1._Bless Jehovah, O my soul! _The prophet, by stirring up himself to gratitude, gives by his own example a lesson to every man of the duty incumbent upon him. And doubtless our slothfulness in this matter has need of continual incitement. If even the prophet, who was inflamed with a more intense and... [ Continue Reading ]
2._And forget not any of his benefits _Here, he instructs us that God is not deficient on his part in furnishing us with abundant matter for praising him. It is our own ingratitude which hinders us from engaging in this exercise. In the first place, he teaches us that the reason why God deals with s... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Who forgiveth all thy iniquities _He now enumerates the different kinds of the divine benefits, in considering which he has told us that we are too forgetful and slothful. It is not without cause that he begins with God’s pardoning mercy, for reconciliation with him is the fountain from which all... [ Continue Reading ]
4_Who redeemeth thy life from the grave _The Psalmist expresses more plainly what our condition is previous to God’s curing our maladies — that we are dead and adjudged to the grave. The consideration that the mercy of God delivers us from death and destruction ought, therefore, to lead us to prize... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Jehovah executeth righteousness _David having recounted the Divine benefits bestowed upon himself, now passes from this personal consideration to take a wider view of the subject. There is, however, no doubt that when he declares God to be the succorer of _the oppressed, _he includes himself amon... [ Continue Reading ]
7_He hath made known his ways to Moses _David now speaks in the name of the chosen people; and this he does very suitably, being led to it by the consideration of the benefits which God had bestowed upon himself. Convinced that it was only as a member of the Church that he had been enriched with so... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Jehovah is merciful and gracious _David seems to allude to the exclamation of Moses, recorded in Exodus 34:6, where the nature of God, revealed in a remarkable way, is more clearly described than in other places. When Moses was admitted to take a nearer view of the Divine glory than was usually o... [ Continue Reading ]
9_He will not always chide _David, from the attributes ascribed to God in the preceding verse, draws the conclusion, that when God has been offended, he will not be irreconcilable, since, from his nature, he is always inclined to forgive. It was necessary to add this statement; for our sins would be... [ Continue Reading ]
10._He hath not dealt with us after our sins _The Psalmist here proves from experience, or from the effect, what he has stated concerning the Divine character; for it was entirely owing to the wonderful forbearance of God that the Israelites had hitherto continued to exist. Let each of us, as if he... [ Continue Reading ]
11._For in proportion to the height of the heavens above the earth _The Psalmist here confirms by a comparison the truth that God does not punish the faithful as they have deserved, but, by his mercy, strives against their sins. The form of expression is equivalent to saying that God’s mercy towards... [ Continue Reading ]
13._As a father is compassionate towards his children, _The Psalmist not only explains by a comparison what he has already stated, but he at the same time assigns the cause why God so graciously forgives us, which is, because he is a _father _It is then in consequence of God’s having freely and sove... [ Continue Reading ]
14._For he knoweth _David here annihilates all the worth which men would arrogate to themselves, and asserts that it is the consideration of our misery, and that alone, which moves God to exercise patience towards us. This again we ought carefully to mark, not only for the purpose of subduing the pr... [ Continue Reading ]
To the same purpose is the comparison immediately following, (verse 15,) that all the excellency of man withers away like a fading flower at the first blast of the wind. Man is indeed improperly said _to flourish. _But as it might be alleged that he is, nevertheless, distinguished by some endowment... [ Continue Reading ]
17._But the goodness of Jehovah, etc _The Psalmist leaves nothing to men to rely upon but the mercy of God; for it would be egregious folly to seek a ground of confidence in themselves. After having shown the utter emptiness of men, he adds the seasonable consolation, that, although they have no int... [ Continue Reading ]
Farther, as nothing is more easy than for hypocrites to flatter themselves under a false pretext, that they are in favor with God, or for degenerate children groundlessly to apply to themselves the promises made to their fathers, it is again stated, by way of exception, in the 18th verse, that God i... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens _David having recounted the benefits by which God lays each of us in particular, and also the whole Church, under obligation to him, now extols in general his infinite glory. The amount is, that whenever God is mentioned, men should learn to asc... [ Continue Reading ]
21_Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts_. By _hosts _is not to be understood the stars, as some explain it. The subject of the preceding verse is still continued. Nor is the repetition superfluous; for the word _hosts _teaches us that there are myriads of myriads who stand before the throne of God, ready... [ Continue Reading ]
22_Bless Jehovah, all ye his works _The Psalmist in conclusion addresses all creatures; for although they may be without speech and understanding, yet they ought in a manner to re-echo the praises of their Creator. This he does on our account, that we may learn that there is not a corner in heaven o... [ Continue Reading ]