PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Psalms
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 746,590 words · 1615 reading sections
Psalms 31:14
Psalms 31:14 Ver. 14. But I trusted in thee, O Lord,.... His faith revived again under all the discouraging views he had of things, and was exercised upon the Lord; he committed himself to him, believing he was able to help him in his time of trouble, and deliver him; I said, thou [art] my God; he claimed his covenan…
94 wordsSECTION 302Psalms 31:15
Psalms 31:15 Ver. 15. My times [are] in thy hand,.... And not in the hand of his enemies; as his time of life and death, which was only by the direction and appointment of God, was in his power, and fixed by him; nor could his enemies take away his life before his time, and without the will of his covenant God: the ti…
256 wordsSECTION 303Psalms 31:16
Psalms 31:16 Ver. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant,.... In which he prays for the gracious presence of God, the manifestations of himself unto him, the discoveries of his love, the enjoyment of him in Christ, communion with him, the comforts of his Spirit, and joys of his salvation; see Nu 6:25; save me fo…
122 wordsSECTION 304Psalms 31:17
Psalms 31:17 Ver. 17. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord,.... The same petition as in Ps 31:1; for I have called upon thee; who is nigh unto all that call upon him in truth, and is rich unto them, and has promised to help and save them; which should he not do, not only he would be made ashamed, but the promise of God woul…
202 wordsSECTION 305Psalms 31:18
Psalms 31:18 Ver. 18. Let the lying lips be put to silence,.... Being convicted of the lies told by them, and so silenced and confounded; or being cut off and destroyed, as all such will be in the Lord's own time, Ps 12:3. It is very likely the psalmist may have respect either to Doeg the Edomite, who loved lying rath…
2,583 wordsSECTION 306Psalms 32:1
Psalms 32:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 32 [A Psalm], of David, Maschil. This is the first of the psalms that bears this title: some think it is the name of a musical instrument, on which this psalm was sung; others the first word of a song, to the tune of which it was sung, as Aben Ezra; some say it is so called, because …
772 wordsSECTION 307Psalms 32:2
Psalms 32:2 Ver. 2. Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,.... Or "does not think of it" {n}; with respect unto men, at least to the harm of them; his thoughts are thoughts of peace, and not of evil; their sins and iniquities he remembers no more; he does not charge them with them, he does not re…
325 wordsSECTION 308Psalms 32:3
Psalms 32:3 Ver. 3. When I kept silence,.... Was unthoughtful of sin, unconcerned about it, and made no acknowledgment and confession of it to God, being quite senseless and stupid; the Targum adds, "from the words of the law"; which seems to point at sin as the cause of what follows; my bones waxed old; through my r…
136 wordsSECTION 309Psalms 32:4
Psalms 32:4 Ver. 4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me,.... Meaning the afflicting hand of God, which is not joyous, but grievous, and heavy to be borne; especially without his gracious presence, and the discoveries of his love: this continued night and day, without any intermission; and may design some viol…
220 wordsSECTION 310Psalms 32:5
Psalms 32:5 Ver. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee,.... The sin of Adam, in which he was concerned; original sin, the corruption of his nature, the sin that dwelt in him, his private and secret sins, which none knew but God and himself; even all his sins, which were many, with all their aggravated circumstances; wher…
746 wordsSECTION 311Psalms 32:6
Psalms 32:6 Ver. 6. For this shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee,.... Meaning either that the success he had met with, in acknowledging his sin, would encourage others also to take a like step, and make their supplications to the Lord also; or that every godly person should pray to God for the same blessing of…
622 wordsSECTION 312Psalms 32:7
Psalms 32:7 Ver. 7. Thou [art] my hiding place,.... In time of trouble; see Ps 27:5; so Christ is said to be, Isa 32:2. "Thou shall preserve me from trouble"; not from having it; for in this world the saints must have tribulation, and through it enter the kingdom, but from being swallowed up with it; the Lord will bri…
