Psalms 135
Verses 1-3
Psalms 135:1-3. O ye servants of the Lord — Ye priests and Levites, as in the former Psalm, or the people; that stand in the courts, &c. — Either in the sanctuary or the inner court, both which were appropriated to the priests and Levites; ... read more
Psalms 136
Verse 1
Psalms 136:1. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good — “We are called upon to praise Jehovah, first for his own essential attributes; then for the exertion of those attributes in his works. The attributes here mentioned are those of good ... read more
Psalms 137
Verse 1
Psalms 137:1. By the rivers of Babylon — Of the city, or rather of the territory of Babylon, in which there were many rivers, as Euphrates, which also was divided into several streams or rivulets, and Tigris, and others; there sat we down ... read more
Psalms 138
Verse 1-2
Psalms 138:1-2. I will praise thee with my whole heart — With uprightness of intention, and fervency of affection. Before the gods will I sing praises, &c. — Before kings and princes, or, before judges and great men, either those of other n ... read more
Psalms 139
Verses 1-3
Psalms 139:1-3. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me — That is, known me exactly, as men know those things which they diligently search out. Thou knowest my down-sitting, &c. — All my postures and motions; my actions, and my ce ... read more
Psalms 14
Verse 1
Psalms 14:1. The fool hath said in his heart — In his secret thoughts, or within himself, what he is afraid or ashamed to utter with his lips; There is no God — Or none that concerns himself with the affairs of mankind, none that governs ... read more
Psalms 140
Verses 1-3
Psalms 140:1-3. Deliver me from the evil man — Either Saul, or Doeg, or some other malicious enemy, or rather enemies; the word man being taken collectively for men, as appears from the next verse. Continually, are they gathered, &c. — To ... read more
Psalms 141
Verse 2
Psalms 141:2. Let my prayer be set forth before thee — Hebrews תכון לפניךְ, be directed to thy face, person, or presence. Let it not be lost, but let it come unto thee and find audience; as incense — Let it be owned and accepted by ... read more
Psalms 142
Verse 1-2
Psalms 142:1-2. I cried unto the Lord, &c. — Hebrew, אזעק, I will cry unto the Lord — The words express the resolution he formed, when all human help failed, to have recourse again, as he often had had before, unto God in prayer, whom h ... read more
Psalms 143
Verse 1-2
Psalms 143:1-2. In thy faithfulness — According to thy true and faithful promises, made to the penitent who apply to thee for pardon and aid; answer me — Grant my earnest request; and in thy righteousness — Whereby thou art inclined and e ... read more
Psalms 144
Verse 1-2
Psalms 144:1-2. Blessed be the Lord my strength — On whom I rely, and from whom I have power to withstand and subdue my enemies, and to perform the duties of my place and station; who teacheth my hands to war, &c. — Who gives me that skill ... read more
Psalms 145
Verses 1-4
Psalms 145:1-4. I will extol thee, my God, O King — Or, my God, the king; termed so by way of eminence; the King of kings, the God by whom kings reign, and to whom I and all other kings owe subjection and obedience. Every day will I bless th ... read more
Psalms 146
Verses 3-6
Psalms 146:3-6. Put not your trust in princes — However great their wealth or power may be; nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help — “Earthly princes, if they have the will, often want the power, even to protect their friends. A ... read more
Psalms 147
Verses 1-3
Psalms 147:1-3. Praise the Lord, for it is good — It is acceptable to God, and greatly beneficial and productive of comfort to ourselves. It is pleasant, and praise is comely — “Being the only return man can make for his creation and red ... read more
Psalms 148
Verse 1-2
Psalms 148:1-2. Praise ye the Lord — Bishop Lowth, speaking of the origin of this divine ode, observes, “that it had its birth from the most pleasing affections of the human soul, joy, love, admiration.” “If we contemplate man,” says ... read more
Psalms 149
Verses 1-3
Psalms 149:1-3. Sing unto the Lord a new song — For these new mercies conferred upon us, denied to former times. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him — That made them not only his creatures, but, which is unspeakably greater, his people ... read more
Psalms 15
Verse 1
Psalms 15:1. Lord, who shall, &c. — The psalmist proposes this question to God, that the answer, coming from the Supreme Lord of earth and heaven, the Lawgiver and Judge of men and angels, might have the greater authority and influence on ... read more
