1A meditation upon the majesty, power, and wonderful providence of God. 31God's glory is eternal. 33The prophet voweth to praise God perpetually.
1BLESS thea LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
a Psalm 103:1; 146:1.
21Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: whob stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
1 Or, Who arrayeth or hangeth or wrappeth himself about. See the annotation Job 40 on verse 10.
b Gen. 1:6; Job 26:7.
3Who layeth the 2beams of his chambers 3in the waters: 4who maketh the clouds his chariot: 5whoc walketh upon the wings of the wind:
2 Hereby are understood the several regions, which are in the air or in the firmament, where also the clouds abide, hanging as it were, as verse 13.
3 Or, with the waters. Understand those waters which are above in the clouds, Gen. 1:7. See Job 26:8.
4 Hebr. who setteth or putteth the clouds for his chariot.
5 That is, upon the wind, which flies away as swiftly as if it had wings. See Isa. 19:1.
c Psalm 18:10; Isa. 19:1; Rev. 14:14.
4Whod6maketh his angels 7spirits; his ministers 8a flaming fire:
d Heb. 1:7.
6 That is, He makes and uses the angels as messengers, for several dispatches and expeditions.
7 The apostle, reflecting to this passage in Heb. 1:7, concludes the angels to be creatures and ministering spirits. Or. winds, to which the angels may be compared for their swiftness.
8 That is, He gives them extraordinary strength and ability to execute His judgments, insomuch that they go forth and pass through like fire. Hence it is that the angels are called seraphim, Isa. 6:2, which signifies burning. See 2 Kings 2:11; 6:17.
5Who 9laide the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
9 The prophet wants to say here: that the earth is so firmly founded by the Lord as if it stood upon a most strong and solid foundation to support it. See the annotations on Job 26 on verse 7; Psalm 24 on verse 2.
e Job 26:7; 38:4, 5, 6; Psalm 24:2; 78:69.
6Thou 10coveredst it 11with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
10 Namely, from the beginning of the creation unto the third day, when first the earth was made dry, Gen. 1:9, 10. The waters covered the earth likewise in the days of the deluge, Gen. 7:19.
11 That is, with the deep and bottomless waters which God created on the first day, Gen. 1:2.
712At thy rebuke they fled; 13at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
12 It seems that by God’s rebuking there is to be understood mighty winds and tempests. See Psalm 18:15. Other, from thy chiding, that is, from (or upon) Thine earnest command. See Job 26 on verse 12.
13 That is, by reason or upon Thy great and mighty voice, which is like thunder.
8They go up by the 14mountains; they go down by the valleys 15unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
14 Or, The hills rose up, the valleys descended to the place which thou hadst founded for them.
15 That is, in the lower parts of the earth, Gen. 1:9, 10; Job 38:10, 11.
9Thou hast set a bound that 16they may not pass over; that 17they turn not again to cover the earth.
16 Namely, the waters. Compare with the words of the text Job 26:10; 38:8, 10, 11; Psalm 148:6; Jer. 5:22.
17 Namely, unless, Lord, it be that Thou commandest them as in the flood. Hebr. they shall not return to cover the earth, or, covering the earth.
10He sendeth the 18springs into the valleys, which 19run among the hills.
18 Understand hereby the springs the brooks and rivers which take their source from the fountains, as appears by the words immediately following.
19 As likewise Psalm 105:41.
11They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses 20quench their thirst.
20 Namely, with the waters of those fountains and rivers. Other, the wild asses break their thirst with it.
12By them shall 21the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
21 That is, the birds, which fly in the heavens, that is, in the air.
13He 22watereth the hills 23from his chambers: the 24earth is satisfied 25with the fruit of thy works.
22 That is, He watereth, (or moisteneth), namely, with rain water.
23 That is, out of the clouds, as verse 3.
24 As if he said: The earth has quenched its thirst with the rain after a great drought.
25 That is, from the rain, which only God gives, Jer. 10:13; 14:22. Or, from the rain, which by Thy work, O Lord, is produced or made to issue forth, like a fruit. From the rain it is that corn and grass grow, and all manner of herbs and fruits from trees. Compare with this Deut. 11:14, 15; Job 38:26, 27, 28.
14He causeth 26the grass to grow for the cattle, and 27herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth 28food out of the earth;
26 See the annotation on 1 Kings 18:5.
27 Namely, all kinds of herbs, for either food or medicine.
28 Namely, the corn or grain, whereof the bread is made, as Job 28:5; Eccl. 11:1; Isa. 28:28; 30:23. The word food signifies here, as in many other places, all sorts of food and sustenance.
15And 29wine that maketh 30glad the heart of man, and 31oil to make his face to shine, and 32bread which 33strengtheneth man’s heart.
