reference to his assertion of his royal dignity on Zion, his holy
mountain. The victory over the enemy, we find by the fourth verse, is
again ascribed to the decision of divine justice, and the award of a
righteous judge, who has at length resumed his tribunal. This renders
it certain, that the claim preferred to the throne of the Almighty,
could proceed from the lips of none but our MELCHIZEDEC. John Fry,
B.A., 1842.
Verse 1. "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole
heart." As a vessel by the scent thereof tells what liqour is in
it, so should our mouths smell continually of that mercy wherewith
our hearts have been refreshed: for we are called vessels of mercy.
William Cowper, 1612.
Verse 1. "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, I
will shew forth all thy marvellous works." The words "With my
whole heart," serve at once to show the greatness of the
deliverance wrought for the psalmist, and to distinguish him from the
hypocrites—the coarser, who praise the Lord for his goodness merely
with the lips; and the more refined, who praise him with just half
their heart, while they secretly ascribe the deliverance more to
themselves than to him. "All thy wonders," the marvellous
tokens of thy grace. The psalmist shows by this term, he recognized
them in all their greatness. Where this is done, there the Lord is
also praised with the whole heart. Half-heartedness, and the
depreciation of divine grace, go hand in hand. The (Heb.) is the
(Heb.) instrum. The heart is the instrument of praise, the
mouth only its organ. E. W. Hengstenberg.
Verse 1 ( second clause ). When we have received any
special good thing from the Lord, it is well, according as we have
opportunities, to tell others of it. When the woman who had lost one
of her ten pieces of silver, found the missing portion of her money,
she gathered her neighbours and her friends together, saying,
"Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost." We
may do the same; we may tell friends and relations that we have
received such-and-such a blessing, and that we trace it directly to
the hand of God. Why have we not already done this? Is there a
lurking unbelief as to whether it really came from God; or are we
ashamed to own it before those who are perhaps accustomed to laugh at
such things? Who knows so much of the marvellous works of God as his
own people; if they be silent, how can we expect the world to see
what he has done? Let us not be ashamed to glorify God, by telling
what we know and feel he has done; let us watch our opportunity to
bring out distinctly the fact of his acting; let us feel delighted at
having an opportunity, from our own experience, of telling what must
turn to his praise; and them that honour God, God will honour in
turn; if we be willing to talk of his deeds, he will give us enough
to talk about. P. B. Power, in 'I Wills' of the Psalms.
Verses 1, 2. "I will confess unto thee, O Lord, with my
whole heart," etc. Behold with what a flood of the most sweet
affections he says that he "will confess," "show forth,"
"rejoice," "be glad," and "sing," being filled with
ecstasy! He does not simply say, "I will confess," but, "with
my heart," and "with my whole heart." Nor does he propose to
speak simply of "works," but of the "marvellous works"
of God, and of "all" those "works." Thus his spirit
(like John in the womb) exults and rejoices in God his Saviour, who
has done great things for him, and those marvellous things which
follow. In which words are opened the subject of this Psalm: that is,
that he therein sings the marvellous works of God. And these works
are wonderful, because he converts, by those who are nothing, those
who have all things, and, by the ALMUTH who live in hidden faith, and
are dead to the world, he humbles those who flourish in glory, and
are looked upon in the world. Thus accomplishing such mighty things
without force, without arms, without labour, by the cross only and
blood. But how will his saying, that he will show forth "all"
his marvellous works, agree with that of Job 9:10, "which doeth great
things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number"? For, who
can show forth all the marvellous works of God? We may say,
therefore, that these things are spoken in that excess of feeling in
which he said, (Psalm 6:6), "I will water my couch with my tears."
That is, he hath such an ardent desire to speak of the wonderful
works of God, that, as far as his wishes are concerned, he
would set the "all" forth, though he could not
do it, for love has neither bounds nor end: and, as Paul saith (1
Corinthians 13:7), "Love beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things;" hence it can do all things, and does do all
things, for God looketh at the heart and spirit. Martin
Luther.
Verse 3. "When mine enemies are turned back," etc.
Were turned back, repulsed, and put to flight. To render this
in the present time, as our translators did, is certainly improper;
it destroys the coherence, and introduces obscurity. Ainsworth saw
this, and rendered in the past, "When mine enemies turned backward."
"At thy presence." That is, by thine anger. For as God's
presence or face denotes his favour to such as fear and serve him, so
it denotes his anger towards the wicked. "The face of Jehovah is
against them that do evil." B. Boothroyd, 1824.
Verse 3. "They shall fall and perish." It refers to
those that either faint in a march, or are wounded in a battle, or
especially that in flight meet with galling haps in their way, and so
are galled and lamed, rendered unable to go forward, and so fall, and
become liable to all the chances of pursuits, and as here, are
overtaken and perish in the fall. Henry Hammond, D.D.
