1_Sing unto Jehovah a new song _This commencement shows that, as I have already observed, the Psalmist is exhorting the whole world, and not the Israelites merely, to the exercise of devotion. Nor could this be done, unless the gospel were universally diffused as the means of conveying the knowledge... [ Continue Reading ]
3_Declare his glory among the heathen _Additional terms are adduced to commend the salvation spoken of. It is called _his glory _and _his wonders; _which is equivalent to saying that it was glorious and admirable. By such titles the Psalmist would distinguish it from any deliverances which had forme... [ Continue Reading ]
4._For Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised. _He particularly describes that God, whom he would have men to celebrate, and this because the Gentile nations were prone to merge into error upon this subject. That the whole world might abjure its superstitions, and unite in the true religion, he... [ Continue Reading ]
6_Strength and honor are before him _I translate the Hebrew word הוד _, hod, _by _strength, _and think those interpreters who render it _glory _have not duly considered the context. It is evident that the next member of the verse is a repetition, and there it reads, _Power and Glory are in his sanct... [ Continue Reading ]
7_Give to Jehovah, etc. _Since praise waited for God in Zion, (Psalms 65:1,) and that was the place devoted to the celebration of his worship, and the posterity of Abraham were alone invested with the privilege of priesthood, we cannot doubt that the Psalmist refers here to that great change which w... [ Continue Reading ]
9_Worship before Jehovah _The Psalmist prosecutes the same train of sentiment. In requiring oblations of his people, God was not to be considered as standing in need of the services of the creature, but as giving them an opportunity of professing their faith. The true reason, therefore, is here ment... [ Continue Reading ]
10._Say among the heathen, Jehovah reigneth _His language again implies that it is only where God rules and presides that he can be worshipped. The Gentiles could not possibly profess the worship of God, so long as his throne was only in the small corner of Judea, and they were not acknowledging his... [ Continue Reading ]
11_Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad. _With the view of giving us a more exalted conception of the display of God’s goodness in condescending to take all men under his government, the Psalmist calls upon the irrational things themselves, the trees, the earth, the seas, and the heave... [ Continue Reading ]