| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Psalm Sixty-six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 66
To the chief Musician
A Song cf15I or Psalm. This
psalm does not bear the name of David in the title of it
yet is generally
thought to be one of his; but because the plural number is used in it
which is
not so common in David's psalms
Aben Ezra is of opinion it is not his
but
written by the singers. This is not a sufficient objection: and besides
in Psalm 66:13
the
singular number is used. The Arabic version ascribes it to David
and that
version makes the subject matter of it to be "concerning the
resurrection"; as do the Septuagint
Ethiopic
and Vulgate Latin versions.
The title of the Syriac version is
"concerning
sacrifices and burnt offerings
and the incense of rams; the spiritual sense
intimates to us the calling of the Gentiles
and the preaching
that is
of the
Gospel;'
which
comes nearest the truth: for the psalm respects Gospel times
and the church of
Christ under the New Testament
spread throughout the world
and especially as
it will be in the latter day; see Psalm 66:1; and so
in Yalkut Simeoni on the psalm
it is said to be a psalm for time to come
and
agrees with Zephaniah 3:9;
"I will turn to the people a pure language"
&c. Kimchi says it
is a psalm concerning the gathering of the captives of Israel; and so Jarchi
and Obadiah expound it; and Theodoret says David wrote this psalm for the
captives in Babylon.
Psalm 66:1 Make
a joyful shout to God
all the earth!
YLT
1To the Overseer. -- A Song
a Psalm. Shout ye to God
all the earth.
Make a joyful noise unto God
.... The Creator of the
ends of the earth; the Provider for all his creatures; and the Dispenser of the
blessings of grace
under the Gospel dispensation
to men in all countries. The
Messiah may well be thought to be intended
since the psalm refers to Gospel
times; who is God over all
blessed for ever; to whom a joyful noise
shouts
and acclamations
are to be made by all his subjects
true believers in him
in
all lands
as to their King; see Numbers 23:21; who
is ascended on high
has led captivity captive; received gifts for then
and
gives them to them; is enthroned on his Father's right hand
is crowned with
glory and honour
where he reigns
and must reign
till all enemies are put
under his feet; when his kingdom will be from sea to sea
and from the river to
the ends of the earth: and upon the destruction of his enemies
and the
enlargement of his kingdom in the latter day
voices will be heard in heaven
the church; and such joyful noises as are here exhorted and directed to
Revelation 19:1.
Moreover
such acclamations are suitable to him
as a victorious conqueror;
who
at his death
overcame sin
Satan
the world
and death itself; and
by
the ministry of the Gospel
went forth conquering
and to conquer; and has
subdued many people in all nations
and caused his ministers to triumph in him
in every place; and who
by his Spirit and grace
still continues to bring
souls to a subjection to him
to dispossess Satan from them
to set up his
throne in their hearts
and reign there
and to make them more than conquerors
through himself that has loved them: of which there will be more numerous
instances in the latter day; and all such are under great obligations to make a
joyful noise unto him
or to express their joy and thankfulness in loud singing
of his praises;
all ye lands; that is
all the inhabitants of the earth
as the Targum; not Judea
to which some restrain it
but the whole earth: for
Christ is the Saviour of some
in all countries
of the children of God
that
are scattered abroad throughout the whole world
for whom he is a propitiation.
The Gospel has been sent to all nations
and preached to every creature; some
in all lands have been converted
and made partakers of the blessings and
privileges of the Gospel
and therefore have reason to be glad and make a
joyful noise; and the more so
inasmuch as they were in a state of great
darkness and ignorance before
without Christ
without hope
and without God in
the world.
Psalm 66:2 2 Sing out the honor of His
name; Make His praise glorious.
YLT
2Praise ye the honour of His
name
Make ye honourable His praise.
Sing forth the honour of his name
.... Meaning not any
particular names of the Messiah
such as in Isaiah 9:6; or his
name "Jesus"
a Saviour; though they are all honourable and glorious
and furnish out sufficient matter for a song: but rather that by which he was
made known to the sons of men
his Gospel; see Acts 9:15. Which is
a glorious Gospel; the truths of which may be expressed in a song of praise
to
the honour and glory of Christ
and to the instruction and profit of men
Colossians 3:16. Or
rather Christ himself is meant; his name often designs himself
Matthew 12:21.
