PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Psalms
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 746,590 words · 1615 reading sections
Psalms 74:12
Psalms 74:12 Ver. 12. For God is my King of old,.... Or "but God", or "verily God", &c. {d}; for these words contain the church's consolation under all the above melancholy circumstances, taken from what God was, and had been to her, even Christ, who is God over all; he was her King by the constitution and designation…
124 wordsSECTION 782Ps 46:1
Ps 46:1 working salvation in the midst of the earth; it is "salvations" {e} in the plural number, and means both spiritual and eternal salvation, which the Lord has wrought out; and is continually applying to his people; and temporal salvation, which the Lord has been and is daily working out; he continually protectin…
247 wordsSECTION 783Psalms 74:13
Psalms 74:13 Ver. 13. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength,.... This and the following instances from hence to Ps 74:18 are proofs of God's working salvation in the midst of the earth; some of them seem peculiar to the people of Israel, and others are benefits common to mankind in general; which the church makes …
3,031 wordsSECTION 784Psalms 75:1
Psalms 75:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 75 To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm [or] Song of Asaph. Of the word "altaschith", See Gill on "Ps 57:1", it signifies "do not destroy", or "do not corrupt"; the Targum renders it, "do not destroy thy people;'' so Jarchi, "do not destroy Israel;'' perhaps it may be consi…
764 wordsSECTION 785Psalms 75:2
Psalms 75:2 Ver. 2. When I shall receive the congregation,.... Some render it, from the Arabic signification of the word, "the promise" {o}; the Spirit promised, the gifts of the Spirit, which Christ received for men, and gave to men, whereby he executes the judgment or government of the church committed to him: other…
352 wordsSECTION 786Psalms 75:3
Psalms 75:3 Ver. 3. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved,.... Or "melted" {p}; the inhabitants, through fear and dread of the righteous Judge, appearing in the clouds of heaven, and of the wrath that is coming on they are deserving of; and the earth, through fire, when the heavens being on fire shal…
273 wordsSECTION 787Psalms 75:4
Psalms 75:4 Ver. 4. I said unto the fools,.... To the vain gloriosos, proud boasters, mockers, and scoffers at the day of judgment, and burning of the world: deal not foolishly; by glorying in themselves, boasting of their riches, and trusting in them; singing a requiem to themselves on account of their abundance, an…
151 wordsSECTION 788Psalms 75:5
Psalms 75:5 Ver. 5. Lift not up your horn on high,.... Or "against the most High" {q}; as the little horn, or the beast with ten horns, antichrist, does, whose look is more stout than his fellows, and opens his mouth in blasphemy against God, his name, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, Da 7:8, speak [not…
124 wordsSECTION 789Psalms 75:6
Psalms 75:6 Ver. 6. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. It is not from men, from themselves, or others, or from any quarter under the heavens, but from God; it is he that raises men to high places, and sets them there, which are often slippery ones: by him kings reign; th…
547 wordsSECTION 790Psalms 75:7
Psalms 75:7 Ver. 7. But God is the Judge,.... Or "because God is the Judge" {u}; and so this is another reason why fools should not deal foolishly, nor wicked men lift up the horn, and speak with a stiff neck, because there is a Judge to whom they are accountable for their words and actions; and this Judge is God omni…
395 wordsSECTION 791Psalms 75:8
Psalms 75:8 Ver. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup,.... Another reason why men should not act haughtily and arrogantly; for by the cup are meant afflictions, calamities, and judgments, which are measured out in proportion to men's sins, and are of God's appointing, and in his hands, and at his disposal an…
263 wordsSECTION 792Psalms 75:9
Psalms 75:9 Ver. 9. But I will declare for ever,.... These are not the words of the psalmist, but of Christ, who is all along speaking in the psalm; what he would declare is not expressed, and is to be supplied in sense thus; either that he would declare the wonderful works of God, Ps 75:1, so the Targum, his thoughts…
