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Psalm Forty-seven
Psalm 47
Chapter Contents
The people exhorted to praise God.
Commentary on Psalm 47:1-4
(Read Psalm 47:1-4)
The God with whom we have to do
is a God of awful
majesty. The universal and absolute sovereignty of a holy God would be too
terrible for us even to think of
were it not exercised by his Son from a
mercy-seat; but now it is only terrible to the workers of iniquity. While his
people express confidence and joy
and animate each other in serving him
let
sinners submit to his authority
and accept his salvation. Jesus Christ shall
subdue the Gentiles; he shall bring them as sheep into the fold
not for
slaughter
but for preservation. He shall subdue their affections
and make
them a willing people in the day of his power. Also it speaks of his giving
them rest and settlement. Apply this spiritually; the Lord himself has
undertaken to be the inheritance of his people. It shows the faith and
submission of the saints. This is the language of every gracious soul
The Lord
shall choose my inheritance for me; he knows what is good for me better than I
do.
Commentary on Psalm 47:5-9
(Read Psalm 47:5-9)
Praise is a duty in which we ought to be frequent and
abundant. But here is a needful rule; Sing ye praises with understanding. As
those that understand why and for what reasons they praise God
and what is the
meaning of the service. It is not an acceptable service
if it is not a
reasonable service. We are never to forget the end of Messiah's exaltation
so
continually do the prophets dwell upon the conversion of the nations to the
gospel of Christ. Why do we vainly fancy that we belong to him
unless the
Spirit reign in our hearts by faith? Lord
is it not thy glory and delight to
give repentance to Israel and remission of sins
now that thou art exalted as a
Prince and a Saviour? Set up thy kingdom in our hearts. Bring into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ. And so sweetly constrain all the
powers and faculties of the souls of thy redeemed
into holy love
fear
and
delight in thee
that praise with the understanding may rise from every heart
both here and for ever
to Thee
our God.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 47
Verse 3
[3] He
shall subdue the people under us
and the nations under our feet.
Subdue — He
speaks this in the name of the whole church
to which all particular believers
were to submit themselves in the Lord.
Verse 4
[4] He shall choose our inheritance for us
the excellency of Jacob whom he
loved. /*Selah*/.
Chuse — He
will appoint and bestow upon us.
Inheritance —
The presence and worship
and blessing of God. This God had chosen for the
Israelites and resolved to chuse or set apart for the Gentiles.
Of Jacob — Of
the people of Jacob or Israel
who are frequently called Jacob
for these did
actually enjoy the presence of God in his sanctuary.
Loved —
Not for any peculiar worth in them
but for his free love to them
as he
declareth
Deuteronomy 7:7
8.
Verse 5
[5] God
is gone up with a shout
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
God —
This is meant literally of the ark: but mystically of Christ's ascension into
heaven
as may be gathered by comparing this with Ephesians 4:8
where the like words uttered
concerning the ark upon the same occasion
Psalms 68:18
are directly applied to Christ's
ascension.
Verse 7
[7] For
God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
The king —
Not only ours
but of all the nations of the world.
Sing —
Not formally and carelessly
but seriously
considering the greatness of this
king whom you praise
and what abundant cause you have to praise him.
Verse 8
[8] God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
The throne —
Heaven is often called God's throne
whence God is said to behold and to rule
all nations; of which general dominion of God
he here speaks. And Christ sits
at his father's right-hand
for that purpose.
Verse 9
[9] The
princes of the people are gathered together
even the people of the God of
Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.
The princes —
The Gentiles
who were divided in their principles
and interests
and
religions
are now united and gathered together to Christ
laying their
scepters at his feet
and jointly owning his worship and service. And altho' he
mentions their conversion only
yet the conversion of their people might
reasonably be supposed.
Of the God — He
doth not say the people of Abraham
lest this should be appropriated to the
Israelites; but the people of the God of Abraham who worship the God of
Abraham
whether they be Jews or Gentiles.
The Shields —
The princes or rulers
who are called shields
Hosea 4:18
because by their office they are the
common prosecutors of all their people. These are the Lord's
at his disposal
or subject to his dominion
both as to their hearts and kingdoms.