There that is due unto him
and ought to be given which is done when all divine
perfections and works are ascribed to him
divine worship is paid him
and the
glory of salvation given him; which may be done in psalms
hymns
and spiritual
songs;
make his praise glorious: let the high praises of
him be in your mouths; give him
the most excellent praise; praise him in the
best manner. This is done when we sing his praise with grace in our hears in
exercise; when we with one mind and mouth glorify him; and when we honour him
the Son
as we honour the Father.
Psalm 66:3 3 Say to God
“How awesome
are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit
themselves to You.
YLT
3Say to God
`How fearful
[are] Thy works
By the abundance of Thy strength
Thine enemies feign
obedience to Thee.
Say unto God
.... Or
"concerning God"F20אמרו לאלהים "dicite de
Deo"
Campensis apud Gejerum; and some in Michaelis.
as some; or
"before God"
as the Targum; say to him as follows
in psalms and
hymns of praise:
how terrible art thou in thy works! or "reverend"F21נורא "reverendus"
Junius & Tremellius. ; to
be feared and reverenced with a godly fear on account of them; such as the
works of nature and providence
which are stupendous and marvellous
fearfully
and wonderfully wrought; and especially those of grace and redemption
in which
the goodness of Christ is manifest
and for which he is to be feared: unless
rather his judgments upon his enemies are here meant; who
though he is a Lamb
to his own people
is the Lion of the tribe of Judah to them
whom he will
break in pieces as a potter's vessel it may be read
"how terrible"
or "tremendous"
is everyone of "thy works"; so Aben Ezra
and also Jarchi
who interprets the next clause
through the greatness of thy power
thus
"when
thou showest to the world thy power
by the pestilence
or sword
or famine
or
lightnings:'
shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee? in a lying
flattering
and deceitful manner
as the wordF23יבחשו
"mentientur"
V. L. Musculus
Montanus; "mendaciter se
dedunt"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Amama. here used signifies;
See Gill on Psalm 18:44; or
as
the above interpreters
"they
shall
through the greatness of fear
confess the lies and transgressions they
have committed.'
It
will be a forced
and not a free
confession and submission; Christ's enemies
whether they will or not
will be obliged to own that he is Lord
to the glory
of God the Father
Philemon 2:10.
Psalm 66:4 4 All the earth shall
worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your
name.” Selah
YLT
4All the earth do bow to
Thee
They sing praise to Thee
they praise Thy name.' Selah.
All the earth shall worship thee
.... The Messiah
who is
equal with God; the Creator of men; the Redeemer of his people; the Head of the
church
and King of saints; their Lord
and therefore to be worshipped; with
internal worship
in the exercise of faith
hope
and love; and with external
worship
in the word and ordinances
by prayer and praise
public and private.
This universal worship
that will be yielded him
will be in the latter day;
which shows that this psalm respects those times
when Christ shall be King
over all the earth
and his name
worship
and religion
one
Zechariah 14:9;
and shall sing unto thee; the song of Moses and
the Lamb
the Lamb's new song
the song of redeeming grace; which none but the
redeemed ever can sing aright
Revelation 14:3;
they shall sing to thy name; or
"they
shall"
or "let them sing thy name"F24יזמרו שמך "cantent nomen
tuum"
Gejerus; "cantabunt nomen tuum"
Michaelis. ; thou shall
be the subject of their song; thy person
offices
kingdom
grace
and glory:
or they shall sing to the honour of thy name
as in Psalm 66:2.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 66:5 5 Come and see the works of
God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
YLT
5Come ye
and see the works
of God
Fearful acts toward the sons of men.
