PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Psalms
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 746,590 words · 1615 reading sections
Psalms 128:4
Psalms 128:4 Ver. 4. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. In the manner before described, and in the instances already given, as well as in the following; this is said to raise attention, and fix a sense of the blessedness of such persons; and who are further addressed, and pronounced happ…
62 wordsSECTION 1382Psalms 128:5
Psalms 128:5 Ver. 5. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion,.... The church of God, where he dwells, out of which he shines, even the Word of the Lord, as the Targum in the king's Bible; and where he commands his blessings of grace to descend on his people, even life for evermore, Ps 133:3. Here he blesses them with hi…
208 wordsSECTION 1383Psalms 128:6
Psalms 128:6 Ver. 6. Yea, thou shall see thy children's children,.... A numerous race of descendants from him, which are the crown and glory of old men, Pr 17:6; this is also true of Christ's spiritual children by his church in successive ages, Isa 59:21; [and] peace upon Israel: all kind of prosperity, temporal and …
128 wordsSECTION 1384Psalms 129:1
Psalms 129:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 129 A Song of degrees. This psalm was written in later times, after many of the distresses of Israel; very probably upon the Jews return from the Babylonish captivity, by Ezra, or some other godly person. Aben Ezra says the psalmist speaks in the language of Israel in captivity; and…
674 wordsSECTION 1385Psalms 129:2
Psalms 129:2 Ver. 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth,.... This is repeated for the confirmation of it, to excite attention to it, and to express the vehement affection of the speaker; yet they have not prevailed against me; the Egyptians could not prevail against literal Israel; the more they were af…
227 wordsSECTION 1386Psalms 129:3
Psalms 129:3 Ver. 3. The ploughers ploughed upon my back,.... "Sinners", as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, render it; such that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, Job 4:8; which may be understood of their carrying Israel captive, when they put yokes and bonds upon their necks, as upon oxen when …
316 wordsSECTION 1387Psalms 129:4
Psalms 129:4 Ver. 4. The Lord [is] righteous,.... Or gracious and merciful; hence acts of mercy are called righteousness in the Hebrew language; the Lord has compassion on his people under their afflictions, and delivers them; or is faithful to his promises of salvation to them, and just and righteous to render tribul…
168 wordsSECTION 1388Psalms 129:5
Psalms 129:5 Ver. 5. Let them all be confounded,.... Or "ashamed": as all the enemies of God's people will be sooner or later, either in this world, or however when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven; or let them be disappointed of their views, aims, and ends, when they will be confounded, as disappointed perso…
181 wordsSECTION 1389Psalms 129:6
Psalms 129:6 Ver. 6. Let them be as the grass [upon] the housetops,.... The tops of the houses in Judea were flat, and so grass grew upon them, being covered with plaster of terrace; though it was but small and weak, and being on high was exposed to the scorching sun, and soon withered {b}; and Menochius says {c} he s…
489 wordsSECTION 1390Psalms 129:7
Psalms 129:7 Ver. 7. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand,.... Such grass never rises high enough to be mowed, nor is of that account to have such pains taken with it; nor the quantity so large as to fill a mower's hand, and carry it away in his arms; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom; when corn is mowed or r…
153 wordsSECTION 1391Psalms 129:8
Psalms 129:8 Ver. 8. Neither do they which go by say, the blessing of the Lord [be] upon you,.... As was usual with passengers, when they went by where mowers, and reapers, and binders, were at work in the field in harvest time; who used to wish the presence and blessing of God with them, and upon their labours; and w…
174 wordsSECTION 1392Psalms 130:1
Psalms 130:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 130 A Song of degrees. This psalm is by some thought to have been written by David either when persecuted by Saul, and in great distress, and fearful he should perish by him; or else when in great distress of mind because of sin, after the affair of Bathsheba; and it is reckoned the…
532 wordsSECTION 1393Psalms 130:2
Psalms 130:2 Ver. 2. Lord, hear my voice,.... His prayer, which was vocal: God is a God hearing prayer; sometimes his people think he does not hear them; but he always does, and in his own time answers; for to hear prayer with him is to answer it; which he does likewise in his own way as well as time; and not always i…
136 wordsSECTION 1394Psalms 130:3
Psalms 130:3 Ver. 3. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities,.... Or "observe" {f} them. Not but that God does observe the sins of men: he sees all the evil actions of bad men done in the dark, which cannot hide them from him; and all the iniquities of good men, so as to correct and chastise for them, but not with hi…
382 wordsSECTION 1395Psalms 130:4
Psalms 130:4 Ver. 4. But [there is] forgiveness with thee,.... And with God only; not with angels, nor any of the sons of men; and which flows from his grace and mercy, through the blood of his Son. It appears to be with him by his promise of it in covenant; by appointing his Son to shed his blood for it, and exalting…