150 wordsSECTION 793Psalms 75:10
Psalms 75:10 Ver. 10. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off,.... Therefore let them not lift up the horn on high: "horns" denote the power and authority of wicked men, their kingdoms and states; both Rome Pagan and Rome Papal are said to have ten horns, which are interpreted of ten kings or kingdoms; and whi…
281 wordsSECTION 794Psalms 76:1
Psalms 76:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 76 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song of Asaph. The Targum is, "by the hand of Asaph:'' concerning "neginoth", see the title of Ps 4:1, this psalm is generally thought to be written on account of some great appearance of God for the Jews, or victory obtained by th…
742 wordsSECTION 795Psalms 76:2
Psalms 76:2 Ver. 2. In Salem also is his tabernacle,.... That is, in Jerusalem, as the Targum expresses it, where the tabernacle of Moses and the ark of the covenant were, and afterwards the temple of Solomon, which the Targum here calls the house of the sanctuary; and may be interpreted of the human nature of Christ,…
215 wordsSECTION 796Psalms 76:3
Psalms 76:3 Ver. 3. There brake he the arrows of the bow.... The Targum is, "there brake he the arrows and the bows of the people that make war;'' the word ypvr, translated "arrows", signifies "sparks or coals of fire"; see Job 5:7 and is used of arrows, because they fly swiftly, as sparks do, or because of their br…
267 wordsSECTION 797Psalms 76:4
Psalms 76:4 Ver. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. Which is to be understood not of Zion, as some interpret it; though it is true that the mountain of Zion, or the church of Christ, his kingdom and interest, shall in the latter day be more glorious and excellent than all other mountai…
343 wordsSECTION 798Psalms 76:5
Psalms 76:5 Ver. 5. The stout hearted are spoiled,.... The Assyrian army, its officers and generals, that came up against Jerusalem, with great resolution and courage, and with daring impiety and blasphemy against the God of heaven, as Rabshakeh and others; these were spoiled, and their armour and riches became a prey…
603 wordsSECTION 799Psalms 76:6
Psalms 76:6 Ver. 6. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,.... The God of Jacob personally, and of his posterity, the children of Israel, and of the church, often so called who rebukes his people in love, but his enemies with furious rebukes, with rebukes in flames of fire; with such he rebukes the Heathen, destroys the wicke…
218 wordsSECTION 800Psalms 76:7
Psalms 76:7 Ver. 7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared,.... By his own people with reverence and godly fear, because of his greatness and goodness; and to be dreaded by his enemies; which seems to be the sense here, as appears by what follows: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? or "from the momen…
176 wordsSECTION 801Psalms 76:8
Psalms 76:8 Ver. 8. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven,.... When an angel was sent down from heaven, and destroyed the Assyrian army, a judgment of God upon them; at which time some think there was a violent clap of thunder, which is the voice of God: and it may refer to the judgments which God has decr…
321 wordsSECTION 802Psalms 76:9
Psalms 76:9 Ver. 9. When God arose to judgment,.... He may sometimes seem to be asleep, and to defer judgment, but he will arise and hasten it in his own time, and will take vengeance on all his and his people's enemies, as he did upon the army of the Assyrians, and will upon the antichristian powers, and upon all the…
185 wordsSECTION 803Psalms 76:10
Psalms 76:10 Ver. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee,.... Either the wrath which comes from God, and has man for its object; and that either as it regards the people of God; so the Targum, "when thou art angry with thy people, thou hast mercy on them, and they shall confess unto thy name;'' or praise thee…
627 wordsSECTION 804Psalms 76:11
Psalms 76:11 Ver. 11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God,.... Not monastic vows, which the Papists would infer from these and such like words; nor ceremonial ones, but spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, such as men sometimes make in times of distress, or when delivered, Ps 66:13 and which when vowed oug…