Verse 5. "Thou hast rebuked the heathen," etc.—
Augustine applieth all this mystically, as is intimated (verse 1)
that it should be applied, for, "I will speak," saith he, "of all thy
wonderful works;" and what so wonderful as the turning of the
spiritual enemy backward, whether the devil, as when he said, "Get
thee behind me, Satan;" or the old man, which is turned backward when
he is put off, and the new man put on? John Mayer.
Verse 8. "He shall judge the world in righteousness."
In this judgment tears will not prevail, prayers will not be heard,
promises will not be admitted, repentance will be too late; and as
for riches, honourable titles, sceptres, and diadems, these will
profit much less; and the inquisition shall be so curious and
diligent, that not one light thought nor one idle word (not repented
of in the life past), shall be forgotten. For truth itself hath said,
not in jest, but in earnest, "Of every idle word which men have
spoken, they shall give an account in the day of judgment." Oh, how
many which now sin with great delight, yea, even with greediness (as
if we served a god of wood or of stone, which seeth nothing, or can
do nothing), will be then astonished, ashamed, and silent! Then shall
the days of thy mirth be ended, and thou shalt be overwhelmed with
everlasting darkness; and instead of thy pleasures, thou shalt have
everlasting torments. Thomas Tymme.
Verse 8. "He shall judge the world in righteousness."
Even Paul, in his great address on Mars' Hill, a thousand years
after, could find no better words in which to teach the Athenians the
doctrine of the judgment-day than the Septuagint rendering of this
clause. William S. Plumer.
Verse 8. The guilty conscience cannot abide this day. The
silly sheep, when she is taken, will not bleat, but you may carry her
and do what you will with her, and she will be subject; but the
swine, if she be once taken, she will roar and cry, and thinks she is
never taken but to be slain. So of all things the guilty conscience
cannot abide to hear of this day, for they know that when they hear
of it, they hear of their own condemnation. I think if there were a
general collection made through the whole world that there might be
no judgment-day, then God would be so rich that the world would go
a-begging and be a waste wilderness. Then the covetous judge would
bring forth his bribes; then the crafty lawyer would fetch out his
bags; the usurer would give his gain, and a double thereof. But all
the money in the world will not serve for our sin, but the judge must
answer his bribes, he that hath money must answer how he came by it,
and just condemnation must come upon every soul of them; then shall
the sinner be ever dying and never dead, like the salamander, that is
ever in the fire and never consumed. Henry Smith.
Verse 9. It is reported of the Egyptians that, living in the
fens, and being vexed with gnats, they used to sleep in high towers,
whereby, those creatures not being able to soar so high, they are
delivered from the biting of them: so would it be with us when bitten
with cares and fear, did we but run to God for refuge, and rest
confident of his help. John Trapp.
Verse 10. "They that know thy name will put their trust in
thee." Faith is an intelligent grace; though there can be
knowledge without faith, yet there can be no faith without knowledge.
One calls it quicksighted faith. Knowledge must carry the torch
before faith. 2 Timothy 1:12. "For I know whom I have believed." As
in Paul's conversion a light from heaven "Shined round about him"
(Acts 9:3), so before faith be wrought, God shines in with a light
upon the understanding. A blind faith is as bad as a dead faith: that
eye may as well be said to be a good eye which is without sight, as
that faith is good without knowledge. Devout ignorance damns; which
condemns the church of Rome, that thinks it a piece of their religion
to be kept in ignorance; these set up an altar to an unknown God.
They say ignorance is the mother of devotion; but sure where the sun
is set in the understanding, it must needs be night in the
affections. So necessary is knowledge to the being of faith, that the
Scriptures do sometimes baptise faith with the name of knowledge.
Isaiah 53:11. "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify
many." Knowledge is put there for faith. Thomas Watson.
Verse 10. "They that know thy name will put their trust in
thee: for, thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."
The mother of unbelief is ignorance of God, his faithfulness, mercy,
and power. They that know thee, will trust in thee. This
confirmed Paul, Abraham, Sarah, in the faith. "I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12. "He is faithful
that promised," and "able also to perform." Hebrews 10:23, and 11:11;
Romans 4:21. The free promises of the Lord are all certain, his
commandments right and good, the recompense of reward inestimably to
be valued above thousands of gold and silver; trust therefore in the
Lord, O my soul, and follow hard after him. Thou hast his free
promise, who never failed, who hath promised more than possibly thou
couldst ask or think, who hath done more for thee than ever he
promised, who is good and bountiful to the wicked and ungodly; thou
doest his work, who is able and assuredly will bear thee out. There
is a crown of glory proposed to thee above all conceit of merit;
stick fast unto his word, and suffer nothing to divide thee from it.
Rest upon his promises though he seem to kill thee; cleave unto his
statutes though the flesh lust, the world allure, the devil tempt, by