412 wordsSECTION 1396Psalms 130:5
Psalms 130:5 Ver. 5. I wait for the Lord,.... For his gracious presence and the light of his countenance, being in darkness, as well as in the deep; for his salvation and deliverance out of the depths of distress; for an answer of prayer, having cried unto him for application of pardoning grace he had some view and ho…
309 wordsSECTION 1397Psalms 130:6
Psalms 130:6 Ver. 6. My soul [waiteth] for the Lord,.... This is repeated for the confirmation of it, and to show the vehement and constant disposition of his mind towards the Lord; as well as for the sake of what follows: more than they that watch for the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning; …
343 wordsSECTION 1398Psalms 130:7
Psalms 130:7 Ver. 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord,.... The psalmist having himself hope in the Lord and in his word, through a view of forgiveness with him, exhorts and encourages others to do so likewise, even every Israelite indeed; and such may comfortably hope in him for salvation, which was designed, contrived, pr…
518 wordsSECTION 1399Psalms 130:8
Psalms 130:8 Ver. 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. The Lord shall do it; in whom Israel is encouraged to hope; with whom grace and redemption were; or who was appointed to be the Redeemer. Redemption was then future, when these words were said, but certain, by the promise of God and agreement of …
142 wordsSECTION 1400Psalms 131:1
Psalms 131:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 131 A Song of degrees of David. This psalm was written by David in his younger days, before he came to the throne; while he was in Saul's court, or persecuted by him. The occasion of it, as is generally thought, was a calumny cast upon him, as if he had some ill designs against Saul…
977 wordsSECTION 1401Psalms 131:2
Psalms 131:2 Ver. 2. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself,.... Or "my soul" {o}; behaved quietly and peaceably towards all men, even his inferiors in Saul's court and elsewhere, and had given no tokens of a restless, turbulent, and ambitious spirit; as well as behaved patiently under all his troubles and afflictio…
368 wordsSECTION 1402Psalms 131:3
Psalms 131:3 Ver. 3. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever. What he did himself, and found it good for him to do, that he knew was good for others, and therefore exhorts and encourages to it, to hope in the Lord and wait for his salvation; and which should be done constantly, and to the end of life,…
152 wordsSECTION 1403Psalms 132:1
Psalms 132:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 132 A Song of degrees. Some think this psalm was written by Solomon, since Ps 132:8, are much the same with which he concluded his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 2Ch 6:41; on account of which it is supposed to be written; though he might borrow these words from hence, as he…
805 wordsSECTION 1404Psalms 132:2
Psalms 132:2 Ver. 2. How he sware unto the Lord, [and] vowed unto the mighty [God] of Jacob. Whom Jacob called so, Ge 49:24; and to whom he vowed a vow, and is the first we read of that did make one, and it was concerning the house of God, Ge 28:17; and who had an experience of the might and power of God in protecting…
116 wordsSECTION 1405Psalms 132:3
Psalms 132:3 Ver. 3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house,.... The new house and palace David built for himself after he came to the throne, made of cedar, 2Sa 5:11; not that he should never enter into it till he had found a dwelling for God, but that he should not go into it with pleasure till that …
293 wordsSECTION 1406Psalms 132:4
Psalms 132:4 Ver. 4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, [or] slumber to mine eyelids. Not that he never would or did take any sleep till this thing was brought about he had so much at heart; but that he could not and would not suffer himself to sleep comfortably and quietly because of it. Aben Ezra interprets it of s…
121 wordsSECTION 1407Psalms 132:5
Psalms 132:5 Ver. 5. Until I find a place for the Lord,.... To build a house on for the Lord; which it seems was unknown till the times of David; for though mention had been made of a place the Lord would choose to cause his name to dwell in, yet the particular place was not pointed out, De 12:11. David was very solic…
230 wordsSECTION 1408Psalms 132:6
Psalms 132:6 Ver. 6. Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah,.... Either of the ark which David and others had heard of, that it formerly was at Shiloh, Jos 18:1; here called Ephratah, as some think; so the Ephraimites are called Ephrathites, Jud 12:5; and Elkanah of Ramathaimzophim, of Mount Ephraim, is said to be an Ephrathi…
771 wordsSECTION 1409Psalms 132:7
Psalms 132:7 Ver. 7. We will go into his tabernacles,.... The tabernacles of him that was heard of at Ephratah; born in Bethlehem, and found in the ministry of the word among the Gentiles: enter into his churches, raised and formed there, which are the tabernacles or dwelling places of Christ; where he has his residen…
255 wordsSECTION 1410Psalms 132:8
Psalms 132:8 Ver. 8. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest,.... Which words, and what follow, were used by Solomon at the dedication of the temple; and with which he concluded his prayer, 2Ch 6:41; and so may be a request to the Lord, that he would take up his residence in the temple built for him, where he would have a firm a…