222 wordsSECTION 313Psalms 32:8
Psalms 32:8 Ver. 8. I will instruct thee,.... Or "cause thee to understand" {q}. These are by many thought to be the words of the Lord, who gives to a man an understanding of spiritual things; he instructs by his providence, and even by afflictive dispensations of providence; and by his word, which is written for the …
600 wordsSECTION 314Psalms 32:9
Psalms 32:9 Ver. 9. Be ye not as the horse, [or] as the mule, [which] have no understanding,.... The design of this exhortation is to direct men how to behave under the instructions given; not as brutes, which have no rational faculties, but as men; that they should not show themselves thoughtless, stupid, and unteach…
264 wordsSECTION 315Psalms 32:10
Psalms 32:10 Ver. 10. Many sorrows [shall be] to the wicked,.... Who will not be instructed and reformed, but are like the horse and mule, without understanding; many outward sorrows or afflictions attend them; loathsome and consuming diseases come upon their bodies by intemperance and debauchery; and they and their f…
333 wordsSECTION 316Psalms 32:11
Psalms 32:11 Ver. 11. Be glad in the Lord,.... The Targum renders it, "in the Word of the Lord"; in Christ the essential Word; in him as the Lord their righteousness, and because of his righteousness imputed to them, by which they become righteous; and in him as their Saviour and Redeemer, and because of the salvation…
344 wordsSECTION 317Psalms 33:1
Psalms 33:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 33 Though this psalm has no title to it, it seems to be a psalm of David, from the style and matter of it; and indeed begins with the same words with which the preceding psalm is ended. Theodoret is of opinion it was written by David as a prophecy concerning Hezekiah, as a song to be…
200 wordsSECTION 318Psalms 33:2
Psalms 33:2 Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp,.... An instrument David was well skilled in the use of, the inventor of which was Jubal, Ge 4:21; sing unto, him with the psaltery; the name of this instrument is in the Hebrew language "nebel": the account which Josephus {w} gives of this, and of the former, is, "the h…
188 wordsSECTION 319Psalms 33:3
Psalms 33:3 Ver. 3. Sing unto him a new song,.... One newly composed on account of recent mercies received; and as the mercies of God are new every morning, there ought to be a daily song of praise to him; and so a new song is a continual song, as Christ is called the "new and living way", Heb 10:20; because he is the…
215 wordsSECTION 320Psalms 33:4
Psalms 33:4 Ver. 4. For the word of the Lord [is] right,.... The revealed word of God: the law of God is right; its precepts are holy, just, and good; its sanction or penalty is righteous; it is impartial unto all; it is just in condemning the wicked, and in acquitting believers on the account of Christ's perfect righ…
292 wordsSECTION 321Psalms 33:5
Psalms 33:5 Ver. 5. He loveth righteousness and judgment,.... Or "righteous judgment" {y}; he delights in the administration of it himself, Jer 9:24; and he is well pleased with acts of righteousness done by others, when done according to his word, from love to him, by faith in him, and with a view to his glory; espec…
239 wordsSECTION 322Psalms 33:6
Psalms 33:6 Ver. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,.... The aerial and starry heavens, and the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, the seat of the divine Majesty, and the habitation of angels and glorified saints; these were "made" even out of nothing, not out of any pre-existent matter, nor were they …
642 wordsSECTION 323Psalms 33:7
Psalms 33:7 Ver. 7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap,.... Which was done on the third day of the creation, by means of which the dry land appeared, Ge 1:9; when the waters of the sea were piled up as an heap, and stood higher than the earth, as they now do; and which is a wonderful instance of th…
146 wordsSECTION 324Psalms 33:8
Psalms 33:8 Ver. 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord,.... That is, all the men that dwell upon the face of the earth. As it follows, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him; which fear and awe design a reverence of the divine Majesty, whose divine perfections are so manifest in the works of creation; …