341 wordsSECTION 805Psalms 76:12
Psalms 76:12 Ver. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes,.... The pride of their spirits, as the Targum, humble their proud spirits, and bring them down; or dispirit them, take away their courage from them, upon which they flee apace to rocks and mountains to cover them; or confound them, blast their schemes, and …
242 wordsSECTION 806Psalms 77:1
Psalms 77:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 77 To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. Jeduthun was the name of the chief musician, to whom this psalm was inscribed and sent; see 1Ch 25:1, though Aben Ezra takes it to be the first word of some song, to the tune of which this was sung; and the Midrash interprets i…
293 wordsSECTION 807Psalms 77:2
Psalms 77:2 Ver. 2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord,.... Not the creature, for help, and creature amusements to drive away trouble, but the Lord, in private, by prayer and supplication; a time of trouble is a time for prayer, Jas 5:13, all men have their trouble, but the people of God more especially; and t…
476 wordsSECTION 808Psalms 77:3
Psalms 77:3 Ver. 3. I remembered God, and was troubled,.... Either the mercy, grace, and goodness of God, as Jarchi; how ungrateful he had been to him, how sadly he had requited him, how unthankful and unholy he was, notwithstanding so much kindness; and when he called this to mind it troubled him; or when he remember…
241 wordsSECTION 809Psalms 77:4
Psalms 77:4 Ver. 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking,.... Or, "the watches", or rather "keepers of the eyes" {m}; the eyebrows, which protect the eyes; these were held, so that he could not shut them, and get any sleep; so R. Moses Haccohen interprets the words, as Jarchi observes; and so the Targum, "thou holdest the b…
230 wordsSECTION 810Psalms 77:5
Psalms 77:5 Ver. 5. I have considered the days of old,.... Either the former part of his life, the various occurrences of it, how it had been with him in time past, what experience he had had of the divine goodness; so the Syriac version renders it, "I have considered my days of old"; or the preceding age, and what ha…
288 wordsSECTION 811Psalms 77:6
Psalms 77:6 Ver. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night,.... What had been an occasion of praising the Lord with a song, and which he had sung in the night seasons, when he was at leisure, his thoughts free, and he retired from company; or it now being night with him, he endeavoured to recollect what had been m…
180 wordsSECTION 812Psalms 77:7
Psalms 77:7 Ver. 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever?.... The Syriac version of this, and the two following verses, is not by way of interrogation, but affirmation: "the Lord hath forgotten me for ever, nor will he", &c. and so expresses the language of unbelief; but the Arabic version, in connection with the last word…
445 wordsSECTION 813Psalms 77:8
Psalms 77:8 Ver. 8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever?.... Or "his grace" {q}; and mercy is no other than grace to objects in misery; Unbelief says it is gone, that no more will be shown, and that the treasures of it are exhausted; but Faith says it is not gone, and observes that God is the God of all grace, is rich in…
411 wordsSECTION 814Psalms 77:9
Psalms 77:9 Ver. 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious,.... He has not, is it possible that he should? as the Targum; it is not; he cannot forget the purposes of his grace and mercy, nor the covenant and promises of it, nor people the objects of it; and much less can he for his grace and mercy itself, so agreeable to h…
199 wordsSECTION 815Psalms 77:10
Psalms 77:10 Ver. 10. And I said, this is my infirmity,.... Referring either to what he had said in the preceding verses; and which is to be considered either as checking and correcting himself for what he had said, and acknowledging his evil in it; and it is as if he had said, this is a sin against God, that I am gui…
706 wordsSECTION 816Psalms 77:11
Psalms 77:11 Ver. 11. I will remember the works of the Lord,.... His works of creation and providence, his government of the world, and particularly his regard for his own people, and his preservation of them, especially the people of Israel, whom he had not cast off, nor would and so might serve to strengthen his fai…