Exalted — By
this means God shall be greatly glorified.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
Other Works
TITLE. To the Chief
Musician. Many songs were dedicated to this leader of the chorus
but he was
not overloaded thereby. God's service is such delight that it cannot weary us;
and that choicest part of it
the singing of his praises
is so pleasurable
that we cannot have too much of it. Doubtless
the chief musician
as he was
commissioned with so many sacred songs
felt that the more the merrier. A Psalm
for the Sons of Korah. We cannot agree with those who think that the sons of
Korah were the authors of these Psalms; they have all the indications of
David's authorship that one could expect to see. Our ear has grown accustomed
to the ring of David's compositions
and we are morally certain that we hear it
in this Psalm. Every expert would detect here the autography of the Son of
Jesse
or we are greatly mistaken. The Sons of Korah sang these Psalms
but we
believe they did not write them. Fit singers were they whose origin reminded
them of sin
whose existence was a proof of sovereign grace
and whose name has
a close connection with the name of Calvary.
SUBJECT. Whether the
immediate subject of this Psalm be the carrying up of the ark from the house of
Obededom to Mount Zion
or the celebration of some memorable victory
it would
be hard to decide. As even the doctors differ
who should dogmatise? But it is
very clear that both the present sovereignty of Jehovah
and the final
victories of our Lord
are here fitly hymned
while his ascension
as the
prophecy of them
is sweetly gloried in.
DIVISION. In so short a
Psalm
there is no need of any other division than that indicated by the
musical pause at the end of Ps 47:4.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. O clap your hands. The most natural and most enthusiastic
tokens of exultation are to be used in view of the victories of the Lord
and
his universal reign. Our joy in God may be demonstrative
and yet he will not
censure it. All ye people. The joy is to extend to all nations; Israel
may lead the van
but all the Gentiles are to follow in the march of triumph
for they have an equal share in that kingdom where there is neither Greek nor
Jew
but Christ is all and in all. Even now if they did but know it
it is the
best hope of all nations that Jehovah ruleth over them. If they cannot all
speak the same tongue
the symbolic language of the hands they can all use. All
people will be ruled by the Lord in the latter days
and all will exult in that
rule; were they wise they would submit to it now
and rejoice to do so; yea
they would clap their hands in rapture at the thought. Shout
let your
voices keep tune with your hands. Unto God
let him have all the honours
of the day
and let them be loud
joyous
universal
and undivided. With the
voice of triumph
with happy sounds
consonant with such splendid
victories
so great a King
so excellent a rule
and such happy subjects. Many
are human languages
and yet the nations may triumph as with one voice. Faith's
view of God's government is full of transport. The prospect of the universal
reign of the Prince of Peace is enough to make the tongue of the dumb sing;
what will the reality be? Well might the poet of the seasons bid mountains and
valleys raise their joyous hymn—
"For
the GREAT SHEPHERD reigns
And his unsuffering kingdom yet will come."
Verse
2. For the Lord
or JEHOVAH
the self existent and only God; Most
high
most great in power
lofty in dominion
eminent in wisdom
elevated
in glory. Is terrible
none can resist his power or stand before his
vengeance; yet as these terrors are wielded on the behalf of his subjects
they
are fit reasons for rejoicing. Omnipotence
which is terrible to crush
is
almighty to protect. At a grand review of the troops of a great prince
all his
loyal subjects are filled with triumph
because their liege lord is so able to
defend his own
and so much dreaded by his foes. He is a great King over all
the earth. Not over Judea only
but even to the utmost isles his reign
extends. Our God is no local deity
no petty ruler of a tribe; in infinite
majesty he rules the mightiest realm as absolute arbiter of destiny
sole
monarch of all lands
King of kings
and Lord of lords. Not a hamlet or an
islet is excluded from his dominion. How glorious will that era be when this is
seen and known of all; when in the person of Jesus all flesh shall behold the
glory of the Lord!
