1The church prayeth God to shew himself with power. 4She acknowledgeth God's mercy to them that seek him, and confesseth her own unworthiness. 9She pleadeth for compassion toward her desolate state.
1OH1 that thou wouldest 2rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might 3flow down at thy presence,
1 This depends yet on the last verse of the 63rd chapter, being a continuation of the prayer of the church, that God would manifest His help from heaven for the destruction of their enemies and for the redemption of His church, especially by the coming of the Messiah in the flesh, to which is pointed in verse 4.
2 Namely, being kindled with zeal and indignation, as the next words further show, all tending thereto to entreat God that He would be pleased to manifest Himself in glory and power as He did when he gave His law, Exodus 19.
3 That is, that they might melt and flow away like water, as being astonished at the presence of Thy majesty. See the like allegorical phrase Deut. 32:2; Judges 5:4, 5, etc.; Psalm 18:7; 97:5.
2As when 4the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make 5thy name known to 6thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!
4 Hebr. a fire of meltings, that is, as a fire causes a thing to melt, which men intend to cast, and as the fire causes the water to bubble up.
5 That is, Thy power, whereby Thou avengest Thyself on Thine enemies.
6 That is, the persecutors of Thy church, whom Thou holdest for Thine enemies. Compare Acts 9:4.
37When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, 8thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
7 Namely, in the time of our fathers, both in Egypt and in the wilderness.
8 Other, that thou mightest come down and the mountains might flow down before thy face.
49For since the beginning of the world men have nota heard, nor perceived by the ear, 10neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what 11he hath prepared for him 12that waiteth for him.
9 This is principally to be understood of the mysteries of the Holy Gospel, unknown and incomprehensible to the wisdom and understanding of men, save to those to whom God reveals them by His Spirit, as the apostle Paul proves from this place in 1 Cor. 2:9, 10.
a Psalm 31:18, 19; 1 Cor. 2:9.
10 Yea, it never entered into the heart or thought of any man, as the apostle testifies 1 Cor. 2:9.
11 For what thou wilt do, that is, what mercies Thou wilt bestow. The apostle says which God hath prepared, namely, the Kingdom of heaven, which is so a great glory, that it far excels all human understanding.
12 The apostle expounds these words thus: for them that love him, for, to wait upon God, this is a fruit of love. Compare with this place Psalm 31:19.
513Thou meetest him 14that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, 15those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, 16thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in 17those is continuance, 18and we shall be saved.
13 Namely, with Thy grace and mercy, and unto their help, as the angels met Jacob, Gen. 32:1. In other places it signifies a meeting unto damage or hurt, as Exod. 5:3.
14 They who with joy apply themselves to serve Thee, or they who rejoice themselves in Thee.
15 That is, those who praise and glorify Thee for Thy wonderful Providence and protection.
16 And consequently Thou hast smitten us.
17 Namely, in Thy ways, laws and will; or, in Thy grace and mercy which Thou continually showest unto Thy people.
18 That is, if we had walked in them, we would have been saved. Other, behold, thou wast wroth, because we always sinned against those (namely, ways), yet we are saved.
6But we are all as an unclean thing, and 19all our righteousnesses are 20as filthy rags; and 21web all do fade 22as a leaf; and our 23iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
19 That is, all our best works, or whatever good we might have done. Understand additionally: If Thou wouldest examine them according to the rigor of Thy justice, beholding us in our own nature outside of Christ. See Philip. 3:8.
20 Hebr. as a garment of casting away; or, as a filthy stained garment; or, a garment made up of rags and patches. See on the contrary what we are in Christ Jesus, Rev. 19:8.
21 Or, we wither, namely, by reason of Thine anger kindled against us, which we have occasioned by our sins. See Psalm 90:5, 6.
b Psalm 90:5, 6.
22 Compare this place with Jude verse 12. The contrary is Psalm 1:3.
23 This word comprehends not only the offences, but also the punishment of them.
7And there is 24none that 25calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself 26to take hold of thee: for thou 27hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, 28because of our iniquities.
24 That is, very few.
25 Namely, with true faith and with upright sorrow and sadness, as it is proper to do.
26 Namely, to keep Thee back from going on to punish us in Thine anger. Other, that holdest fast on thee.
27 See Deut. 31:17.
28 Or, by the strength of our iniquities. Hebr. by the hand of our iniquities. The sense is: Our sins have kindled the fire of Thy wrath whereby we are melted and consumed.
8But now, O LORD, 29thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our 30potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
29 God is the Father of all men in regard that He has created them, but He is the Father of His elect for this cause also, because by grace He has adopted them unto children. See Rom. 8:15, 16.
30 Or, former, or He Who has formed us, forming our hearts as a potter forms a vessel of clay or earth.
9¶Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither rememberc iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
c Psalm 79:8.
1031Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, 32Jerusalem a desolation.
31 Hebr. The cities of thy holiness, namely, Zion and Jerusalem, and understand here by Zion the city of David, which was the upper part of the city of Jerusalem, built upon mount Zion; and by Jerusalem is understood the lower part of the city. Or, by the holy cities may be understood in general the cities of Judah, as being cities of the holy land, and of the holy people of God; and consequently Zion and Jerusalem as follows.
32 That is, Jerusalem is made desolate. See Psalm 79:1.
1133Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, 34is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
33 Namely, the temple, in which the holy service of God was performed, and where God manifested His glory and presence. See 1 Kings 8:13, etc.
34 Namely, by the Babylonians; for, it seems that this prayer was prescribed by the prophet unto the people to be used in the time of the Babylonian captivity. Other, is appropriated to the fire. Hebr. is become a burning of fire. The first temple was burnt by Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kings 25:9; the second by the emperor Titus. See Mat. 24:2.
12Wilt thou 35refrain thyself 36for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and 37afflict us very sore?
35 Or, cease, namely, without executing vengeance upon our enemies, and without bringing us again to Jerusalem to build up the temple again and to restore Thine holy worship?
36 Namely, at this sad condition of Thy people.
37 Or, cast down.