_A.M. 3468. B.C. 536._ This Psalm, which is a thankful acknowledgment of God's goodness, in turning their captivity, and an humble prayer for confirming, continuing, and completing the mercy, may, with some propriety, be applied to David's return to Jerusalem, after his flight from Absalom; but is... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land_ That is, unto thy people, in removing the sad effects of thy displeasure. _Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob_ The captives, as that word is used Psalms 14:7; Psalms 68:18, and elsewhere. _Thou hast covered all their sin _ So as not to imput... [ Continue Reading ]
_Turn us, O God of our salvation_ That is, either, 1st, Convert us. As thou hast brought back our bodies to thy land, so bring back our hearts to thyself, from whom many of them are to this day alienated. Or rather, restore us to our former tranquillity, and free us from the troubles which we yet gr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou not revive us again?_ Thou hast once revived us in bringing us out of captivity; give us a second reviving, in bringing home the rest of our brethren, and in rebuking and restraining the remainder of our enemies' wrath. Revive us with encouraging and comfortable words spoken to us, revive... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will hear_ Diligently observe; _what God the Lord will speak_ Either by his prophets and other messengers, or by his providence, for that also hath a voice: I will hear what answer God will give to these my prayers. And the psalmist, by declaring what he would do, teaches all the Israelites what... [ Continue Reading ]
_His salvation is nigh them that fear him_ Namely, that complete salvation and deliverance for which all the Israel of God do pray and wait; even the redemption of Israel by the Messiah; of which not only Christian but Jewish writers understand this passage, and to which the following verses do most... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mercy and truth are met together_, &c. When that blessed time shall come, those virtues which now seem to be banished from human society shall be restored, and there shall be a happy union of mercy, or benignity, with truth, or veracity, and fidelity; of _righteousness_, or justice and equity, with... [ Continue Reading ]
_Truth shall spring out of the earth_ Either, 1st, Truth among men, which shall be as common among all men as if it sprung out of the earth. Or rather, 2d, The truth or faithfulness of God, which may be truly said to _spring out of the earth_, partly because it had long been as if it were hid, and b... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord shall give us that which is good_ That is, all that is good in itself, and good for us; all spiritual and temporal blessings. _And our land shall yield her increase_ The effects of the incarnation of Christ, the descent of the Spirit, and the publication of the gospel among men, are here,... [ Continue Reading ]