Verse
3. He
with whom is infinite power
shall subdue the people
under us. The battle is not ours but the Lord's. He will take his own time
but he will certainly achieve victory for his church. Truth and righteousness
shall through grace climb to the ascendant. We wage no doubtful warfare. Hearts
the most rebellious
and wills the most stubborn
shall submit to all
conquering grace. All the Lord's people
whether Jews or Gentiles
may clap
their hands at this
for God's victory will be theirs; but surely apostles
prophets
ministers
and those who suffer and labour the most
may take the
largest share in the joy. Idolatry
infidelity
superstition
we shall yet
tread upon
as men tread down the stones of the street. And the nations
under our feet. The church of God shall be the greatest of monarchies
her
victory shall be signal and decisive. Christ shall take to himself his great
power and reign
and all the tribes of men shall own at once his glory and the
glory of his people in him. How changed will be the position of affairs in
coming ages! The people of God have been under the feet of men in long and
cruel persecutions
and in daily contempt; but God will reverse the position
and the best in character shall be first in honour.
Verse
4. While as yet we see not all things put under him
we are glad to
put ourselves and our fortunes at his disposal. He shall choose our
inheritance for us. We feel his reign to be so gracious that we even now
ask to be in the fullest degree the subjects of it. We submit our will
our
choice
our desire
wholly to him. Our heritage here and hereafter we leave to
him
let him do with us as seemeth him good. The excellency of Jacob whom he
loved. He gave his ancient people their portion
he will give us ours
and
we ask nothing better; this is the most spiritual and real manner of clapping
our hands because of his sovereignty
namely
to leave all our affairs in his
hands
for then our hands are empty of all care for self
and free to be used
in his honour. He was the boast and glory of Israel
he is and shall be ours.
He loved his people and became their greatest glory; he loves us
and he shall
be our exceeding joy. As for the latter days
we ask nothing better than to
stand in our appointed lot
for if we have but a portion in our Lord Jesus
it
is enough for our largest desires. Our beauty
our boast
our best treasure
lies in having such a God to trust in
such a God to love us. Selah.
Yes
pause
ye faithful songsters. Here is abundant room for holy meditation—
"Muse
awhile
obedient thought
Lo
the theme's with rapture fraught;
See thy King
whose realm extends
Even to earth's remotest ends.
Gladly shall the nations own
Him their God and Lord alone;
Clap their hands with holy mirth
Hail him MONARCH OF THE EARTH.
Come
my soul
before him bow
Gladdest of his subjects thou;
Leave thy portion to his choice
In his sovereign will rejoice
This thy purest
deepest bliss
He is thine and thou art his."
Verse
5. God is gone up with a shout. Faith hears the people
already shouting. The command of the first verse is here regarded as a fact.
The fight is over
the conqueror ascends to his triumphant chariot
and rides
up to the gates of the city which is made resplendent with the joy of his
return. The words are fully applicable to the ascension of the Redeemer. We
doubt not that angels and glorified spirits welcomed him with acclamations. He
came not without song
shall we imagine that he returned in silence? The
Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Jesus is Jehovah. The joyful strain of
the trumpet betokens the splendour of his triumph. It was meet to welcome one
returning from the wars with martial music. Fresh from Bozrah
with his
garments all red from the winepress
he ascended
leading captivity captive
and well might the clarion ring out the tidings of Immanuel's victorious
return.
Verse
6. Sing praises. What jubilation is here
when five times
over the whole earth is called upon to sing to God! He is worthy
he is
Creator
he is goodness itself. Sing praises
keep on with the glad
work. Never let the music pause. He never ceases to be good
let us never cease
to be grateful. Strange that we should need so much urging to attend to so
heavenly an exercise. Sing praises unto our King. Let him have all our
praise; no one ought to have even a particle of it. Jesus shall have it all.
Let his sovereignty be the fount of gladness. It is a sublime attribute
but
full of bliss to the faithful. Let our homage be paid not in groans but songs.
He asks not slaves to grace his throne; he is no despot; singing is fit homage
for a monarch so blessed and gracious. Let all hearts that own his sceptre sing
and sing on for ever
for there is everlasting reason for thanksgiving while we
dwell under the shadow of such a throne.
Verse
7. For God is the King of all the earth. The Jews of our
Saviour's time resented this truth
but had their hearts been right they would
have rejoiced in it. They would have kept their God to themselves
and not even
have allowed the Gentile dogs to eat the crumbs from under his table. Alas! how
selfishness turns honey into wormwood. Jehovah is not the God of the Jews only
all the nations of the earth are
through the Messiah
yet to own him Lord.
