1David praiseth God for the truth of his word: 4he prophesieth that the kings of the earth shall praise God for his respect unto the lowly: 7he professeth his confidence in God.
0A Psalm of David.
1I WILL praise thee with my whole heart: 1before 2the gods 3will I sing praise unto thee.
1 Hebr. over against, or, in the presence of.
2 That is, of kings and princes, as verse 4. See Psalm 82:1, 6; 119:46. Others understand by the gods here, the angels of God, which also do present themselves in the assemblies of the faithful, 1 Cor. 11:10.
3 Namely, without fear or dread.
2I will worship 4toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name 5for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified 6thy word 7above all thy name.
4 Turning my face towards the ark, which stands in the tent or the tabernacle. See 1 Chron. 16:1; Psalm 99:5. Other, toward the palace of thy holiness.
5 That is, by reason of. Other, over, for.
6 That is, Thy promise and assurance touching Christ. This is the greatest and most principal work whereby Thou hast manifested Thy goodness. Others understand this of the promise which God had made and performed unto David, touching the kingdom.
7 That is, wholly and solely for Thy own Name’s sake. Other, above thy whole name, that is, above and beyond all the attributes whereby Thou are named.
3In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me 8with strength in my soul.
8 That is, with power, which I, O Lord, have received from Thee, Eph. 3:16, 20.
4All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, 9when they hear the words of thy mouth.
9 This is as a prophecy, touching the conversion of all nations unto Christ, through the preaching of the Holy Gospel, when the Messiah would have appeared. See Psalm 102:15, 22 and the annotations there. But if these words are taken for God’s promise unto David, touching the kingdom, we may understand by the kings here Hiram, the king of Tyrus, 2 Sam. 5:11, and Toi, the king of Hamath, 2 Sam. 8:10, and other neighboring kings.
5Yea, they shall sing 10in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
10 That is, of the wonderful government, works and acts of the LORD. Other, of the ways of the LORD, namely, walking in them with cheerfulness.
6Though the LORD be high, yeta hath he 11respect unto the lowly: but 12the proud he 13knoweth afar off.
a Psalm 113:6, 7.
11 That is, He takes care of the needy. Take an example from David whom God has exalted from a shepherd of the sheep unto the royal dignity. Other, the lowly.
12 That is, the haughty. Other, that which is lofty.
13 Namely so, that in due time He will humble and punish him.
7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, 14thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand 15against the wrath of mine enemies, and 16thy right hand shall save me.
14 See Psalm 119:25. Other, when I shall walk, etc., thou shalt make me alive, and so in the sequel.
15 Namely, to tame and bridle the same, as Psalm 3:7. Other, against the nose or the face, namely to strike them in their faces. The Hebrew word aph signifies the nose as well as wrath or anger.
16 Or, thou savest me with thy right hand.
8The 17LORD 18will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: 19forsake not the works of thine own hands.
17 Or, the LORD fulfil it for me.
18 Namely, that which He has begun in me against mine enemies. Or, His grace towards me, as Psalm 57:2.
19 Or, delay, slacken. He prays God not to forsake the good work which He had begun in him, but to fulfill and perfect it against the day of Jesus Christ, Philip. 1:6.