1David praying for Solomon, sheweth the happiness, justice, and glory, of his reign, and of Christ's kingdom under that type: 18he blesseth God.
0A Psalm for 1Solomon.
1 Whereas his father David had made him king in his stead. See 1 Kings 1:32, etc. Yet, under Solomon is comprehend also the Messiah, as the King of peace, Heb. 7:2.
1GIVE the 2king thy 3judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the 4king’s son.
2 Solomon.
3 That is, a righteous government, according to the precepts of Thy laws.
4 That is, to my son; for, that David was the author of this psalm this appears by the last verse; and throughout he prophecies, very excellently under the type of Solomon, of the heavenly King Christ and His Kingdom.
2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and 5thy poor with judgment.
5 That is, the godly, who are wrongfully oppressed and yet dear unto Thee; so in Psalm 74:19. Compare Psalm 69:26, 33.
36The 7mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, 8by righteousness.
6 Or, Let the mountains, etc. in manner of a prophetical wish and prayer; and so in the sequel.
7 All places of the country, high and low, shall overflow with peace and righteousness, like unto a fertile soil that bears fruit in abundance. Compare 1 Kings 4:25; Psalm 85:10, 11; Likewise 1 Chron. 22:9; Heb. 7:2.
8 Or, through, by means of righteousness, which king Solomon was to exercise and introduce the Messiah.
4He shall 9judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the 10oppressor.
9 That is, set them free from their violence.
10 Who oppresses others by subtlety or power.
5They shall fear thee 11asa long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
11 That is, as long as the world shall stand, Thou shalt, O God, have Thy church here on earth, under the government of the Messiah, which shall worship and serve Thee. Hebr. with, by or before the sun, and before the aspect of the moon, generation of generations. Compare Gen. 8 on verse 22; Job 26 on verse 10; Psalm 89:36, 37, and below the verses 7, 17.
a Psalm 89:36, 37.
6He shall come down like 12rainb upon the 13mown grass: as showers that 14water the earth.
12 Compare Deut. 32:2; 2 Sam. 23 on verse 4; Job 29:23; Hosea 6:3.
b2 Sam. 23:4
13 Cut down, or after-grass. Hebr. properly, shorn down or off.
14 Hebr. moistness or moistening; but the Hebrew word (is only found in this place) signifies such a moistening as is made by scattering or sprinkling of drops, so that the ground may commodiously drink in the rain and the small growths of it be thereby refreshed and made to sprout up. Compare Psalm 65:9, 10.
715In his days shall the righteous 16flourish; and abundance of peace 17so long as the moon endureth.
15 That is, in the time of His reign, during His government or Kingdom.
16 Or, flourish, grow.
17 See on verse 5.
8He shall have dominion also from 18sea to sea, and from the 19river unto the ends of the earth.
18 That is, from the one sea to the other sea.
19 The Euphrates, which was the border promised to Israel and enjoyed by Solomon; but Christ unto the ends of the world. See Gen. 15:18; 1 Kings 4:21, 24; Mat. 28:18, 19; Rev. 11:15.
9They 20that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the 21dust.
20 Hebr. droughts, that is, barbarian people, who inhabit wild, dry and unknown places, before Solomon; likewise, fierce, wild and unbelieving heathens, before Christ. Compare Isa. 40:3, 4; 42:11, 12, etc.
21 Compare Isa. 49:23; Micah 7:17.
10The kings of 22Tarshish and of the 23isles shall bring presents: the kings of 24Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
22 Who dwell by the ocean. See 1 Kings 10 on verse 22.
23 The Hebrews understand here and in many other places, by the islands those people or nations who live in or at, about and beyond the Mediterranean Sea, although they be not quite environed with the sea, or begirt with water round about. See Gen. 10 on verse 5. Likewise Isa. 20:6; 23:2, 6; Jer. 25:22 with the annotation, etc.
24 See Gen. 10 on verse 7.
11Yea, 25all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
25 This regards only the Messiah.
12Forc he shall deliver the needy when he 26crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
cJob 29:12.
26 By reason of his distress, and for help. Compare Job 29:12.
13He shall 27spare the poor and needy, and shall 28save the souls of the needy.
27 Or, graciously spare.
28 Or, deliver.
14He shall redeem their soul from 29deceit and violence: and precious shall their 30blood be in his sight.
29 That is, from those who oppress them by cunning devices and by violence.
30 What the wicked seeks to shed and spill, He accounts it so highly that He shall not easily suffer the shedding of it, or else He will be sure to revenge it severely. Compare Psalm 116:15.
15And he shall 31live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for 32him continually; and daily shall he be 33praised.
31 That is, enjoy a long life, as men are wont to wish unto kings, 2 Sam. 16:16; 1 Kings 1:31, 39. Compare 1 Kings 11:42. And concerning Christ, Isa. 53:10; Rom. 6:9; Heb. 7:3; 13:8.
32 Not only for Solomon and his kingdom, but especially for the progress and increase of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ. See Psalm 118:24, 25, 26.
33 That is, highly laud and praise Him. Other thus: and he (Christ) shall give him (the poor) of the gold of Sheba, and he (Christ) shall continually pray for him (the poor); all the day shall he (Christ) bless him (the poor).
16There shall be an 34handful of corn in the earth upon the 35top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall 36shake like Lebanon: and they of the 37city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
34 Or, a small portion, the least or a little corn, namely, sown.
35 Hebr. head.
36 That is, it shall come up so abundantly and gloriously, that the wind passing through and shaking it, it shall cause such a stirring noise, as is among the trees of Lebanon. Compare further Hosea 14:8 with the annotations, and Mat. 13:8, 23; Acts 2:41:4:4, etc. Or thus: he shall be as when a handful of corn, etc., understanding this of the small beginnings of His Kingdom upon earth.
37 That is, the citizens, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and other cities. Compare Isa. 27:6.
17His name shall endure for ever: 38his name shall be continued 39as long as the sun: and men 40shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
38 Hebr. shall be as a son to continue his father’s name forever, that is, bring forth and propagated from one generation to another.
39 Hebr. before the face of the sun. See on verse 5.
40 See Gen. 22 on verse 18.
1841Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
41 Or, Praised, and so in the next verse.
19And blessed be his 42glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
42 That is, His honorable or glorious Name.
2043The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
43 The meaning is not that there are no psalms of David more to follow in this book, but that this was the last psalm which David made in his lifetime, and left or bequeathed the same to his son Solomon, yea unto the entire church as a testament or jewel, concluding with this excellent prophecy of his spiritual blessed King the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Some do perceive that this conclusion intimates that all the psalms hitherto were made by David alone, whereas in the sequel several are found which are made by others.