281 wordsSECTION 1411Psalms 132:9
Psalms 132:9 Ver. 9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness,.... In 2Ch 6:41; it is, "with salvation", as in Ps 132:16. Either the ministers of the word; who may be said to be clothed with righteousness when they perform their work righteously, and faithfully dispense the word, keep back nothing that is profita…
240 wordsSECTION 1412Psalms 132:10
Psalms 132:10 Ver. 10. For thy servant David's sake,.... Not for any virtues, or excellencies or merits, of David, literally understood; rather for the sake of the covenant and promises made with him: but for the sake of the antitypical David, the Messiah, the son of David according to the flesh, and the servant of th…
184 wordsSECTION 1413Psalms 132:11
Psalms 132:11 Ver. 11. The Lord hath sworn [in] truth unto David,.... By Nathan the prophet; when he assured him that his house, kingdom, and throne, should be established for ever, 2Sa 7:5; and though there is no mention made of the oath of God, no doubt there was one; or however his word was his oath, as Kimchi obse…
511 wordsSECTION 1414Psalms 132:12
Psalms 132:12 Ver. 12. If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them,.... The former part of the promise and oath is absolute, respecting the Messiah; but this is conditional, and relates to the seed of David, both immediate, and in succeeding generations; proposing their observance o…
362 wordsSECTION 1415Psalms 132:13
Psalms 132:13 Ver. 13. For the Lord hath chosen Zion,.... Not only to build upon it the temple in a literal sense, and for the place of his worship; but also for the seat of his majesty, and over which he has set his Son as King; and all this from the love he bears to Zion, which, in a figurative and spiritual sense, …
1,942 wordsSECTION 1416Psalms 133:1
Psalms 133:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 133 A Song of degrees of David. This psalm was penned by David, as some think when all the tribes of Israel united and chose and anointed him king over them, 2Sa 5:1; but, according to others, when the rebellion of his son Absalom was quelled, and all the tribes of Israel strove who…
901 wordsSECTION 1417Psalms 133:2
Psalms 133:2 Ver. 2. [It is] like the precious ointment upon the head,.... The composition which Moses was ordered to make of the principal spices, and therefore called precious; and which was poured on the heads of kings and priests, when they were anointed with it, Ex 30:23; that ran down upon the beard, [even] Aar…
567 wordsSECTION 1418Psalms 133:3
Psalms 133:3 Ver. 3. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion,.... Hermon was a very high hill beyond Jordan; the Sidonians called it Sirion, and the Amorites Shenir, De 3:8; hence Shenir and Hermon are mentioned together, So 4:8; and sometimes Sion or Seon, De 4:48; and is the Zi…
554 wordsSECTION 1419Psalms 134:1
Psalms 134:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 134 A Song of degrees. This is the last of the psalms called "songs of degrees"; of which See Gill on "Ps 120:1", title. It is thought to be written by David, either when he brought the ark to Zion, 2Sa 6:17; or rather when he numbered the Levites, and appointed them their service, …
524 wordsSECTION 1420Psalms 134:2
Psalms 134:2 Ver. 2. Lift up your hands [in] the sanctuary,.... Which Aben Ezra interprets of the priests lifting up their hands to bless the people; but Kimchi, better, of lifting up of the hands to God in prayer; see Ps 141:2; which should be done "with holiness", as the Targum renders it, in a holy manner; and is t…
154 wordsSECTION 1421Psalms 134:3
Psalms 134:3 Ver. 3. The Lord, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion. These are not the words of the priests blessing the people in this form, as some; but rather, as others, the wish of the servants of the Lord, that he would bless him that exhorted them to this service; whether one of the priests, or th…
254 wordsSECTION 1422Psalms 135:1
Psalms 135:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 135 This psalm was written very probably by the same hand as the former. It begins in much the same manner; it has some likeness with Psalm 113 and 114. It begins and ends with "hallelujah"; and is throughout an exhortation of praise to God, on account of his name, nature, and perfe…
287 wordsSECTION 1423Psalms 135:2
Psalms 135:2 Ver. 2. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord,.... That have a place and standing there, and go not out, being sons as well as servants; See Gill on "Ps 134:1" and See Gill on "Ps 84:4"; in the courts of the house of our God; alluding to the courts in the temple, the court of the priests, where they sto…
116 wordsSECTION 1424Psalms 135:3
Psalms 135:3 Ver. 3. Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord [is] good,.... Essentially and communicatively; he is good, and he does good, in a providential way, to all men; and in a way of special grace to his own people; for whom he has laid up and to whom he has promised good things, and on whom he bestows them; as pardon…
255 wordsSECTION 1425Psalms 135:4
Psalms 135:4 Ver. 4. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself,.... To be his own special people, and not another's; for his own service, and for his glory; and to be an habitation for himself, and to be for ever with him. This is not to be understood personally of Jacob, though a chosen vessel of mercy; nor of his …
