INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 66 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A SONG [OR] PSALM. This psalm does not bear the name of David in the title of it, yet is generally thought to be one of his; but because the plural number is used in it, which is not so common in David's psalms, Aben Ezra is of opinion it is not his,... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO GOD,.... The Creator of the ends of the earth; the Provider for all his creatures; and the Dispenser of the blessings of grace, under the Gospel dispensation, to men in all countries. The Messiah may well be thought to be intended, since the psalm refers to Gospel times; who... [ Continue Reading ]
SING FORTH THE HONOUR OF HIS NAME,.... Meaning not any particular names of the Messiah, such as in Isaiah 9:6; or his name "Jesus", a Saviour; though they are all honourable and glorious, and furnish out sufficient matter for a song: but rather that by which he was made known to the sons of men, his... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY UNTO GOD,.... Or, "concerning God" t, as some; or, "before God", as the Targum; say to him as follows, in psalms and hymns of praise: HOW TERRIBLE ART THOU IN THY WORKS! or "reverend" u; to be feared and reverenced with a godly fear on account of them; such as the works of nature and providence... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE EARTH SHALL WORSHIP THEE,.... The Messiah, who is equal with God; the Creator of men; the Redeemer of his people; the Head of the church, and King of saints; their Lord, and therefore to be worshipped; with internal worship, in the exercise of faith, hope, and love; and with external worship... [ Continue Reading ]
COME AND SEE THE WORKS OF GOD,.... Of the Messiah, God manifest in the flesh; those divine works which he did when here on earth; his miraculous works, which were proofs of his deity and Messiahship; his preaching the Gospel, in so divine a manner as never man did; his works of obedience to the law,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE TURNED THE SEA INTO DRY [LAND],.... The Red sea, or sea of Zuph, as the Targum; by causing a strong east wind to blow, which made it dry, so that the children of Israel passed through it on dry ground, Exodus 14:21. Or, "he turneth" y; for though the allusion is to the making the Red sea dry lan... [ Continue Reading ]
HE RULETH BY HIS POWER FOREVER,.... Christ is the Ruler in Israel, King over his holy hill of Zion; who must reign till all enemies are put under his feet. He rules in the kingdom of nature and providence by his power, and does whatsoever he pleases; nor can any stay his hand. He rules in the kingdo... [ Continue Reading ]
O BLESS OUR GOD, YE PEOPLE,.... In all countries, that know the Lord and fear him; ascribe blessing, and honour and glory, to Christ our God, on account of his works, actions, perfections, kingdom and power; and because of the destruction of those who are rebels to his government; AND MAKE THE VOIC... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HOLDETH OUR SOUL IN LIFE,.... Or, "putteth our soul in life" b, or "among the living", which is not to be understood of infusing a living soul in man, nor of the preservation of natural life, which is common to all men; but of appointing and ordaining them unto eternal life, as the Targum; and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU, O GOD, HAST PROVED US,.... And by the experiment found them to be true and faithful; to have the truth of grace, and the root of the matter in them; not reprobate silver, or their grace counterfeit grace; but of the right kind, solid and substantial; THOU HAST TRIED US AS SILVER IS TRIED;... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU BROUGHTEST US INTO THE NET,.... That is, suffered them to be taken in the net of wicked men, which they laid and spread for them; whereby they were drawn either into bad principles or bad practices, or into ruinous circumstances; though the Lord does not leave his own people there, but breaks t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST CAUSED MEN TO RIDE OVER OUR HEADS,.... Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of the kings and nations of the world ruling over Israel; and may very well design the Heathen powers and antichristian states tyrannizing over Christian people. The word in the original text is singular, "a man" c, a fr... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GO INTO THY HOUSE WITH BURNT OFFERINGS,.... The psalmist here represents the saints and faithful in those times, who being delivered out of all their troubles, and brought into a large, free, plentiful, and comfortable condition, will come together into the place of public worship, and there... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH MY LIPS HAVE UTTERED,.... Or "opened" e; publicly and distinctly declared, and from which there is no going back; see Judges 11:33; AND MY MOUTH HATH SPOKEN WHEN I WAS IN TROUBLE; this refers to the time when the people of God were under antichristian tyranny and bondage; and when they vowed... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL OFFER UNTO THEE BURNT SACRIFICES OF FATLINGS,.... Of the fattest of the flock; that is, of the best; such as Abel offered, Genesis 4:4; WITH THE INCENSE OF RAMS; or "rams with incense" f; the Targum is, "with sweet incense, the sacrifice of rams;'' Kimchi interprets it of incense of the fa... [ Continue Reading ]
COME [AND] HEAR, ALL YE THAT FEAR GOD,.... Who have a reverential affection for him, and by whom he is worshipped and served with reverence and godly fear; these have good things done for themselves, and will glorify God for what he does for others: these know the nature, worth, and value of the goo... [ Continue Reading ]
I CRIED UNTO HIM WITH MY MOUTH,.... Crying designs prayer, and supposes distress; and crying with the mouth denotes vocal, ardent, and fervent prayer; AND HE WAS EXTOLLED WITH MY TONGUE: at the same time the psalmist prayed for deliverance out of his distresses, he praised God for the mercies he ha... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART,.... There was iniquity in his heart, as there is in every good man's heart, and a great deal too; it is full of it; and it should be regarded in some sense, so as to guard against it, and pray to be kept from it, that it may not break forth into action; and so as to... [ Continue Reading ]
[BUT] VERILY GOD HATH HEARD [ME],.... So that it was a plain case that he had not regarded iniquity in his heart; had not lived a vicious course of life, nor was an hypocrite; otherwise God would not have heard his prayer; whereas he had, and which is confirmed in the following clause; HE HATH ATTE... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED [BE] GOD, WHICH HATH NOT TURNED AWAY MY PRAYER,.... Has not been angry against it, shut it out, or covered himself with a cloud that it might not pass through, which sometimes saints have complained of, Psalms 80:4; but graciously heard and received it; NOR HIS MERCY FROM ME; for that endur... [ Continue Reading ]