Meanwhile his providential throne governs all events beneath the sky. Sing
praises with understanding. Sing a didactic Psalm. Sound doctrine praises
God. Even under the economy of types and ceremonies
it is clear that the Lord
had regard to the spirituality of worship
and would be praised thoughtfully
intelligently
and with deep appreciation of the reason for song. It is to be
feared from the slovenly way in which some make a noise in singing
that they
fancy any sound will do. On the other hand
from the great attention paid by
some to the mere music
we feel sadly sure that the sense has no effect upon
them. Is it not a sin to be tickling men's ears with sounds when we profess to
be adoring the Lord? What has a sensuous delight in organs
anthems
etc.
to
do with devotion? Do not men mistake physical effects for spiritual impulses?
Do they not often offer to God strains far more calculated for human amusement
than for divine acceptance? An understanding enlightened of the Holy Spirit is
then and then only fully capable of offering worthy praise.
Verse
8. Now at this moment
over the most debased idolaters
God holds a
secret rule; here is work for faith. How we ought to long for the day when this
truth shall be changed in its aspect
and the rule now unrecognised shall be
delighted in! The great truth that God reigneth in providence is the
guarantee that in a gracious gospel sense his promises shall be fulfilled
and
his kingdom shall come. He sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
Unmoved he occupies an undisputed throne
whose decrees
acts
and commands are
holiness itself. What other throne is like this? Never was it stained with injustice
or defiled with sin. Neither is he who sits upon it dismayed
or in a dilemma.
He sits in serenity
for he knows his own power
and sees that his purposes
will not miscarry. Here is reason enough for holy song.
Verse
9. The princes of the people are gathered together. The
prophetic eye of the psalmist sees the willing subjects of the great King
assembled to celebrate his glory. Not only the poor and the men of low estate
are there
but nobles bow their willing necks to his sway. "All kings
shall bow down before him." No people shall be unrepresented; their great
men shall be good men
their royal ones regenerate ones. How august will be the
parliament where the Lord Jesus shall open the court
and princes shall rise up
to do him honour! Even the people of the God of Abraham. That same God
who was known only to here and there a patriarch like the father of the
faithful
shall be adored by a seed as many as the stars of heaven. The
covenant promise shall be fulfilled
"In thee and in thy seed shall all
the nations of the earth be blessed." Shiloh shall come
and "to him
shall the gathering of the people be." Babel's dispersion shall be
obliterated by the gathering arm of the Great Shepherd King.
For
the shields of the earth belong unto God. The insignia of pomp
the emblems of
rank
the weapons of war
all must pay loyal homage to the King of all. Right
honourables must honour Jesus
and majesties must own him to be far more
majestic. Those who are earth's protectors
the shields of the commonwealth
derive
their might from him
and are his. All principalities and powers must be
subject unto Jehovah and his Christ
for He is greatly exalted. In
nature
in power
in character
in glory
there is none to compare with him.
Oh
glorious vision of a coming era! Make haste
ye wheels of time! Meanwhile
ye saints
"Be ye steadfast
unmovable
always abounding in the work of
the Lord
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the
Lord."
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. Some have applied this Psalm to Christ's ascension; but it speaks
of his Second Coming. The Mighty One is seated peacefully on his throne. We are
referred back to Ps 45:1-17. Andrew A. Bonar.
Verse
1. O clap your hands
all ye people; shout unto God with the voice
of triumph. This should be done
1. Cheerfully
Clap your hands
for
this is a sign of inward joy
Na 3:19. 2. Universally: "O clap you hands
all
ye people." 3. Vocally: Shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
4. Frequently: "Sing praises to God
sing praises: sing praises unto
our King
sing praises"
Ps 47:6; and again "sing
praises"
Ps 47:7. It cannot be done too frequently. 5. Knowingly and
discreetly: "Sing ye praises with understanding; "know the
reason why ye are to praise him. Adam Clarke.
