_Praise ye the LORD: for [it is] good to sing praises unto our God; for [it is] pleasant; [and] praise is comely._ Ver. 1. _It is good to sing praises_] For, 1. Hereby we glorify God, Psalms 50:23, and so do him right; for he is the proper object of praises, worthy only to be praised, Psalms 18:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. Ver. 2. _The Lord doth build up Jerusalem_] He is the only architect of his Church. He layeth the foundation of it in election (saith a good expositor), and buildeth it progressively by faith and sanctification; and fin... [ Continue Reading ]
_He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds._ Ver. 3. _He healeth the broken in heart_] Pouring the oil of his grace into none but those broken vessels. _ And bindeth up their wounds_] As a good shepherd, Zechariah 11:4, that good Samaritan, Luke 10:34, and as a good surgeon deale... [ Continue Reading ]
He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by [their] names. Ver. 4. _He telleth the number of the stars_] Which to man is impossible, as Aristotle maintaineth against those astronomers, that tell us they are a thousand and some hundreds. But Abraham was a great astronomer; yet he coul... [ Continue Reading ]
Great [is] our Lord, and of great power: his understanding [is] infinite. Ver. 5. _His understanding is infinite_] Heb. of his understanding there is no number; for he knows not only the kinds and sorts of things, but even the particulars, though they exceed all number. _Sic spectat universos quasi... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Ver. 6. _The Lord lifteth up the meek_] This truth was well known to the very heathens, who have said the same thing; as Herodotus in Polymnia, Euripides in Hara, and Aesop being asked by Chilo (one of the seven wise men of Gre... [ Continue Reading ]
Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Ver. 7. _Sing unto the Lord_] Heb. answer, that is, sing by turns, as Hos 2:15 Deuteronomy 31:21. Or, answer God's goodness by thankfulness and obedience.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. Ver. 8. _Who covereth the heaven with clouds_] As 1 Kings 18:45, and still, as there is need. It is not by nature, or hap hazard, as men are apt to dream, and are therefore so often t... [ Continue Reading ]
He giveth to the beast his food, [and] to the young ravens which cry. Ver. 9. _He giveth to the beast his food_] See Job 39:3 Psalms 104:27,28. _See Trapp on "_ Job 39:3 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Psa 104:27 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Psa 104:28 _"_ And to the youny ravens which cry] By sending flies into the... [ Continue Reading ]
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. Ver. 10. _He delighteth not in the strength of the horse_] Plutarch in Numa saith the same, Yεος ουκ εστι φιλιππος, God careth not for horses, or any such helps as wherein carnal people confide, as if they... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Ver. 11. _The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him_] That put themselves into the hands of justice, in hope of mercy. These are his Hephzibahs, his darlings in whom he taketh singular delight and complacence. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion._ Ver. 12. _Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem_] Whatever the world doth, let not the Church defraud God of his due praises; "though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend," Hosea 4:15. God's blessings go round about graceless and ung... [ Continue Reading ]
For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. Ver. 13. _For he hath strengthened the bars, &c._] So that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. God hath promised to break in pieces those gates of brass, and cut in sunder those bars of iron (as... [ Continue Reading ]
He maketh peace [in] thy borders, [and] filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. Ver. 14. _He maketh peace in thy borders_] Peace, peace, Isaiah 26:3, peace of country and of conscience. _ And filleth thee with the finest of the wheat_] Heb. with the fat of wheat, called fat of kidneys of wheat,... [ Continue Reading ]
He sendeth forth his commandment [upon] earth: his word runneth very swiftly. Ver. 15. _He sendeth forth his commandment, &c._] He speaketh the word, and it is done immediately; he can make a nation to conceive and bring forth all at once, Isaiah 66:7,8. Ahasuerus had his posts to carry abroad his... [ Continue Reading ]
He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. Ver. 16. _He giveth snow like wool_] For whiteness, lightness, plenty, softness, warmth; for snow, though it be very cold, yet by keeping in the vapours and exhalations of the earth, it causeth an inward warmth to it, and so maketh i... [ Continue Reading ]
_He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?_ Ver. 17. _He casteth forth his ice like morsels_] Or, shivers of bread. It is a witty saying of one from this text: The ice is bread, the rain is drink, the snow is wool, the frost a fire to the earth, causing it inwardly to gl... [ Continue Reading ]
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, [and] the waters flow. Ver. 18. _He sendeth out his word, and melteth them_] See Psalms 147:15. Of the force of God's word of command are given all the former instances, he can as easily melt the hardest heart by his Word, made... [ Continue Reading ]
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. Ver. 19. _He showeth his word unto Jacob_] The Jews were God's library keepers; and unto them (as a special favour) were committed those lively and life giving oracles, Romans 3:2; there is a "chiefly" set upon it; like as... [ Continue Reading ]
He hath not dealt so with any nation: and [as for his] judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD. Ver. 20. _He hath not dealt so with any nation_] He had not then; but now, blessed be God, he hath dealt so with many nations, in these last happy days of reformation especially; wherein... [ Continue Reading ]