238 wordsSECTION 817Psalms 77:12
Psalms 77:12 Ver. 12. I will meditate also of all thy work,.... Or "works" {t}, which were many; he desired not to forget any of them, but remember the multitude of his tender mercies, and not only call them to mind, but dwell upon them in his meditations and contemplations, in order to gain some relief by them under …
144 wordsSECTION 818Psalms 77:13
Psalms 77:13 Ver. 13. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary,.... Or "in holiness" {y}; that is, is holy, so the Syriac version, and to which the Targum agrees. "O God, how holy are thy ways,'' see Ps 145:17, or "in the sanctuary", the temple, the church of God, where he takes his walks, and manifests himself, and wher…
130 wordsSECTION 819Psalms 77:14
Psalms 77:14 Ver. 14. Thou art the God that doest wonders,.... In nature, providence, and grace; it seems chiefly to regard what was done for the Israelites in Egypt, and in the wilderness, see Ps 78:12,thou hast declared thy strength among the people; the nations of the world, who heard what the Lord did for Israel b…
1,352 wordsSECTION 820Psalms 78:1
Psalms 78:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 78 Maschil of Asaph. Or for "Asaph" {f}; a doctrinal and "instructive" psalm, as the word "Maschil" signifies; see Ps 32:1, which was delivered to Asaph to be sung; the Targum is, "the understanding of the Holy Spirit by the hands of Asaph.'' Some think David was the penman of it; …
632 wordsSECTION 821Psalms 78:2
Psalms 78:2 Ver. 2. I will open my mouth,.... Speak freely, boldly, and without reserve, Eph 6:19, so Christ opened his mouth, Mt 5:2, in a parable; not that what follows in this psalm was such, but what were delivered by our Lord in the days of his flesh, who spake many parables; as of the sower, and of tares, and o…
409 wordsSECTION 822Psalms 78:3
Psalms 78:3 Ver. 3. Which we have heard and known,.... The change of number from "I" to "we" have made some think that the disciples of Christ are here introduced speaking; but there is no need to suppose that, since our Lord uses the same form of speech, Joh 3:11, and our fathers have told us; this may not only rega…
202 wordsSECTION 823Psalms 78:4
Psalms 78:4 Ver. 4. We will not hide them from their children,.... The children of the Jewish fathers, but faithfully publish and declare them, as Christ and his apostles did; or the children of God and Christ, their spiritual seed and offspring: showing to the generation to come; and so in all successive ages, by th…
251 wordsSECTION 824Psalms 78:5
Psalms 78:5 Ver. 5. For he established a testimony in Jacob,.... So the law is called, being a testification of the divine will, Ex 25:16 and the Scriptures, the writings of the Old Testament, which testify of Christ, his person, office, sufferings, and death, Isa 8:20 and particularly the Gospel, which is the testimo…
383 wordsSECTION 825Psalms 78:6
Psalms 78:6 Ver. 6. That the generation to come might know them,.... Not only notionally, but spiritually and experimentally; which is the case, when human teachings are attended with the spirit of wisdom and revertion in the knowledge of divine truths; for the truths of the Gospel are unknown to men; the Gospel is hi…
238 wordsSECTION 826Psalms 78:7
Psalms 78:7 Ver. 7. That they might set their hope in God,.... And not in the creature, nor in any creature enjoyment; see Job 31:24, the Lord is the only proper object of hope and confidence; Christ, who is truly God, is the hope of his people, and in him they place it, as they have great reason to do; since with him…
298 wordsSECTION 827Psalms 78:8
Psalms 78:8 Ver. 8. And might not be as their fathers,.... This chiefly respects the Jews in Christ's time: though it also is an admonition to them in succeeding ages, and especially in the latter day, when they shall be instructed, called, and converted; and even to us, to whom the Gospel is preached, on whom the end…
216 wordsSECTION 828Psalms 78:9
Psalms 78:9 Ver. 9. The children of Ephraim being armed, and carrying bows,.... Or "casting" arrows out of the "bow" {a}; they went out well armed to meet the enemy, and they trusted in their armour, and not in the Lord; and being skilful in throwing darts, or shooting arrows, promised themselves victory: but turned …
