But it is bette... [ Continue Reading ]
O HOUSE OF AARON, TRUST IN THE LORD,.... The family of the tribe of Levi, that was separated from the rest, to minister in the priest's office, to offer gifts and sacrifices for the people, and to bless them; and therefore ought to trust in the Lord, and set a good example to others: as ministers of... [ Continue Reading ]
YE THAT FEAR THE LORD, TRUST IN THE LORD,.... Which is said not to distinguish true saints from hypocrites, in Israel or in Aaron's house; rather to describe such who belonged to neither: but, as Aben Ezra interprets it, who feared the Lord, of every people and nation; or proselytes, as Jarchi expla... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH BEEN MINDFUL OF US,.... The Targum is, "the Word of the Lord hath remembered us for good.'' And is another reason why his people should trust in him: he has been mindful of his covenant with them and promises to them, and has kept them; he remembered them in their low estate, and sen... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL BLESS THEM THAT FEAR THE LORD,.... They shall want no good thing now, and have much goodness laid up for them to be enjoyed hereafter; the sun of righteousness rises upon them, and a book of remembrance is written on their account; the Lord delights in them, his eye is upon them; and they ar... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL INCREASE YOU MORE AND MORE,.... The Word of the Lord, as the Targum, shall do it; in a temporal sense, with a numerous posterity, with riches, wealth, and honour; and in a spiritual sense, with an addition of spiritual blessings; with renewed instances of divine layout: with an increa... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU ARE BLESSED OF THE LORD,.... The Arabic version reads it, "we are blessed"; with temporal and with spiritual blessings; being the beloved of the Lord, chosen of him; whose sins are pardoned, whose persons are justified by the righteousness of Christ; who are put among the children of God, and ar... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEAVEN, EVEN THE HEAVENS, ARE THE LORD'S,.... Not only the visible heavens, the airy and starry regions, which are within our sight; but the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, into which the Apostle Paul was caught, and heard and saw things not to be uttered; and which is, as the Targum expres... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DEAD PRAISE NOT THE LORD,.... Not the dead in sin; such as the makers of idols, and those that trust in them, who are like unto them; men must be made spiritually alive, ere they can show forth the praises of God: nor the dead corporeally. The souls of departed saints can and do praise the Lord:... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WE WILL BLESS THE LORD FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOR EVERMORE,.... The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, render it, "we who are alive"; both in a corporeal and in a spiritual sense who, as long as we live, and while we have a being, will bless the Lord; being made spiritua... [ Continue Reading ]