Come and see the works of God
.... Of the Messiah
God
manifest in the flesh; those divine works which he did when here on earth; his
miraculous works
which were proofs of his deity and Messiahship; his preaching
the Gospel
in so divine a manner as never man did; his works of obedience to
the law
which were pure and perfect; the everlasting righteousness he wrought
out for the justification of his people; and the great work of redemption and
salvation finished by him
which none but God could ever have effected. This is
an invitation to the inhabitants of all lands
where the Gospel should come
with power
to take notice of and consider these works of Christ
and the glory
of his might
wisdom
and grace in them
in order to engage them to sing his
praise;
he is terrible in
his doing toward the children of men; in his vengeance on the
Jews
for disbelieving and rejecting him; in destroying antichrist
and pouring
out the vials of his wrath on the antichristian states; and in the everlasting
damnation of the wicked. So that as his other works in the former clause design
these of grace
this doing of his respects his work
his strange work of
judgment on his enemies; on account of which he is terrible to them
and
reverenced by his people.
Psalm 66:6 6 He turned the sea into dry
land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him.
YLT
6He hath turned a sea to dry
land
Through a river they pass over on foot
There do we rejoice in Him.
He turned the sea into dry land
.... The Red
sea
or sea of Zuph
as the Targum; by causing a strong east wind to blow
which made it dry
so that the children of Israel passed through it on dry
ground
Exodus 14:21. Or
"he turneth"F25הפך
"convertit"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ; for though the
allusion is to the making the Red sea dry land
when the Israelites passed
through it; yet it refers to something to be done in the times of Christ and
the Gospel dispensation. So Christ might be said to do this literally
when he
walked upon the sea of Galilee as on dry land
and enabled Peter to do so
likewise
Matthew 14:25; and
figuratively
when he makes his people walk through the sea of this world
and
the waters of afflictions in it
without overflowing them. He with them
bears
them up
and upholds them with his right hand; so that they pass on
as on dry
land
till they come safe to the shores of bliss and happiness;
they went through the flood on foot; or "river"F26בנהר "per fluvium"
Gejerus. ; the river Jordan
as the Targum: for this alludes not to the passage of the Israelites through
the sea
but through Jordan
when they entered into the land
of Canaan
Joshua 3:17. The
words may be rendered
according to Kimchi
"they
shall pass through the river on foot;'
the
Targum adds
"the
children of Israel;'
so
the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Ethiopic
and Arabic versions. Such things are
said in prophecy concerning the people of God in future times; see Isaiah 11:15. So
the river Euphrates shall be dried up
to make way for the kings of the east
Revelation 16:12;
there did we rejoice in him; still alluding to the
above cases
when Israel passed through the Red sea
and sung praise to God;
and went through Jordan
and set up stones of memorial
Exodus 15:1. Or
"there shall we rejoice in him": so the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Ethiopic
Syriac
and Arabic versions; only the latter reads in the singular
"he shall rejoice." The Targum is
"I
will lead them to the mountain of his holiness
there shall we rejoice in his
word:'
in
the essential Word
the Messiah
as the saints do rejoice in him in his house
under his word and ordinances; when they see the salvation wrought out by him
and their interest in it; the righteousness he has brought in
and themselves
clothed with it; pardon procured by him
and that applied to them; and when
they are favoured with a sight of him
and communion with him; so will they
rejoice in him when the marriage of the Lamb is come
and the bride is ready;
when antichrist shall be destroyed
and they shall have got the victory over
him; then they shall stand on the sea of glass
and there shall they sing the
song of Moses and of the Lamb
Revelation 19:7;
and when they shall have come through all their difficulties safely to heaven;
there shall they rejoice in Christ
and with him to all eternity.
Psalm 66:7 7 He rules by His power
forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt
themselves. Selah
YLT
7Ruling by His might to the
age
His eyes among the nations do watch
The refractory exalt not themselves.
Selah.