Verse
1. O clap your hands
etc. Such expressions of pious and
devout affection as to some may seem indecent and imprudent
yet ought not to
be hastily censured and condemned
much less ridiculed; because if they come
from an upright heart
God will accept the strength of the affection
and
excuse the weakness of the expressions of it. Matthew Henry.
Verse
1. O clap your hands. The voice of melody is not so
much to be uttered with the tongue
as with the hands; that it
it is our deeds
not our words
by which God is here to be praised. Even as it was in him whose
pattern we are to follow: "Jesus began both to do and to teach." J.
M. Neale.
Verse
1. All ye people. Peoples
in the plural. Here it is used to
call both Jews and Gentiles—all nations. William S. Plumer.
Verse
1. Shout unto God. Jubilate Deo: in God
and concerning
God
and in honour of God. He does not excite them to carnal joy. Martin
Geier.
Verse
2. For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great king over
all the earth. The church celebrates the ascension of Christ
because then
he was "highly exalted; "then he became terrible to his
enemies
all power in heaven and earth being committed to him; and then he
began to display the excellent majesty of his universal kingdom
to which he
was then inaugurated
being crowned "King of kings
and Lord of
lords." George Horne.
Verse
2. The Lord most high is terrible. Christ is terrible
that is
fearful
or meet to be feared
not of his children only for their
good
but of the wicked also for their punishment; terrible to the
devil
as being stronger than he
casting out the prince of darkness by the
finger of God. Lu 11:22 Joh 12:31. And therefore so soon as an unclean spirit
saw Jesus
he cried out
"What have we to do with thee
thou Jesus of
Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us?" Mr 1:24; or as other devils
Mt
8:29
"Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" for the
devils in believing tremble. Terrible to hypocrites
and other impious
agents of the devil
as having his fan in his hand to make clean his floor
and
to gather his wheat into his garner
but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire. Mt 3:12. Or Christ is excelsus in potentia
terribilis in
justitia; high in power
and fearful in justice; high in exalting the good
and terrible in humbling the bad. John Boys.
Verse
3. He shall subdue the people under us
and the nations under our
feet. The consequence of our Lord's ascension was the going forth of the
all subduing Word
under the influence and direction of which
the convinced
and converted nations renounced their idols and their lusts
and bowed their
willing necks to the yoke of Jesus. This is that great conquest
fore showed by
the victories of Joshua
David
and all the faithful heroes of old time
and
foretold in language borrowed from their history. George Horne.
Verse
3. He shall subdue the people under us
etc.
or he shall
lead like sheep; or bring unto to fold; as divers render the word
by comparing Isa 5:17 Mic 2:12. He seems to speak of such a subjugation of
them
as was for the good of the people subdued
because this is matter of
rejoicing to them
verse 1; which is true both of these people whom David
subdued
who thereby had opportunities
obligations
and encouragements to own
and worship the true God
which was the only way to their true and lasting
happiness; and especially of those Gentiles who were subdued to Christ by the
preaching of the gospel. The Gentile converts were in some sort brought under
the Jews
because they were subjected to Christ and to his apostles
and to the
primitive church
which were Jews. Matthew Poole.
Verse
3. And the nations under our feet. By this manner of speech
is meant
that the Gentiles should be scholars
and the Jews schoolmasters
as it were to them; for to sit under the feet
or at the feet
is
used in Scripture for being a scholar
or learning
as Ac 22:3. Thomas
Wilcocks.
Verse
4. He shall choose. Futures are variously rendered; and
accordingly the vulgar Latin
Syriac
and Arabic
render this word
He hath
chosen. Matthew Poole.
Verse
4. He shall choose our inheritance for us. It is reported of
a woman who
being sick
was asked whether she was willing to live or die; she
answered
"Which God pleases." But
said one
if God should refer it
to you
which would you choose? "Truly
"replied she
"I would
refer it to him again." Thus that man obtains his will of God
whose will
is subjected to God. We are not to be troubled that we have no more from
God
but we are to be troubled that we do no more for God. Christians
if the Lord be well pleased with your persons
should not you be well pleased
with your conditions? There is more reason that you should be pleased with
them
than that he should be pleased with you. Believers should be like sheep
which change their pastures at the will of the shepherd; or like vessels in a
house
which stand to be filled or emptied at the pleasure of their owner. He
that sails upon the sea of this world in his own bottom
will sink at last into
a bottomless ocean. Never were any their own carvers
but they were sure to cut
their own fingers. William Secker.