295 wordsSECTION 325Psalms 33:9
Psalms 33:9 Ver. 9. For he spake, and it was [done],.... Or "it was" {a}, it came into being by a word speaking, almighty power going along with it; see Ge 1:3; he commanded, and it stood fast; every created thing continued in its being; not only all things were produced into being by his all commanding word and powe…
204 wordsSECTION 326Psalms 33:10
Psalms 33:10 Ver. 10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought,.... The psalmist having taken notice of the works of creation, in order to excite the saints to praise, proceeds to observe the providence of God, and particularly that branch of it which lies in disappointing the designs of wicked men; it i…
207 wordsSECTION 327Psalms 33:11
Psalms 33:11 Ver. 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever,.... By which are meant, not the doctrines of the Gospel, nor the ordinances of it; though these will stand firm, and remain to the end of the world; but the purposes and decrees of God, which are wisely formed in himself, are eternal and unfrustrable, an…
160 wordsSECTION 328Psalms 33:12
Psalms 33:12 Ver. 12. Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the Lord,.... Who have an interest in such a wonder working God, both in creation and in providence, and especially in grace: which, though it may have a principal regard to the nation of Israel, whose God he was in a very distinguishing manner, yet must not…
291 wordsSECTION 329Psalms 33:13
Psalms 33:13 Ver. 13. The Lord looketh from heaven,.... Where his throne and temple are, upon the earth and men, and things in it, as follows; he beholdeth all the sons of men; the evil and the good; which is contrary to the sense of many wicked men, who imagine he takes no notice of what is done here below; but his …
167 wordsSECTION 330Psalms 33:14
Psalms 33:14 Ver. 14. From the place of his habitation,.... Which is heaven, that is, the habitation of his holiness, and of his glory, Isa 63:15; he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth; good and bad; and not the nation of Israel only, but the Gentile world, whom in former times he overlooked, but under the…
105 wordsSECTION 331Psalms 33:15
Psalms 33:15 Ver. 15. He fashioneth their hearts alike,.... The Lord is the former and fashioner of the heart, spirit, or soul of man, even of all hearts and spirits; whence he is called the Father of spirits, Heb 12:9; see Zec 12:1; and he is the former of them alike; which seems to intimate as if all seals were alik…
482 wordsSECTION 332Psalms 33:16
Psalms 33:16 Ver. 16. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host,.... He may be at the head of a numerous army, and yet not get the victory over a lesser one, nor escape safe, but be taken by it: there have been such instances; and if he is saved, or gets the victory, it is not owing to the multitude with him,…
152 wordsSECTION 333Psalms 33:17
Psalms 33:17 Ver. 17. A horse [is] a vain thing for safety,.... Though it is prepared for the day of battle, and is a very warlike creature, and of great service in war, yet safety only is of the Lord, Pr 21:31; this is put for all kinds of military preparations which men are apt to trust in, but should not, for they …
1,154 wordsSECTION 334Psalms 34:1
Psalms 34:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 34 [A Psalm] of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. The author of this psalm is expressed by name; and the time and occasion of it are plainly intimated: it was composed by David, "when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech"…
627 wordsSECTION 335Psalms 34:2
Psalms 34:2 Ver. 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord,.... Not in men, nor in any outward enjoyment, nor in any works of righteousness, but in the Lord; "in the Word of the Lord", as the Targum; in the Lord Jesus Christ; in his wisdom, strength, riches, righteousness, redemption, and salvation; in interest in h…
209 wordsSECTION 336Psalms 34:3
Psalms 34:3 Ver. 3. O magnify the Lord with me,.... The psalmist invites the humble ones, who he knew would rejoice at the goodness of God to him, to join with him in ascribing greatness to the Lord, which is meant by magnifying him; for he cannot be made great by men, only declared how great he is, and that can only …