He ruleth by his power forever
.... Christ is the Ruler
in Israel
King over his holy hill of Zion; who must reign till all enemies are
put under his feet. He rules in the kingdom of nature and providence by his power
and does whatsoever he pleases; nor can any stay his hand. He rules in the
kingdom of grace
in the hearts of his people
by his efficacious grace; which
makes them willing
in the day of his power
to be subject to him; and in the
latter day he will take to himself his great power and reign
when he will be
King for ever. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
it shall never be
subverted nor usurped; nor will he in it be succeeded by another; he will reign
to the end of the world
throughout the thousand years
with his saints on
earth
and then with them in heaven for evermore. The Targum renders it
"over
the world;'
over
the whole world; for Christ will be King over all the earth in the latter day
Zechariah 14:9;
his eyes behold the nations; the antichristian
states. He sees all the idolatry and wickedness committed in them; and his eyes
will be as flames of fire to destroy them
when the time is come. The allusion
is to God's looking through the pillar of fire and cloud upon the Egyptians in
the Red sea
and troubling them
Exodus 14:24;
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. That are
rebels against Christ
would not have him to reign over them; antichrist
who
exalts himself above all that is called God
and all his followers. Or
"they shall not exalt themselves"F1אל
ירימו למו "haudquaquam
sese exultabunt"
Tigurine version
Musculus
& Gejerus. : or
as the
Targum
"they
shall not be exalted in themselves for ever;'
see
Revelation 18:7.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 66:8 8 Oh
bless our God
you
peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard
YLT
8Bless
ye peoples
our God
And sound the voice of His praise
O bless our God
ye people
.... In all countries
that know the Lord and fear him; ascribe blessing
and honour and glory
to
Christ our God
on account of his works
actions
perfections
kingdom and
power; and because of the destruction of those who are rebels to his
government;
and make the voice of his praise to be heard; far and near
in psalms
and hymns
and spiritual songs; by shoutings
and loud acclamations
of joy; see Revelation 19:5;
where Christ is called our God
and a like exhortation is made as here.
Psalm 66:9 9 Who keeps our soul among
the living
And does not allow our feet to be moved.
YLT
9Who hath placed our soul in
life
And suffered not our feet to be moved.
Which holdeth our soul in life
.... Or
"putteth
our soul in life"F2השם "qui
posuit"
V. L. Pagninus
Musculus
Vatablus; "ponene"
Montanus;
"qui ponit"
Gejerus
Michaelis.
or "among the living"
which is not to be understood of infusing a living soul in man
nor of the
preservation of natural life
which is common to all men; but of appointing and
ordaining them unto eternal life
as the Targum; and of procuring it for them
by Christ; and of implanting a principle of spiritual life in them
by his
Spirit and grace; and of the preservation of the principle of life
that it be
not lost; and of giving them a right and title to eternal life
and that
itself: all which are a sufficient reason
and powerful argument
to bless our
God
and praise his name. It follows:
and suffereth not our feet to be moved; that is
not
to be greatly moved; or if moved so as to slip and fall
yet not so as to fall
finally and totally; see Psalm 55:22.
Psalm 66:10 10 For You
O God
have
tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.
YLT
10For Thou hast tried us
O
God
Thou hast refined us as the refining of silver.
For thou
O God
hast proved us
.... And by the
experiment found them to be true and faithful; to have the truth of grace
and the
root of the matter in them; not reprobate silver
or their grace counterfeit
grace; but of the right kind
solid and substantial;
thou hast tried us as silver is tried; in a furnace
where it is put and melted by the refiner
and purified from the dross that
attends it. So the Targum
"thou
hast purified us as the silversmith purifieth the silver;'
or
tries it by melting and purifying it. Thus the Lord puts his people into the
furnace of afflictions
and sits as a refiner and purifier of them; hereby he
tries their graces
faith
patience
hope
and love
their principles and their
professions; refines their graces
and makes them more bright and illustrious;
removes their dross and tin
and reforms their manners; and proves them to be
good silver
and approves of them
and esteems them as such
even as his
peculiar treasure. From whence it appears
as well as from the following
verses
that afflictions are of God; that they are for the good of his people
and not their hurt; like silver they are put into the fire of affliction
not
to be destroyed and lost
but to be purged and refined; and that they are not
in wrath
but in love: and this
with what follows
may respect the sufferings
of the saints under Rome
Pagan and Papal; when Christ's feet
the members of
his mystical body
were like unto fine brass
as if they burned in a furnace;
when their graces were tried
their works were known
and their persons proved
and approved
Revelation 1:15;
see Zechariah 13:9.
