1An exhortation to a solemn praising of God. 4God challengeth that duty by reason of his benefits. 8God, exhorting his people to obedience, complaineth of their disobedience, which proveth their own hurt.
0To the chief Musician upon 1Gittith, A Psalm 2of Asaph.
1 See the second annotation at Psalm 8 in the title.
2 See Psalm 50 in the title.
1SING aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto 3the God of Jacob.
3 That is, to that God Who made a covenant with Jacob and his posterity.
2Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
34Blow up the trumpet 5in the new moon, 6in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 See the annotation Lev. 23 on verse 24.
5 Namely, at the time when God had instituted an extraordinary feast, Num. 10:10; 28:11, 14.
6 Other, in the covering, namely of the moon, that is, when the moon is obscured. Some understand here the feast of the sounding, whereof see Lev. 23:24. Others understand by the first part of the sentence the new moon, and the latter part the three annual feasts, whereof see Deut. 16:16.
4For 7this was a statute 8for Israel, and a law 9of the God of Jacob.
7 Namely, the blowing of the trumpet.
8 That is, amongst the people of Israel.
9 Other, for the God of Jacob, namely, that He be rightly worshipped, as He requires the same of His people. See of the institution of the feast days Exod. 23:17; Deut. 16:16.
510This he ordained 11in Joseph 12for a testimony, when 13he went out through the land of Egypt: where 14I heard a 15language that I understood not.
10 Namely, the blowing of the trumpets and the observance of the ceremonies and feasts days.
11 That is, among the posterity of Joseph, in whom all the Israelites are generally understood here, as also Psalm 80:1.
12 Namely, of His grace towards His people.
13 Namely, God, Who went out to fight against the Egyptians, affecting them with all His plagues.
14 This is Israel’s speech, in this sense, namely, giving to understand that in the person of their fathers (in whose loins they were) they have dwelled or sojourned among a strange and unknown people in Egypt.
15 Hebr. a lip, as Gen. 11:1. The Hebrew and Egyptian languages were so far apart from each other that the one was not able to understand the other, namely, in the beginning, when they first came into Egypt. See Gen. 42:23. Some take this, as if the prophet meant here, that Israel did not yet understand the speaking of God unto them, as being not yet used to it. Compare Acts 7:25.
616I removed 17his shoulder from 18the burden: his hands were 19delivered 20from the pots.
16 These are the words of the Lord, Whom the prophet introduces speaking here.
17 Namely, of Joseph, that is, the Israelites, as verse 5.
18 Namely, of bondage, unto which the people of Israel was subject in Egypt. See Exodus 1 and 5.
19 Hebr. passed through, gone through.
20 Hebr. from the pot. It seems the prophet has regard to the digging of the children of Israel for pot-earth, out of which they were forced to make bricks and pots. Other, trough, namely, such wherein men use to carry lime or mortar. Other, buckets, baskets.
7Thou calledst 21in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee 22in the secret place of thunder: 23I proved thee at the waters of 24Meribah. 25Selah.
21 Some understand this of the same condition spoken of in the previous verse; others of the fear in which they were in at the Red Sea, Exod. 2:23; 14:10, 15.
22 Or, out of the secret place, that is, out of the thick cloudy pillar, in which God, as being hidden, conducted His people, but terrified the Egyptians with thunder, etc., Exod. 13:21; 14:19, 20, 24, 25. See also Psalm 77:17, 18.
23 Namely, by great thirst, which I made you to suffer at Rephidim.
24 Thus the waters of Rephidim were called afterwards. See Exod. 17:1-7; Num. 20:13.
25 See the annotation Psalm 3 on verse 2.
8Hear, O 26my people, and 27I will testify unto thee: O Israel, 28if thou wilt hearken unto me;
26 These are the words which God addresses His people in the giving of His law.
27 That is, I shall take you for witnesses. Or, I shall testify and make known unto you what is My will and what you ought to do.
28 Understand in addition: how happy you would be! See Exod. 15:26; Deut. 32:29.
9There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
10I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: 29open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
29 That is, speak and ask whatsoever thou desirest, and I will give it thee in abundance; namely, if so be that thou live according to My will and laws. See the like promise John 15:7; 1 John 3:22.
11But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel 30would none of me.
30 That is, they were not so zealously, so faithfully affected to Me, as it would have been appropriate; which was made evident, when immediately, after I had given them My laws and commandments, they made themselves a golden calf and rebelled against Me, Exod. 32:2, etc. Likewise Judges 2:2; 4:1; 6:1; 8:27; 10:6; 13:1; 18:30.
12So I gave them up 31unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
31 See Deut. 29:19; Jer. 3:17; 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; Acts 14:16.
13Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and 32Israel had walked in my ways!
32 That is, the Israelites; because the verb in the Hebrew is in the plural number.
14I should soon have 33subdued their enemies, and turned my 34hand against their adversaries.
33 And consequently procured them peace. Compare 2 Sam. 7:1; 1 Chron. 17:9.
34 That is, punishment, chastisement. See the annotation at Job 13:21.
15The haters of the LORD should have submitted 35themselves unto him: but 36their time should have endured for ever.
35 See the annotation at Deut. 33 on verse 29. See likewise Psalm 66:3.
36 Namely, My people’s time, that is, prosperity, happiness. The meaning is: that they would have had a long and blessed life.
1637He should have fed 38them also with 39the finest of the wheat: and with honey 40out of the rock should 41I have satisfied thee.
37 Namely, the Lord.
38 Namely, His people, verse 13.
39 That is, the flour or the best of the corn, as Num. 18:12; Deut. 32:14; Psalm 147:14.
40 God speaks this again in His own person.
41 Understand here: which would continually be found in abundance in the clefts of the rocks; seeing that in the land of Canaan the bees took much cover in the rocks. See the annotation at Deut. 32:13. Hebr. out of the rock. Spiritually, this rock signifies Christ, 1 Cor. 10:4; and the honey, that sweetness of speech and those savory words which issue from His mouth, is sweetness to the soul and the health to the bones, Psalm 19:10; Prov. 16:24; Cant. 4:11.