_A.M. 3416. B.C. 588._ This Psalm was doubtless composed upon the mournful occasion of the destruction of Judea and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. It might be written by the latter Asaph, or, as some think, by Jeremiah, who lived at that time, and in whose book more than one whole verse of this Psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
_O God, the heathen are come_ As invaders and conquerors; _into thine inheritance_ Into Canaan and Judea, which thou didst choose for thine inheritance. _Thy holy temple have they defiled_ By entering into it, and touching and carrying away its holy vessels, and shedding blood in it, and burning of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The dead bodies of thy servants_ Either, 1st, Of thy faithful and holy servants, whom they used as cruelly as the worst of the people. Or, 2d, Of the Jews in general, whom, though most of them were wicked, he calls God's servants and saints, because they were such by profession; and some of them we... [ Continue Reading ]
_We are become a reproach_, &c. We, who were the terror of our neighbours, and whom they stood in awe of, and were afraid to offend, are now neither feared nor pitied, but are become the objects of their scoffs and reproaches. For they study to abuse us and load us with contempt, upbraiding us with... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen_ Though we confess that we have deserved thy wrath, yet the heathen, by whom thou hast scourged us, have deserved it much more, as being guilty of far greater impieties than we, living in gross ignorance and contempt of thee and thy worship. And, therefore, we pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remember not against us former iniquities_ The sins committed by our forefathers, and by us who have filled up the measure of their sins, for which we confess thou hast most righteously brought this desolating judgment upon us. _Let thy tender mercies_ Upon which all our confidence is fixed; for me... [ Continue Reading ]
_Help us, O God of our salvation_ From whom we have often received, and from whom alone we now expect salvation, that is, deliverance, or protection; _for the glory of thy name_ Which is now obscured by the insolence and blasphemy of thine enemies, who ascribe their conquest to their idols, and triu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let the sighing of the prisoner_ Of thy poor people now in prison, or, at least, in captivity; _come before thee_ Be taken cognizance of by thee, and be as prevalent with thee as these prayers; _according to the greatness of thy power_ Hebrew, זרועךְ, _zerognacha_, _of thine arm;_ with which no cre... [ Continue Reading ]
_So we thy people will give thanks for ever_ “Such is the resolution of a church under persecution; and such ought to be the practice of every church when delivered out of it, and restored to the favour and protection of her God. The same is the duty of every soul with regard to afflictions and merc... [ Continue Reading ]