29 Namely, does He make to come forth. The wine, that is, the vine whereon the grapes do grow, containing the wine.
30 See Judges 9:9, 13; Psalm 23:5.
31 It was of old very usual in the Jewish land that people anointed their bodies, especially the head and face with oil, to refresh the same, Psalm 23:5.
32 That is, the wheat out of which bread is made.
33 Or, supporteth, sustaineth. See 1 Kings 13 on verse 7.
1634The trees of the LORD 35are full of sap; 36the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
34 That is, the very high and lofty trees. See the annotation Psalm 80 on verse 10. Or, those that come forth only by God’s Providence and grow without any human pains or industry.
35 Namely, with the rain. As if he would say: How great and tall soever the trees be, yet they get sap and nourishment enough from the rain to make them grow and flourish.
36 These trees grow to a very great height and size, especially on Mount Lebanon.
17Where 37the birds make their nests: as for the 38stork, 39the fir trees are her house.
37 See Gen. 7:14; Lev. 14:4.
38 See Lev. 11 on verse 19.
39 See 1 Kings 5:8.
18The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and 40the rocks 41for the conies.f
40 Namely, the holes and clefts which are in and among the rocky hills.
41 See Prov. 30:24, 26.
f hyrax, rock-badger, like a rabbit
19He appointed the moon 42for seasons: the sun 43knoweth his going down.
42 See Gen. 1:14.
43 Namely, where and when he is to go down in all the seasons of the year. Hebr. his entrance or his going in, namely, what time he is to go into his bedchamber. See Job 38:12; Psalm 19:5.
20Thou 44makest darkness, and it is night: 45wherein all the beasts of the forest 46do creep forth.
44 Namely, by the going down of the sun.
45 Namely, the night.
46 Namely, each one out of its den or lurking place.
2147Theg young lions 48roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
47 Namely, creep forth out of their holes.
g Job 38:39, 40; Isa. 31:4.
48 Intimating that the roaring of the lions is their prayer, as it were, whereby they seek from God livelihood and sustenance.
22The sun ariseth, they 49gather themselves together, and lay them down in their 50dens.
49 Namely, to their holes and dens again. Hebr. they gather themselves.
50 Hebr. in their dwellings.
23Man goeth forth unto his work and to his 51labour until the evening.
51 Or, fieldwork, or, husbandry.
24O LORD, 52how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of 53thy riches.
52 Or, how many.
53 That is, of riches, which properly belong to Thee.
25So is this great and 54wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
54 Hebr. wide or spacious on both hands, that is, on both sides large and spacious, as Gen. 34:21; Neh. 7:4.
26There go the ships: there is that 55leviathan,hwhom thou hast made 56to play therein.
55 See Psalm 74:14. This sea monster is described at large in Job 41:1.
h river or sea monster*
56 Even as the behemoth and other beasts do play upon the hills, Job 40:20.
2757These waiti all upon thee; that thou mayest give them 58their meat 59in due season.
57 Namely, all the beasts or creatures spoken of before.
i Psalm 145:15.
58 That is, the food which Thou hast appointed for them.
59 That is, in convenient time.
28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with 60good.
60 See Job 21 on verse 13.
29Thouj61hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou 62takest away their 63breath, 64they die, and return 65to their dust.
j Psalm 30:7.
61 That is, when, or, if at any time Thou dost withdraw Thy blessing.
62 Hebr. thou gathereth their breath.
63 Hebr. spirit.
64 Or, they go out, or, they give up the ghost, or, they breath out.
65 That is, unto that out of which they were made.
30Thou sendest forth 66thy spirit, they are created: and 67thou renewest the face of the earth.
66 Understand this of the Holy Spirit, by Whom all things were first created, and are now still maintained and renewed, as Job 33:4; Psalm 33:6.
67 Namely, by producing still new creatures, in the place of those that die and perish, Eccl. 1:4.
31The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD 68shall rejoice in his works.
68 That is, taking pleasure in His works and creatures to uphold and not to destroy them; the contrary whereof is, when the Lord is said to repent His having made man, or other things, and resolves to destroy them.
32He looketh on the earth, and it 69trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they 70smoke.
69 Namely, because of His great glory and majesty. See Exod. 19:18.
70 This is a sign of terror and frightfulness, as Psalm 144:5.
33 Ik will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
k Psalm 63:4; 146:2.
3471My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
71 Or, my devout discourse.
35Let 72the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. 73Praise ye the LORD.
72 Other, O that the sinners were consumed from the earth, etc., namely, those who give themselves over to sinning, as Psalm 1:1; John 9:31, and being unthankful, do not honor the Lord in the use of His creatures, of which this psalm has treated all along to the praise of God.
73 Hebr. allelujah. The translators rendered the Hebrew word allelujah: Praise ye the LORD in all cases in the psalms. It serves to rouse and stir up one another to the praise of God in the holy congregations. See Rev. 19:1, 3, 4 and 6, where Alleluia is used.