147 wordsSECTION 337Psalms 34:4
Psalms 34:4 Ver. 4. I sought the Lord, and he heard me,.... Not that he sought the Lord publicly in his house and ordinances, for he was now at Gath; but privately by prayer and supplication; and that not vocally, but mentally; for he was in the midst of the servants of the king of Gath; yet earnestly, diligently, and…
176 wordsSECTION 338Psalms 34:5
Psalms 34:5 Ver. 5. They looked to him, and were lightened,.... That is, "the humble" ones, Ps 34:2; and so this is a reason why they should join in praising and magnifying the Lord; these "looked" up to God in prayer and by faith, when in distressed and uncomfortable circumstances, for help and deliverance, and a sup…
249 wordsSECTION 339Psalms 34:6
Psalms 34:6 Ver. 6. This poor man cried,.... Singling out some one person from among the humble, who was remarkably delivered; it is the common case of the people of God to be poor and afflicted, and in their afflictions they cry unto the Lord to be supported under them, and delivered out of them: or this may be under…
291 wordsSECTION 340Psalms 34:7
Psalms 34:7 Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him,.... By whom may be meant, either the uncreated Angel, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Angel of God's presence, and of the covenant, the Captain of salvation, the Leader and Commander of the people; and whose salvation is as walls and bulwar…
228 wordsSECTION 341Psalms 34:8
Psalms 34:8 Ver. 8. O taste, and see that the Lord [is] good,.... He is essentially, infinitely, perfectly, immutably, and solely good in himself; and he is communicatively and diffusively good to others: he is the author of all good, but not of any evil, in a moral sense; this chiefly regards his special grace and go…
350 wordsSECTION 342Psalms 34:9
Psalms 34:9 Ver. 9. O fear the Lord, ye his saints,.... Who are sanctified by his Spirit, and so are openly and manifestly his; these are exhorted to fear the Lord with reverence and godly fear; and great reason there is why they should fear him, since he is King of saints, and fear is due to him from them; and seeing…
188 wordsSECTION 343Psalms 34:10
Psalms 34:10 Ver. 10. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger,.... According to Apollinarius, "the needy rich, whom famine presses;'' see Job 4:10; but they that seek the Lord; by prayer, diligently, with their whole heart, and in the sincerity of their souls; the Targum is, "that seek the doctrine of the Lord";…
101 wordsSECTION 344Psalms 34:11
Psalms 34:11 Ver. 11. Come, ye children,.... Meaning either his own children, those of his own family, judging it his duty to instruct them, and bring them up in the fear of the Lord; or his subjects, to whom he stood in the relation of a father, as every king does; or all his hearers, as those who attended the prophe…
280 wordsSECTION 345Psalms 34:12
Psalms 34:12 Ver. 12. What man [is he that] desireth life?.... Every man desires life, even a natural life; it is more desirable than all things in it; especially an healthful life, without which the blessings and mercies of life cannot be comfortably enjoyed; and still more a life of prosperity; life, with an affluen…
334 wordsSECTION 346Psalms 34:13
Psalms 34:13 Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil,.... This, and what follows in this verse and Ps 34:14, point at the things wherein the fear of God shows itself; and suggest, that those who have it, and which is known by these fruits, shall enjoy the desirable and good days before mentioned. The tongue is an instrumen…
188 wordsSECTION 347Psalms 34:14
Psalms 34:14 Ver. 14. Depart from evil,.... This denotes that evil is near to men; it keeps close to them, and should be declined and shunned: and it regards all sorts of evil; evil men, and their evil company; evil things, evil words and works, and all appearance of evil; and the fear of the Lord shows itself in an h…
213 wordsSECTION 348Psalms 34:15
Psalms 34:15 Ver. 15. The eyes of the Lord [are] upon the righteous,.... These are the same with them that fear the Lord, and do good; not that they become righteous in the sight of God, or are justified before him, by their fear of him, and by their good works; but these are the fruits and effects of grace, showing t…
242 wordsSECTION 349Psalms 34:16