Psalm 66:11 11 You brought us into the
net; You laid affliction on our backs.
YLT
11Thou hast brought us into a
net
Thou hast placed pressure on our loins.
Thou broughtest us into the net
.... That is
suffered
them to be taken in the net of wicked men
which they laid and spread for them;
whereby they were drawn either into bad principles or bad practices
or into
ruinous circumstances; though the Lord does not leave his own people there
but
breaks the net or snare
sooner or later
and they escape; see Psalm 9:15. Jarchi
interprets it of a strait place
as in a prison; and which has often been
literally true of the people of God
into which
though they have been cast by
Satan
or by men instigated by him
yet
because permitted by the Lord
it is
ascribed to him
Revelation 2:10;
thou laidst affliction upon our loins: the Targum
renders it "a chain": the word signifies anything that is binding and
pressing; it seems to be a metaphor taken from the binding of burdens upon the
backs of any creatures. Afflictions often lie heavy upon the saints
are very
close upon them
and press them sore
even
as they sometimes think
beyond
measure; though the Lord supports them
and will not suffer them to sink under
them.
Psalm 66:12 12 You have caused men to
ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us
out to rich fulfillment.
YLT
12Thou hast caused man to
ride at our head. We have entered into fire and into water
And Thou bringest
us out to a watered place.
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads
.... Jarchi
and Kimchi interpret it of the kings and nations of the world ruling over
Israel; and may very well design the Heathen powers and antichristian states
tyrannizing over Christian people. The word in the original text is singular
"a man"F3אנוש
"hominem"
Pagninus
Montanus.
a frail mortal man; and may be
understood of the man of sin and son of perdition; who rides upon the heads of
men
exalts himself above all that is called God
and has exercised dominion
over the saints in a most lawless and tyrannical manner. Vitringa
on Isaiah 43:2
interprets it of Antiochus Epiphanes
who was a type of antichrist
and
supposes the following clause to refer to the persecution of the church in his
time. The Targum renders it
"a lord of rebuke"; that is
either one
worthy of rebuke
as antichrist is; or one that gives rebukes
delivers out
anathemas and excommunications
as he does: though some translate the words of
the Targum
"lords of usury"
or "usurers"; a title not
unfit for the creatures of antichrist;
we went through fire and through water; through
afflictions
compared to fire and water; through fiery trials and overwhelming
providences
though not destroyed by them
because the Lord was with them; see Isaiah 43:2;
therefore they are said to go through them
not to abide in them; nor to sink
under them
and perish by them: they went cheerfully through them for Christ's
sake
even the greatest hardships and difficulties
which this phrase may be
expressive of. It may have a particular reference to the sufferings of the
saints in Gospel times; to the burning of the martyrs with fire and faggot
who
like Elijah
went up to heaven in a fiery chariot; and to the flood of
waters cast out after the woman
the church
by the dragon; see Revelation 1:15;
but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place; the Targum
is
into largeness; or into a large place; see Psalm 18:19. This
may intend either the state of the church upon the Reformation
or rather as it
will be in the latter day glory; when there will be a large spread of the
Gospel
and of the interest of Christ
everywhere; when the church will be
enlarged with converts
and the members of it with the gifts and graces of the
Spirit; and which will be a state of great liberty and freedom in the worship
of God
both inward and outward. The Septuagint version renders it
"into
refreshment": so the Tigurine version
and Piscator; as those times will
be times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord
which will be everywhere
among his people
in his word and ordinances
and to a great degree; see Acts 3:19. The
Arabic version
"unto rest"; from adversity
from persecution; for
after this state takes place
there will be no more persecution; no more fines
imprisonment
racks
and torturing deaths
for the sake of Christ and his
Gospel. The word used signifies a well watered placeF4לרויה "ad irrignam"
Pagninus
Montanus. or land;
such as was the land of Canaan
Deuteronomy 8:7;
and such will be the state of the church in the latter day: the Spirit will be
poured down like floods of water upon the dry ground; the doctrines of the
Gospel will drop as the rain
and as showers upon the grass: the ordinances of
it will be as green pastures beside the still waters; and every believer will
be as a watered garden
whose springs fail not; it will be a time of great
plenty and prosperity in spiritual things. Ainsworth renders it
"to an
abundant place"; so Gejerus: a place abounding with all good things: a
"wealthy" one
as we translate it. And even in a literal sense this
will be the wealthy time of the church; when kings shall come into it
and
bring their riches and honour there
and use them for the good of it
Isaiah 49:23; and
then also will the saints be enriched with every gift
and be rich in grace and
in all good works.