Psalms 150
Verse 1
Psalms 150:1. Praise God in his sanctuary — In his temple, where this work was to be performed constantly and solemnly. Let his priests and people that attend there, attend him with their praises. Where should he be praised, if not where he in ... read more
Psalms 16
Verse 1
Psalms 16:1. Preserve me, O God — Hebrew — שׁמרני, shamereeni, keep, support, guard, or defend me — These words are evidently spoken by one in trouble and distress, or in danger, either from his enemies or in some other way. As David ... read more
Psalms 17
Verse 1
Psalms 17:1. Hear the right, O Lord â Hebrew, צ×ק, tzedek, righteousness, that is, my righteous cause, or me, who, notwithstanding all their accusations, and slanders, am righteous in my conduct toward them and all men. Attend unto my cry â ... read more
Psalms 18
Verses 1-3
Psalms 18:1-3. I will love thee — Hebrew, ארחמךְ, erchamecha, I will love thee most affectionately, and with my whole soul. I can make thee no better return for all thy favours than my love, which I pray thee to accept. By loving the L ... read more
Psalms 19
Verse 1
Psalms 19:1. The heavens, &c. — To magnify the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Creator, the psalmist begins with the works of creation, and, amidst the immensity of them, singles out those which are most conspicuous, grand, and striking, and ... read more
Psalms 2
Verse 1
Psalms 2:1. Why do the heathen rage? — Hebrew, גוים, goim, the nations, namely, 1st, Those bordering on Judea in David’s time, who raged against him, when exalted to the throne of Judah and Israel, 2 Samuel 5:6; 2 Samuel 5:17; 1 Chronicle ... read more
Psalms 20
Verse 1
Psalms 20:1. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble — It was often a day of trouble with David. “Neither the crown on his head,” says Henry, “nor the grace in his heart, would exempt him from trouble.” But in his trouble he had recour ... read more
Psalms 21
Verse 1
Psalms 21:1. The king shall joy in thy strength — Conferred upon him, and put forth, by thee, on his behalf, against his enemies. Though by the king here we may understand King David, who composed this Psalm, yet it may be much better expl ... read more
Psalms 22
Verse 1
Psalms 22:1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? — In these words Christ, when hanging on the cross, complained, that he was deprived, for a time, of the loving presence and comforting influence of his heavenly Father: and St. Matth ... read more
Psalms 23
Verse 1
Psalms 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd — He hath showed himself to be so by his gracious providences toward me; and he hath kindly taken upon himself that office, and condescended to stand in that relation to me, having entered into covenant ... read more
Psalms 24
Verse 1
Psalms 24:1. The earth is the Lord’s — The psalmist begins with a representation of God’s dominion over this world in general, and his providential presence in every part of it. After which follows a declaration of his special presence ... read more
Psalms 25
Verses 1-3
Psalms 25:1-3. Unto thee do I lift up my soul — That is, I direct my prayers to thee with hope of a gracious answer. Let me not be ashamed — That is, disappointed of my hope, which will be reproachful to me, and not without reflection upon ... read more
Psalms 26
Verse 1
Psalms 26:1. Judge me, O Lord — Plead my cause, or, give sentence for me. I can obtain no right from men. The supreme and subordinate magistrates are my implacable and resolved enemies: do thou, therefore, do me justice against them. For I ... read more
Psalms 27
Verse 1
Psalms 27:1. The Lord is my light — My counsellor in my difficulties, and my comforter and deliverer in all my distresses. David’s subjects called him the light of Israel; but he owns he shone, as the moon doth, with a borrowed light: th ... read more
Psalms 28
Verse 1
Psalms 28:1. Be not silent to me — Hebrew, אל תחרשׁ ממני, al techeresh mimmenni, be not deaf to me, that is, to my prayers; do not act as if thou didst not hear, or didst disregard my prayers; lest, if thou be silent to me — A ... read more
Psalms 29
Verse 1-2
Psalms 29:1-2. Give unto the Lord, ye mighty — Hebrew, בני אלים, benee eelim, ye sons of the mighty, or of gods: ye potentates and rulers of the earth. To these he addresses his speech, 1st, Because they are very apt to forget and cont ... read more
Psalms 3
Verse 1
