Psalms 50

Psalms 50:2

Salvation - Thy protection, which hath been to me like a shield. Held - Kept me from, falling into those mischiefs, which mine enemies designed. Gentleness - Thy clemency, whereby thou hast pardoned my sins; thy grace and benignity.

Psalms 50:3

Slipt - As they are apt to do in narrow and uneven ways.

Psalms 50:10

People - From contentions, and seditions, under Saul, and Ishbosheth, and Absalom. Heathens - Of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Syrians, and others. Not known - Even barbarous and remote nations.

Psalms 50:11

Hear - As soon as they understand my will and pleasure, they shall instantly comply with it.

Psalms 50:12

Close places - Out of their strong holds, where they shall lurk for fear of me.

Psalms 50:13

The Lord - He and he only is the true living God.

Psalms 50:15

Violent man - From Saul: whom for honour’s sake he forbears to mention.

Psalms 50:16

Heathen - David is here transported beyond himself, and speaks this in special relation to Christ who was to be his seed, and of whom he was an eminent type, and by whom alone this was done. And therefore this is justly applied to him, and to his calling of the Gentiles, Romans 15:9.

Psalms 50:17

His king - To the king whom God himself chose and anointed, and to all his posterity; and especially to the Messiah, who is called David’s seed, Acts 13:23 Romans 1:3.

Psalms 50:19

The heavens - They are as a legible book, wherein he that runs may read it. The glory - His eternal power and Godhead, his infinite wisdom and goodness. Firmament - Or, the expansion, all the vast space extended from the earth to the highest heavens, with all its goodly furniture.

Psalms 50:20

Day - Every day and night repeats these demonstrations of God’s glory. Uttereth - Or, poureth forth, constantly and abundantly, as a fountain doth water; So this Hebrew word signifies. Knowledge - Gives us a clear knowledge or discovery of God their author.

Psalms 50:21

Heard - Or, understood; there are divers nations in the world, which have several languages, so that one cannot discourse with, or be understood by another, but the heavens are such an universal teacher, that they can speak to all people, and be clearly understood by all.

Psalms 50:22

Line - Their lines, the singular number being put for the plural. And this expression is very proper, because the heavens do not teach men audibly, or by speaking to their ears, but visibly by propounding things to their eyes, which is done in lines or writings. Gone - Is spread abroad. Earth - So as to be seen and read, by all the inhabitants of the earth. Words - Their magnificent structure, their exquisite order, and most regular course, by which they declare their author, no less than men discover their minds by their words. Sun - Which being the most illustrious and useful of all the heavenly bodies, is here particularly mentioned.

Psalms 50:23

Bridegroom - Gloriously adorned with light as with a beautiful garment, and smiling upon the world with a pleasant countenance. Chamber - In which he is poetically supposed to have rested all night, and thence to break forth as it were on a sudden. Strong man - Conscious and confident of his own strength.