Psalm 66:13 13 I will go into Your house
with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows
YLT
13I enter Thy house with
burnt-offerings
I complete to Thee my vows
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings
.... The
psalmist here represents the saints and faithful in those times
who being
delivered out of all their troubles
and brought into a large
free
plentiful
and comfortable condition
will come together into the place of public worship
and there unite in their sacrifices of praise to God; will come and present
themselves as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; will come with hearts
inflamed with love to God and one another
which is more than all whole burnt
offerings and sacrifices
Mark 12:33;
I will pay thee my vows; thanksgivings promised
in time of distress
as follows; see Psalm 50:14.
Psalm 66:14 14 Which my lips have uttered
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
YLT
14For opened were my lips
And my mouth spake in my distress:
Which my lips have uttered
.... Or
"opened"F5פצו
"aperuerunt"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Gejerus. ; publicly and
distinctly declared
and from which there is no going back; see Judges 11:33;
and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble; this refers
to the time when the people of God were under antichristian tyranny and
bondage; and when they vowed and promised
that
if the Lord would deliver them
they would give him all praise and glory.
Psalm 66:15 15 I will offer You burnt
sacrifices of fat animals
With the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls
with goats. Selah
YLT
15`Burnt-offerings of
fatlings I offer to Thee
With perfume of rams
I prepare a bullock with
he-goats.' Selah.
I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings
.... Of the
fattest of the flock; that is
of the best; such as Abel offered
Genesis 4:4;
with the incense of rams; or "rams with
incense"F6עם פטרת
אילים "arietes cum incenso"
Gejerus; so
Campeusis in ibid. ; the Targum is
"with
sweet incense
the sacrifice of rams;'
Kimchi
interprets it of incense of the fat of rams.
I will offer bullocks with goats; he proposed to offer all
kind of offerings
to show gratitude and thankfulness for the favours received;
by all which are meant the calves
or fruit of the lips
the sacrifices of
praise
thanksgiving to God
in the name of the whole church and people of God;
see Revelation 19:1.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 66:16 16 Come and hear
all
you who fear God
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
YLT
16Come
hear
all ye who fear
God
And I recount what he did for my soul.
Come and hear
all ye that fear God
.... Who have
a reverential affection for him
and by whom he is worshipped and served with
reverence and godly fear; these have good things done for themselves
and will
glorify God for what he does for others: these know the nature
worth
and
value of the good things the Lord does for the souls of men
and hear them with
pleasure and profit; when to tell them to others is casting pearl before swine
and giving that which is holy to dogs; and therefore only such as fear the Lord
are called upon to come and hear what follows. Jarchi interprets this character
of proselytes; see Acts 13:26;
and I will declare what he hath done for my soul: not what he
had done for God
or offered unto him
or suffered for his sake; nor what God
had done for his body in the make and preservation of it; but what he had done
for his soul
and the salvation of that: what God the Father had done in
setting him apart for himself; in making a sure
well ordered
and everlasting
covenant with him in Christ; in blessing him with all spiritual blessings in
him; in providing for the redemption of his soul by him; in pardoning his sins
justifying his person
adopting him into his family
and regenerating
quickening
and sanctifying him: also what God the Son had done for him; in
engaging to assume a true body and a reasonable soul on his account; and to
make that soul an offering for his sin
and thereby obtain for him eternal
redemption
even the salvation of his immortal soul: likewise what God the
Spirit had done for him; in quickening and enlightening his soul; in implanting
principles of grace and holiness in it; in showing Christ unto him
and
bringing near his righteousness
and leading him to him for salvation and
eternal life; in applying exceeding great and precious promises to him
and
remembering to him such on which he had caused him to hope; in delivering him
out of temptation and troubles
and in carrying on the work of his grace in him
hitherto: these are things that are not to be concealed in a man's breast
but
to be told to the church and people of God
to their joy and comfort
and to
the glory of divine grace; see Mark 5:19.