Psalms 3:1. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? — He might well say so, for the party that sought his ruin was very numerous and very formidable. Absalom his son had stolen away the hearts of the generality of the people, and was at t ... read more
Psalms 30
Verse 1
Psalms 30:1. Thou hast lifted me up — Hebrew, דליתני, dillitani, evexisti me, Buxtorff. Dr. Waterland renders it, Thou hast drawn me up, namely, out of the deep pit, or waters, to which great dangers and afflictions are frequently compare ... read more
Psalms 31
Verses 1-3
Psalms 31:1-3. Never let me be ashamed — Namely, of my confidence in thy promises. Deliver me in thy righteousness — By, or for, or according to thy faithfulness and goodness, both which often come under the name of righteousness. Del ... read more
Psalms 32
Verse 1
Psalms 32:1. Blessed is the man, &c. — We are here taught wherein true happiness consists, and what is the cause and foundation of it. It consists not in the possession of the wealth or honours of the world, or in the enjoyment of its pleasures ... read more
Psalms 33
Verse 1
Psalms 33:1. Rejoice in the Lord — Let his excellence, discovered in his works, be the matter of your praise. Praise is comely for the upright — It well becomes them to be employed in this work of praising God, partly, because they are u ... read more
Psalms 34
Verse 1-2
Psalms 34:1-2. I will bless the Lord at all times — I will never forget to bless God for this miraculous deliverance. My soul shall make her boast, &c. — Shall glory in this, that I have so powerful and gracious a Lord and Master. The ... read more
Psalms 35
Verses 1-3
Psalms 35:1-3. Plead my cause, O Lord, &c. — Take my part, and maintain my cause against those that contend with me, and have raised war against me; for I am not able to defend myself, and have none else to appear for me. Take hold of shield ... read more
Psalms 36
Verse 1-2
Psalms 36:1-2. The transgression of the wicked saith, &c. — When I consider the great and manifold transgressions of ungodly men, I conclude, within myself, that they have cast off all fear and serious belief of the Divine Majesty. For he f ... read more
Psalms 37
Verse 1-2
Psalms 37:1-2. Fret not thyself — Give not way to immoderate grief, or anger, or impatience; because of evil-doers — Because they prosper in their wicked enterprises, while thou art sorely afflicted. Neither be thou envious, &c. — Es ... read more
Psalms 38
Verse 1-2
Psalms 38:1-2. Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure — I confess that I both deserve chastisement and need it, and therefore I do not desire that thou shouldest entirely remove it, but only moderate it: see Psalms 6:1. For thine arro ... read more
Psalms 39
Verse 1
Psalms 39:1. I said — I fully resolved, &c. “The Psalm,” says Dr. Horne, “begins abruptly with the result of a meditation on the narrow, slippery, and dangerous paths of life; more especially on the extreme difficulty of restraining the t ... read more
Psalms 4
Verse 1
Psalms 4:1. O God of my righteousness — Or, my righteous God, the witness and defender of my righteous cause, and the person from whom I expect that righteous judgment and decision of it which I cannot obtain from mine enemies, who load me with ... read more
Psalms 40
Verse 1-2
Psalms 40:1-2. I waited patiently for the Lord — Hebrew, קוה קויתי, kavvo kivviti, in waiting I waited, or, in hoping I hoped, which doubling of the word signifies that he waited or hoped diligently and earnestly, patiently and pers ... read more
Psalms 41
Verse 1
Psalms 41:1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor — Or, poor man; that conducts himself wisely and prudently toward him; as משׂכיל, maschil, properly signifies, that does not rashly and foolishly censure and condemn him, much less ... read more
Psalms 42
Verse 1-2
Psalms 42:1-2. As the hart panteth — תערג, tagnarog, brayeth: “The word is strong, and expresses that eagerness and fervency of desire, which extreme thirst may be supposed to raise in an animal almost spent in its flight from the ... read more
Psalms 43
Verse 1-2
Psalms 43:1-2. Judge me, O God, &c. — “O God, the supreme Judge of the whole world, I appeal to thee, in this contest between me and a seditious people, who, void of piety and humanity,” (so the phrase לא חסיד, lo chasid, here ... read more
Psalms 44
Verse 1
Psalms 44:1. We have heard with our ears, &c. — “We have been certainly informed, O Lord, by our fathers, and we believe what they have told us, not only concerning the wonderful works thou didst in their times, but in the ages long before th ... read more
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