207 wordsSECTION 1426Psalms 135:5
Psalms 135:5 Ver. 5. For I know that the Lord [is] great,.... Jehovah the Father is great in his perfections; in his power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, and goodness; and in his works of creation, providence, and grace: and so is Jehovah the Son, who seems chiefly designed, who is called "our Lord" or "Adon" in the ne…
426 wordsSECTION 1427Psalms 135:6
Psalms 135:6 Ver. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, [that] did he,.... In creation, producing into being what creatures he thought fit; in providence, doing according to his will in heaven and in earth; in grace, predestinating men to grace and glory, according to the good pleasure of his will, and calling by his grace …
384 wordsSECTION 1428Psalms 135:7
Psalms 135:7 Ver. 7. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth,.... Up to the heavens. Aben Ezra interprets this of the mist which went up out of the earth, and watered it, Ge 2:6; and still vapours are exhaled out of the earth by the force of the sun, and carried up into the air, and form various th…
565 wordsSECTION 1429Psalms 135:8
Psalms 135:8 Ver. 8. Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. Which was the last of the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians; and is particularly mentioned, because, by means of it, they were made willing to let the children of Israel go out of their land: and so this includes the deliverance of the Isra…
110 wordsSECTION 1430Psalms 135:9
Psalms 135:9 Ver. 9. [Who] sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt,.... Or, "signs and wonders". Meaning the other extraordinary plagues sent among the Egyptians, before that of slaying their firstborn; and which have some likeness to the vials of God's wrath, which will be poured out on the city calle…
153 wordsSECTION 1431Psalms 135:10
Psalms 135:10 Ver. 10. Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings. Or "many nations" {l}. The seven nations of the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites; the kings of which were mighty and many, even thirty one in number, Jos 12:1. This the Lord did by Joshua, a type of Ch…
160 wordsSECTION 1432Psalms 135:11
Psalms 135:11 Ver. 11. Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan,.... These are particularly named, because they were the first that were slain, and were the most mighty and powerful; see De 3:11. These the Lord slew by the hand of Moses, a type of Christ; who has destroyed the god and prince of this world, th…
114 wordsSECTION 1433Psalms 135:12
Psalms 135:12 Ver. 12. And gave their land [for] an heritage,.... The land of the two kings before mentioned, which was given to the Reubenites, and Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, De 3:12; and the lands belonging to the several kingdoms of Canaan were given to the rest of the tribes; an heritage unto Israel his…
110 wordsSECTION 1434Psalms 135:13
Psalms 135:13 Ver. 13. Thy name, O Lord, [endureth] for ever,.... The Lord himself endures for ever, in his nature, being, and perfections; and the fame of him, the fame of those acts of power and goodness before mentioned: the name of Christ endures for ever; his person and offices, his Gospel, which is his name; his…
184 wordsSECTION 1435Psalms 135:14
Psalms 135:14 Ver. 14. For the Lord will judge his people,.... Rule and govern, protect and defend them; plead their cause, and avenge them of their enemies; judge between them, distinguish them by his care and providence, make them visible, so that others shall see the difference between them; especially at the last …
251 wordsSECTION 1436Psalms 135:15
Psalms 135:15 Ver. 15. The idols of the Heathen [are] silver and gold,.... This, with what follows, is observed, to show that when God judges his people, and takes vengeance on their enemies, the idols they serve will not be able to protect them, and deliver them out of his hands; and also to prove what is before asse…
217 wordsSECTION 1437Psalms 135:16
Psalms 135:16 Ver. 16. They have mouths, but they speak not,.... Return no answer to the request and petition of their votaries; See Gill on "Ps 115:5"; eyes have they, but they see not; the same is observed in the above place, which see.…
46 wordsSECTION 1438Psalms 135:17
Psalms 135:17 Ver. 17. They have ears, but they hear not,.... See Gill on "Ps 115:6"; neither is there [any] breath in their mouths; they are lifeless statues, they have not so much as what the brute creatures have, breath; our Jehovah, as the living God, is rightly opposed to them, who gives life, and breath, and al…
86 wordsSECTION 1439Psalms 135:18
Psalms 135:18 Ver. 18. They that make them are like unto them,.... Are as blind, stupid, and senseless as they; or "let them that make them", &c. {q}; so some versions and interpreters; See Gill on "Ps 115:8"; [so is] everyone that trusteth in them; alike ignorant and sottish: and so are all such that set up idols an…
181 wordsSECTION 1440Psalms 135:19
Psalms 135:19 Ver. 19. Bless the Lord, O house of Israel,.... Who are chosen by the Lord to be a special people to him above all others; redeemed from Egyptian bondage; through a variety of surprising providences brought into and settled in the land of Canaan; distinguished by various blessings, favoured with the word…
349 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.