1The Prophet exhorteth to praise God, 4for his great works, 6for his judgments on the wicked, 10and for his goodness to the godly.
0 A1 Psalm or Song 2for the sabbath day.
1 See the first annotation at Psalm 48 in the title.
2 Or, upon the sabbath; that is, made or indited to be sung upon the sabbath day.
1IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
2To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy 3faithfulness 4every night,
3 Or, truth.
4 That is, in the nights, or night by night; understand by night the late evening which is opposed here to the morning; for, according to God’s law there were made in His tabernacle or temple, both morning and evening sacrifices, with songs of praise and prayers.
3Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp 5with a solemn sound.
5 Other, on higgaion. See the annotation Psalm 9 on verse 16.
4For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are 6very deep.
6 That is, the grounds and reasons of Thy secret counsel are hidden and incomprehensible for our understanding.
6 A 7brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand 8this.
7 That is, such an one who is not instructed in the Word of God, nor enlightened by the Holy Spirit. See Psalm 49 on verse 10.
8 Namely, that which immediately follows here in verse 7.
7When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
89But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
9 Other, But thou art highly exalted, thou art the LORD for ever. See Psalm 56 on verse 2.
9For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10But my 10horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of 11an unicorn: 12I shall be anointed with 13fresh oil.
10 Of the word horn see the annotation Deut. 33 on verse 17.
11 See Num. 23:22.
12 That is, I am strengthened afresh. Other, when I shall be grown old, thou shalt anoint me with fresh oil.
13 Hebr. green.
1114Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and 15mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
14 See similar expression Psalm 22:17 and the annotation there.
15 Namely, when God shall bring them to their well-deserved punishment, and recompense them the evil they have done unto me. See Psalm 91:8.
12The righteousa shall flourish like 16the palm tree: he shall grow likeb a cedar in Lebanon.
a Hosea 14:6.
16 This tree grows tall and straight up, with beautiful, green branches. Though it be pressed and bowed downward with heavy things, it grows and flourishes nevertheless; therefore it is used for a sign or figure of victory, Rev. 7:9. Compare herewith Psalm 52:8; Jer. 11:16.
bJudges 9:15.
1317Those that be planted in the house of the LORD 18shall flourish in the courts of our God.
17 That is, such as are incorporated into Christ by true faith and true members of His church. See Rom. 6:5; 11:17.
18 Hebr. those shall they make grow, that is, it shall be given them from the Lord to grow and increase more and more in all graces and virtues in His church to which they truly belong. It is a speech taken from the flowers and herbs which one carefully plants and cherishes. See Psalm 1:3; 52:8.
14They shall still bring forth fruit in 19old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
19 Namely, when, as by the course of nature, the strength decays and diminishes, Psalm 71:9; Heb. 11:11, 12. Hebr. in the grayness.
15To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.