Psalms 34:16 Ver. 16. The face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil,.... Not against everyone that sins; for the righteous are not without sin; they have sin in them, and they do no good without it; but against them that live in sin, whose course of life is a series of wickedness, and they are workers of iniquit…
191 wordsSECTION 350Psalms 34:17
Psalms 34:17 Ver. 17. [The righteous] cry,.... The word "righteous" is not in the original text, but is rightly supplied in our version, as it is in the Targum, and by Jarchi; and so Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, that these words are not to be connected with Ps 34:16, but with Ps 34:15; and they are indeed an amplifi…
205 wordsSECTION 351Psalms 34:18
Psalms 34:18 Ver. 18. The Lord [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart,.... Who are pressed and bore down with afflictions, by the sorrow of heart under which their spirits are broken, Pr 15:13; or with a sense of sin, and sorrow for it, for which their hearts smite them, and they are wounded by it, and broken …
1,422 wordsSECTION 352Psalms 35:1
Psalms 35:1 INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 35 [A Psalm] of David. This psalm seems to have been written by David, when he was persecuted by Saul; and when many false charges were brought against him by his courtiers; and when he was the scorn and derision of the people; the subject of it is pretty much of the same kind with t…
338 wordsSECTION 353Psalms 35:2
Psalms 35:2 Ver. 2. Take hold of shield and buckler,.... Defensive weapons; not that the Lord stands in need of any of these to defend himself with: but the sense is, that he would be as these to David; as he was to him, and is to all his people; namely, their shield and buckler: he gives unto them the shield of salva…
112 wordsSECTION 354Psalms 35:3
Psalms 35:3 Ver. 3. Draw out also the spear,.... An offensive weapon; expressive of the vengeance which God sometimes takes of the enemies of his people, when he bends his bow, shoots his arrows, whets his glittering sword, and his hand takes hold of judgment; and stop [the way] against them that persecute me; that t…
512 wordsSECTION 355Psalms 35:4
Psalms 35:4 Ver. 4. Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that seek after my soul,.... This petition, and what follows, which seem to be by way of imprecation, are to be considered as prophecies of what would be, and as expressions of faith that so it should be; and are not to be drawn into examples, and to be imi…
427 wordsSECTION 356Psalms 35:5
Psalms 35:5 Ver. 5. Let them be as chaff before the wind,.... As they are; see Ps 1:4; and let the angel of the Lord chase [them]; either a good angel, who is the Lord's, his creature that ministers unto him, and is ready to obey his orders; and who, as he encamps about the saints and protects them, so he is able to …
194 wordsSECTION 357Psalms 35:6
Psalms 35:6 Ver. 6. Let their way be dark and slippery,.... In which they run before the angel, chasing and pursuing them; so that they know not where they are, at what they stumble, whither to flee, nor how to stand; the ways of wicked men are as darkness, they know not in what condition they are, and whither they ar…
145 wordsSECTION 358Psalms 35:7
Psalms 35:7 Ver. 7. For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit,.... This is said in allusion to the custom of digging pits, and putting nets into them, for the catching of wild beasts; and covering them with straw or dust, or such like things, as Jarchi observes, that they might not be discerned; and …
171 wordsSECTION 359Psalms 35:8
Psalms 35:8 Ver. 8. Let destruction come upon him at unawares,.... Or a "storm" {r}, such as is caused in the eastern countries by a south wind, very sudden, violent, and destructive {s}: the singular number being here used, some Jewish commentators, as Kimchi, have thought Saul is particularly meant; and some Christi…
207 wordsSECTION 360Psalms 35:9
Psalms 35:9 Ver. 9. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord,.... Not in the destruction of his enemies, but in the God of his salvation; the Targum is, "in the Word of the Lord"; the essential Word of God, the promised Messiah, Saviour, and Redeemer. Christ is the object of a believer's joy; he rejoices in his person,…
304 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.