Psalm 66:17 17 I cried to Him with my
mouth
And He was extolled with my tongue.
YLT
17Unto Him [with] my mouth I
have called
And exaltation [is] under my tongue.
I cried unto him with my mouth
.... Crying designs
prayer
and supposes distress; and crying with the mouth denotes vocal
ardent
and fervent prayer;
and he was extolled with my tongue: at the same time the
psalmist prayed for deliverance out of his distresses
he praised God for the
mercies he had received: and did
as the Apostle Paul directs
make known his
requests with thanksgiving
Philemon 4:6; or
"he was exalted under my tongue"F7תחת
לשוני "sublingua mea"
Montanus
Tigurine
version
Vatablus
Musculus
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis. ; that is
in his
heart
as some interpret it; his heart and his mouth went together; and out of
the abundance of his heart his tongue spoke of the goodness
kindness
and
mercy of God to him. The Targum is
"and
his promise was under my tongue;'
and
so he was very different from a wicked man
who keeps iniquity under his
tongue
as a sweet morsel
Job 20:12.
Psalm 66:18 18 If I regard iniquity in my
heart
The Lord will not hear.
YLT
18Iniquity
if I have seen in
my heart
The Lord doth not hear.
If I regard iniquity in my heart
.... There was iniquity
in his heart
as there is in every good man's heart
and a great deal too; it
is full of it; and it should be regarded in some sense
so as to guard against
it
and pray to be kept from it
that it may not break forth into action; and
so as to loath it
abhor it
and be humbled for it; but not so as to nourish
and cherish it
to take delight and pleasure in it: or "if I look upon
it"F8אם ראיתי
"si vidi"
Pagninus
Montanus; "si aspexi"
V. L. "si
conspexi"
Gejerus.
as it may be rendered; that is
with approbation of
it
and satisfaction in it
and ordered his conversation according to it; or
acted the deceitful and hypocritical part in prayer; or had any evil intention
in his petitions
to consume on his lusts what he asked for;
the Lord will not hear me; for the Lord hears not
sinners that delight in sin
and live in it; neither profane sinners nor
hypocrites; see John 9:31.
Psalm 66:19 19 But
certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
YLT
19But God hath heard
He hath
attended to the voice of my prayer.
But verily God hath heard me
.... So that
it was a plain case that he had not regarded iniquity in his heart; had not
lived a vicious course of life
nor was an hypocrite; otherwise God would not
have heard his prayer; whereas he had
and which is confirmed in the following
clause;
he hath attended to the voice of my prayer; which is an
instance of the grace and condescension of God
and showed in what high favour
the psalmist was with the Lord
and what regard he had unto him; and therefore
could not be the man his enemies represented him to be.
Psalm 66:20 20 Blessed be God
Who
has not turned away my prayer
Nor His mercy from me!
YLT
20Blessed [is] God
Who hath
not turned aside my prayer
And His loving-kindness
from me!
Blessed be God
which hath not turned away my prayer
.... Has not
been angry against it
shut it out
or covered himself with a cloud that it
might not pass through
which sometimes saints have complained of
Psalm 80:4; but
graciously heard and received it;
nor his mercy from me; for that endures for
ever
and is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear the Lord
Psalm 103:17; all
which require thankfulness and praise
which is here given.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》