PSALM 65 THE ARGUMENT The design of this Psalm seems to be to declare the great and glorious work of Divine Providence, both towards his church and the land of his people, and towards the rest of mankind. David praiseth God for spiritual blessings, as hearing prayer, and purging away sin, PSALMS 65:... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HEAREST PRAYER; that usest and delightest to hear and answer the prayers of thy people in Zion; which he justly mentions as one of the chiefest of God's favours and privileges vouchsafed to his church. ALL FLESH, i.e. men of all sorts and nations, who were allured by this and other singular ben... [ Continue Reading ]
INIQUITIES PREVAIL AGAINST ME; they are a burden too heavy for me, as he complains, PSALMS 38:4. They are so many and great, that for them thou mightest justly reject my prayers, and destroy my person. But this is another glorious privilege granted to thy people, and that, in answer to their prayers... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU CHOOSEST, out of the lump of mankind, to be one of thy peculiar people. CAUSEST, i.e. permittest and commandest, and by the disposal of thy providence, and the influences of thy grace, procurest and orderest. TO APPROACH UNTO THEE; to draw near to God in his house and ordinances by prayer and p... [ Continue Reading ]
BY TERRIBLE THINGS; or, _in a terrible manner_, i.e. so as to strike thy people with a holy awe and reverence of thee and of thy judgments, and thine enemies with dread and horror. Or, _in a wonderful manner_, as this word is rendered in the Chaldee, DEUTERONOMY 10:21; _things wonderful_ and _terrib... [ Continue Reading ]
SETTEST FAST THE MOUNTAINS; that they are not overthrown by floods, or winds, or earthquakes, or other natural or violent causes; which stability they have only from God's providence, which sustains all persons and all things. BEING GIRDED WITH POWER; this our God being able to do it, and that with... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NOISE OF THEIR WAVES, when the sea is tempestuous, and threatens to swallow up ships and men that are in it, or to overflow the earth. And the tumult of the people; and as he stills the natural, so also he quiets the metaphorical seas, tumultuous and unruly people; for multitudes of people are o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UTTERMOST PARTS, to wit, _of the earth_, which is added to this word, PSALMS 65:5. THY TOKENS, or _signs_; either, 1. At the sun, and moon, and stars, which are called signs, GENESIS 1:14. But these are not matter of terror, but of delight to men; and the commonness and constancy of their cours... [ Continue Reading ]
VISITEST, to wit, in mercy, or with thy favour, as this word is oft used. THE EARTH; the whole earth, which is full of thy bounty. So he continues to declare the general providence of God to all men and people. Or rather _the land_, or this land, for here is an emphatical article. And so he comes fr... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SETTLEST, to wit, in that condition which is fit for fruit. Or, _thou bringest down_; for the rain dissolves the high and hard clods of earth. When all is done, the fruitfulness of the earth must not be ascribed to the rain or sun, or any second causes, but to thy blessing alone.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou, by thy powerful goodness, dost enrich and adorn all the seasons of the year with their proper fruits and blessings. THY PATHS; the clouds, upon which God is frequently said to walk or ride, as JOB 36:28, JOB 38:26,27 PSA 104:3 NAHUM 1:3; which sense is favoured by the next verse, where these p... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, God's paths, DROP UPON THE PASTURES OF THE WILDERNESS; which, though neglected by men, are furnished by God with food for wild beasts, which, being his creatures, he careth for by this means. THE LITTLE HILLS; the hills of Canaan, which for the generality of them were but small, if compared wi... [ Continue Reading ]
This is added as the effect of these comfortable rains, that they fill the pastures with grass for cattle, and the valleys (which he mentions as the most fruitful places, though he doth not exclude the rest) with corn for the use of man. THEY SHOUT FOR JOY, they also sing, i.e. they are abundantly s... [ Continue Reading ]