The author of this psalm is unknown, as is the occasion on which it was composed. It resembles the seventy-eighth psalm in the fact that both are of an historical nature, recounting the dealings of God with his people in their deliverance from the bondage in Egypt. The object of the former psalm how... [ Continue Reading ]
O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD - The design here is to show that thanks should be given to the Lord in view of his dealings with his people, as stated in the subsequent portions of the psalm. CALL UPON HIS NAME - More literally, “Call him by his name;” that is, Address him by his proper title; ascribe... [ Continue Reading ]
SING UNTO HIM - Sing before him; offer him praise. SING PSALMS UNTO HIM - The word here rendered “sing psalms” means properly “to prune,” and then, to” cut off,” as a discourse at regular periods; or, to utter in rhythmical numbers; and then it means to accompany such words with an instrument of mu... [ Continue Reading ]
GLORY YE IN HIS HOLY NAME - The original word rendered “glory” is the same word which is commonly used to denote “praise,” and it has that meaning here. The idea is, In your praises let the main subject be the name of God - that holy name by which he chooses to be known. The Hebrew is, “the name of... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEK THE LORD AND HIS STRENGTH - Seek strength from him; seek that his strength may be imparted to you; seek him as a Being of almighty power; as One by whom you may be strengthened. The Septuagint and Vulgate render this, “Seek the Lord, and ‘be strengthened.’” Strength comes from God, and it is on... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER HIS MARVELOUS WORKS ... - The works suited to excite wonder. Call them to remembrance in your psalm; seek the aid of music and song to impress the memory of them deeply on your hearts. HIS WONDERS - His miracles. See Psalms 78:43, note; Isaiah 8:18, note. AND THE JUDGMENTS OF HIS MOUTH -... [ Continue Reading ]
O YE SEED OF ABRAHAM HIS SERVANT, YE CHILDREN OF JACOB HIS CHOSEN - All you who are descendants of Abraham and Jacob; the former being particularly mentioned here because he was the great ancestor of the Hebrew people; the latter, because the events referred to were closely connected with the histor... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS THE LORD OUR GOD - His name is Yahweh - the true God; and this God is ours. See the notes at Psalms 95:7. HIS JUDGMENTS ARE IN ALL THE EARTH - More properly “in all the land;” that is, in every part of the land he is honored as our God. His institutions are established here; his laws are obey... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT FOREVER - That is, God has had it constantly in remembrance, or always. Compare the notes at Luke 1:72. Though the covenant was made long since; though many generations of people have passed by; though great changes have occurred; though many calamities have come upon... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH COVENANT HE MADE WITH ABRAHAM - Which he “ratified” with Abraham. Literally, “which he cut with Abraham.” Genesis 17:2. Compare the notes at Psalms 50:5. AND HIS OATH UNTO ISAAC - Confirming the promise made to Abraham. See Genesis 26:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CONFIRMED THE SAME UNTO JACOB - literally, “caused it to stand;” that is, he made it fast or secure. He renewed it, commanding the same things; making the same promises; and pledging himself for its fulfillment in the same manner. Genesis 28:10. FOR A LAW - For an established or settled ordinan... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING, UNTO THEE WILL I GIVE THE LAND OF CANAAN - Genesis 13:14. THE LOT OF YOUR INHERITANCE - Or, that shall be the lot of your inheritance; or, what you shall inherit. The margin is, “the cord.” The Hebrew word - חבל _chebel_ - means properly a cord, a rope; and then, a measuring-line. Hence, it... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY WERE BUT A FEW MEN IN NUMBER - literally, “In their being people of number, very little.” That is, They could then be easily numbered, and they were so few that they could not take possession of it themselves. This is in contrast with the promise then made to them that they should be in nu... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY WENT FROM ONE NATION TO ANOTHER ... - Wandered about, as if they had no home and no fixed habitation. See Genesis 12:6, Genesis 12:9; Genesis 13:1; Genesis 20:1; Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:17, Genesis 26:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SUFFERED NO MAN TO DO THEM WRONG - He protected them as they wandered from place to place, and as they were exposed to dangers. See the history of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in their wanderings, as it is recorded in the book of Genesis. YEA, HE REPROVED KINGS FOR THEIR SAKES - That he might prot... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING, TOUCH NOT MINE ANOINTED - That is, This was the language of his “providence.” It was as though God had said this. It is not meant that this was said in so many words, but this is the “poetic” form of representing the dealings of Providence. Compare Genesis 26:11. The word “anointed” here mea... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, HE CALLED FOR A FAMINE UPON THE LAND - It was not by chance; not by the mere operation of physical laws, but it was because God “ordered” it. The famine here referred to, as the connection shows, was that which occurred in the time of Jacob, and which was the occasion of the migration into... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SENT A MAN BEFORE THEM - That is, He so ordered it by his providence that a man - Joseph - was sent before the family of Jacob into Egypt, that he might make arrangements for their reception and preservation. The whole matter was as God had sent him, or had commanded him to go. And yet it was bro... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE FEET THEY HURT WITH FETTERS - In Genesis 40:3; it is said of Joseph that he was “bound” in prison. It is not improbable that his “feet” were bound, as this is the usual way of confining prisoners. HE WAS LAID IN IRON - In the prison. The margin is, “his soul came into iron.” The version in th... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THE TIME THAT HIS WORD CAME - The word, or the communication from God. THE WORD OF THE LORD TRIED HIM - That is, tested his skill in interpreting dreams, and his power to disclose the future. Genesis 41. This furnished a “trial” of his ability, and showed that he was truly the favorite of God... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING SENT AND LOOSED HIM - Released him from prison. Genesis 41:14. The object was that he might interpret the dreams of Pharaoh. THE RULER OF THE PEOPLE, AND LET HIM GO FREE - Hebrew, “peoples,” in the plural - referring either to the fact that there were “many” people in the land, or that Pha... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE HIM LORD OF HIS HOUSE - Genesis 41:40. This implied that the administration of the affairs of the nation was virtually committed to him. AND RULER OF ALL HIS SUBSTANCE - Margin, as in Hebrew, “possession.” Of all he had. He placed all at his disposal in the affairs of his kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO BIND HIS PRINCES AT PLEASURE - Giving him absolute power. The power here referred to was that which was always claimed in despotic governments, and was, and is still, actually practiced in Oriental nations. Literally, “to bind his princes ‘by his soul;’” that is, at his will; or, as he chose. AND... [ Continue Reading ]
ISRAEL ALSO CAME INTO EGYPT - Another name for Jacob; see Psalms 105:10. AND JACOB SOJOURNED IN THE LAND OF HAM - Not as a permanent abode, but as a temporary arrangement, until the time should come for the people to be removed to the land of promise. See Genesis 46:6. The more literal rendering wo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE INCREASED HIS PEOPLE GREATLY ... - God caused them to multiply. Exodus 1:7, Exodus 1:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE TURNED THEIR HEART TO HATE HIS PEOPLE - God turned their heart. That is, He so ordered things that they became the enemies of his people, and made it necessary that they should be removed into another land. It is not said that God did this by his direct “power;” or that he “compelled” them to hat... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SENT MOSES HIS SERVANT - He sent Moses to be his servant in delivering his people; that is, to accomplish the work which he had designed should be done. AND AARON WHOM HE HAD CHOSEN - whom he had selected to perform an important work in delivering his people from bondage.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHEWED HIS SIGNS AMONG THEM - literally, “They placed among them the words of his signs.” So the margin. The reference is to the miracles performed in Egypt in bringing calamities upon the Egyptians to induce them to permit the children of Israel to go out from their bondage. They were the agen... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SENT DARKNESS, AND MADE IT DARK - Exodus 10:21. AND THEY REBELLED NOT AGAINST HIS WORD - More literally, “his words.” The reference is to Moses and Aaron; and the idea, as expressed here, is that they were obedient to the command of God; that they went and did what he ordered them; that, although... [ Continue Reading ]
See an account of these plagues in Exo. 6–11. Compare Psalms 78:43. This is mostly a mere enumeration of the plagues in the order in which they occurred, but without, of course, the details of the circumstances attending them. There are no circumstances mentioned here which require particular explan... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BROUGHT THEM FORTH ALSO WITH SILVER AND GOLD - Which they had begged of the Egyptians. In Exodus 12:35, it is said, in our translation, that they had “borrowed” this gold and silver, together with raiment, of the Egyptians. This is an unhappy translation, as our word “borrow” means to ask anythin... [ Continue Reading ]
EGYPT WAS GLAD WHEN THEY DEPARTED - They had suffered so many plagues; the land was so utterly desolate, there was so much sorrow in their dwellings, from the calamities which had come upon them for refusing to let the Israelites go, that at last they were glad to have them depart, and they were wil... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SPREAD A CLOUD FOR A COVERING - See the notes at Psalms 78:14. In Numbers 10:34; it is said that “the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day,” and from this seems to have been derived the idea of its “covering” them, as if it were a protection from the heat in the desert.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE ASKED, AND HE BROUGHT QUAILS - See the notes at Psalms 78:26. AND SATISFIED THEM WITH THE BREAD OF HEAVEN - manna, sent down, as it were, from heaven. In Psalms 78:25, it is called “angels’ food.” See the notes at that verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE OPENED THE ROCK ... - See the notes at Psalms 78:15. “They ran in the dry places like a river.” Or, “a river.” They flowed along in the desert - a river of waters. See the notes at 1 Corinthians 10:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE REMEMBERED ... - He was faithful to his promise made to Abraham, and did not forget his descendants in the hour of need. This is the statement made in Psalms 105:8; and to illustrate and confirm the faithfulness of God, this reference is made to the history of the Hebrew people. See the notes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BROUGHT FORTH HIS PEOPLE WITH JOY - With joy at their deliverance from bondage, and for his merciful interposition. AND HIS CHOSEN WITH GLADNESS - Margin, as in Hebrew, “singing.” See Exodus 15.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GAVE THEM THE LANDS OF THE HEATHEN - Of the “nations” of the land of Palestine, according to his promise. See the notes at Psalms 78:55. AND THEY INHERITED THE LABOR OF THE PEOPLE - The fruit of their labors. See Deuteronomy 6:10; Joshua 13:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MIGHT OBSERVE HIS STATUTES, AND KEEP HIS LAWS - The end - the design - of all this was that they might be an obedient people. This was the purpose of all his interventions in their behalf; and their obligation to obedience was enforced and measured by what he had done. The same is true in... [ Continue Reading ]