INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 65 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM [AND] SONG OF DAVID. Some copies of the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions read "a song of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, "sung" by the people of the captivity, when they were about to come out;'' and some copies have "Haggai": but though it is po... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAISE WAITETH FOR THEE, O GOD, IN SION,.... Who dwells in Sion, as Jarchi interprets it; and so the Targum; whose Shechinah, or glorious Majesty, is in Sion; see Psalms 76:2; or else Sion, which designs no other than the church of God, and which is so called under the Gospel dispensation, Hebrews 1... [ Continue Reading ]
O THOU THAT HEAREST PRAYER,.... So as to answer it sooner or later, in one way or another, and always in the fittest time, and in the best way; so as to fulfil the requests and supply the wants of men, so far as may be for their good, and God's glory; which is a proof of the omnipresence, omniscienc... [ Continue Reading ]
INIQUITIES PREVAIL AGAINST ME,.... Or, "are mightier than I" h; this may be understood either of the iniquities of others, his enemies; their "words of iniquities" i or iniquitous words, as in the Hebrew text; their calumnies, reproaches, false charges, and accusations, which prevailed against David... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED [IS THE MAN WHOM] THOU CHOOSEST,.... In eternity; both to grace and glory; for such have true faith in Christ given them, called the faith of God's elect, and shall never perish: they are effectually called by the grace of God, and are justified by the righteousness of Christ, and shall be g... [ Continue Reading ]
[BY] TERRIBLE THINGS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS WILT THOU ANSWER US,.... Not by afflictive dispensations of Providence, which, though disagreeable to flesh and blood, and are sometimes terrible to good men, when they apprehend the wrath of God in them, and look upon them as punishments for sin; yet these are... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH BY HIS STRENGTH SETTETH FAST THE MOUNTAINS,.... In the first creation and formation of them, when they were settled on their basis so firmly that they are rarely removed, and when they are it is something extraordinary. Some understand this of the Lord's preparing the mountains with the rain o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH STILLETH THE NOISE OF THE SEAS, THE NOISE OF THEIR WAVES,.... By a word speaking; as our Lord did when here on earth, and which was a proof and evidence of his eternal power and Godhead. These figurative expressions are interpreted by the next clause; AND THE TUMULT OF THE PEOPLE: of wicked m... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ALSO THAT DWELL IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS ARE AFRAID AT THY TOKENS,.... The tokens of his wrath and displeasure at wicked men, seen in the punishments inflicted on them, which cause them to fear and tremble. Some interpret them of the sun, moon, and stars, which are set for "signs", as the word m... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU VISITEST THE EARTH, AND WATEREST IT,.... So the Lord looked upon the earth, quickly after its formation, before rain came upon it, and he watered the whole face of the ground, Genesis 2:5; so he cared for the land of Judea in particular, and watered it with the rain of heaven, Deuteronomy 11:11... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU WATEREST THE RIDGES THEREOF ABUNDANTLY,.... Kimchi calls them the eminences of the earth, the little hills, the higher parts of ploughed land; those which lie between furrow and furrow seem to be meant, which being watered with rain become lower, and are made fruitful: these may denote such as... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU CROWNEST THE YEAR WITH THY GOODNESS,.... The whole circling year, from one end of it to the other; particularly that season of it when the harvest is gathered in; the seed being sown, the earth watered, the springing of it blessed, and the corn brought to perfection, the year is crowned with a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DROP [UPON] THE PASTURES OF THE WILDERNESS,.... As well as upon the ploughed land, and turn them into a fruitful field; which may denote the Gentile world, whither the Gospel was sent by Christ, and preached by his apostles; and whose doctrines dropped as the rain, and prospered to the thing wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PASTURES ARE CLOTHED WITH FLOCKS,.... Of sheep, which are so thick, that there is scarce anything to be seen upon the pastures but them; which look as if they were clothed with them: these may intend the multitude of converts, signified by the flocks of Kedar, and rams of Nebaioth; which gatheri... [ Continue Reading ]