419 wordsSECTION 829Psalms 78:10
Psalms 78:10 Ver. 10. They kept not the covenant of God,.... Either the covenant of circumcision, which was neglected during their travels through the wilderness, Jos 5:5 or the covenant made with the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, Ex 24:7 and this is to be understood not of the children of Ephraim only, but of the …
176 wordsSECTION 830Psalms 78:11
Psalms 78:11 Ver. 11. And forgat his works, and his wonders,.... That is, his wonderful works, the miracles he wrought in their favour, and for their deliverance, afterwards particularly mentioned; these were not only forgotten in the next generation, Jud 15:10, but in a few years, yea, in a few months, nay, in a few …
108 wordsSECTION 831Psalms 78:12
Psalms 78:12 Ver. 12. Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers,.... The Targum is, "before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes of their fathers, he did marvellous things;'' but these were dead before this time; the Jews have a fancy, that these were brought to the sea, and placed upon it; and the…
13,511 wordsSECTION 832Psalms 79:1
Psalms 79:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 79 A Psalm of Asaph. This psalm was not written by one Asaph, who is supposed to live after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, or, according to some, even after the times of Antiochus, of whom there is no account, nor any certainty that there ever was such a man in those …
1,181 wordsSECTION 833Psalms 79:2
Psalms 79:2 Ver. 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven,.... For such there were, both at the time of the Babylonish captivity, and in the times of Antiochus, who were good men, and served the Lord, and yet suffered in the common calamity. Nicanor, a general of Demet…
246 wordsSECTION 834Psalms 79:3
Psalms 79:3 Ver. 3. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem,.... Without any concern of mind, or remorse of conscience; without any fear of God or man; as if it had been so much water only; and this they shed in great abundance: from the Apocrypha: "And when he had taken all away, he went into his…
247 wordsSECTION 835Psalms 79:4
Psalms 79:4 Ver. 4. We are become a reproach to our neighbours,.... That is, those that remained; so the Jews were to the Edomites, especially at the time of the Babylonish captivity, Ps 137:7, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us; as the Christians in all ages have been to the men of the world, and e…
77 wordsSECTION 836Psalms 79:5
Psalms 79:5 Ver. 5. How long, Lord, wilt thou be angry? for ever?.... That is, how long wilt thou be angry? shall it be for ever? see Ps 85:4, for though what was done, or to be done, as before related, was or will be done by the enemies of the Lord's people, yet by his permission, and as a token of his anger and disp…
172 wordsSECTION 837Psalms 79:6
Psalms 79:6 Ver. 6. Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that have not known thee,.... Who had poured out the blood of the saints like water, and therefore it was a righteous thing with God to pour out the cup of wrath in his hands, and cause them to drink the dregs of it: these words, though they are in the form of an…
208 wordsSECTION 838Psalms 79:7
Psalms 79:7 Ver. 7. For they have devoured Jacob,.... The posterity of Jacob, the people of the Jews, typical of the church of God, made havoc of by the Romish antichrist: and laid waste his dwelling place; both Jerusalem and the temple, which was done both by the Chaldeans and the Romans, and also in the times of Ant…
202 wordsSECTION 839Psalms 79:8
Psalms 79:8 Ver. 8. O remember not against us former iniquities,.... Or, "our ancient iniquities", as the Septuagint; the most ancient sin of all is that of our first parents, in which we are involved, and by which we are made sinners; and for which judgment comes upon all men; and from thence flows the corruption of …
564 wordsSECTION 840Psalms 79:9
Psalms 79:9 Ver. 9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name,.... Help us out of the troubles in which we are; enable us to bear them with patience, and without murmuring, while it is thy pleasure to continue them; assist us against our powerful enemies, and strengthen us to do our duty; afford us mo…
341 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.