Verse
4. He shall choose our inheritance for us
means that he who
knows what is better for us than ourselves
hath chosen
that is
hath
appointed
and that of his own good will and mercy towards us
our
inheritance; not only things meet for this life
as lands
and houses
and
possessions
etc.
but even all other things concerning the hope of a better
life
to wit
a kingdom that cannot be shaken
an everlasting habitation
and inheritance
which is immortal and undefiled
and fadeth not away
reserved for us in
heaven. John Boys.
Verse
4. The excellency (or glory) of Jacob
whom he loved; that
is
even all those excellent things that he gave and promised to Jacob
wherein
he might glory and rejoice. The faithful mean
that they had as great
both
abundance and assurance of God's grace and goodness
as ever Jacob had. Thomas
Wilcocks.
Verse
4. It may be thou art godly and poor. It is well; but canst thou
tell whether
if thou wert not poor
thou wouldst be godly? Surely God knows us
better than we ourselves do
and therefore can best fit the estate to the
person. Giles Fletcher.
Verse
5. God is gone up with a shout
the Lord with the sound of a
trumpet. It is worthy (as Origen suggests) that this mention of the shout
and the voice of the trumpet
serves to connect together past and
future events in the history of the church and of the world
and carry our
thoughts forward to Christ's coming to judgment. Christopher Wordsworth.
Verse
5. Thou hast great cause
O my soul
to praise him
and to rejoice
before him
especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for
himself
but also for thee: it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven:
whatever God acted on the person of Christ
that he did as in thy behalf
and
he means to act the very same on thee. Christ as a public person ascended up to
heaven; thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ; and therefore
dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up? O let every member praise his name;
let thy tongue (called thy glory)
glory in this
and trumpet out his
praise
that in respect of thy duty it may be verified: "Christ is gone
up with a shout
the Lord with a sound of a trumpet." Isaac Ambrose.
Verse
7. For God is the King of all the earth: as if he had said
"our King
said I? it is too little; he is King of all the earth."
John Trapp.
Verse
7. Sing ye praises with understanding. How may we make melody
in our hearts to God in singing of Psalms? We must sing with understanding.
We must not be guided by the time
but the words of the Psalm; we
must mind the matter more than the music
and consider what we sing
as well as
how we sing; the tune may affect the fancy
but it is the matter affects the
heart
and that God principally eyes. The psalmist advises us in this
particular
and so doth the apostle 1Co 14:15. Otherwise this sweet duty would
be more the work of a chorister than of a Christian
and we should be more
delighted in an anthem of the musician's making
than in a Psalm of the
Spirit's making. A. Lapide observes that in the text
1Co 14:15
the word understanding
is maschil
(lyksm)
profound judgment: we must sing wisely
if
we will sing gratefully; we must relish what we sing. In a word
we must sing
as we must pray; now the most rude petitioner will understand what he
prays. 1Co 14:15. If we do not understand what we sing
it argues carelessness
of spirit
or hardness of heart; and this makes the service impertinent. Upon
this the worthy Davenant cries out
"Adieu to the bellowing of the
Papists
who sing in an unknown tongue." God will not understand us in
that service which we understand not ourselves. One of the first pieces of the
creation was light
and this must break out in every duty. John
Wells(—1676)
in "Morning Exercises."
Verse
7. Sing ye praises with understanding
sing an instructive song.
Let sense and sound go together. Let your hearts and heads
go with your voices. Understand what you sing
and feel
what you understand. Adam Clarke.
Verse
7. Sing ye praises with understanding; because in the full
light of the new dispensation
the darkness of the patriarchal ages
the seeing
as through a glass of the Levitical law
are turned into the vision of full and
very reality. Hugo Victorinus.
Verse
7. Sing ye praises with understanding. Mark this
thou who
daily readest the Psalms
and yet does not understand them. Simon de Muis.
Verse
7. With understanding. If they had sung with
understanding
they had not adored stones. When a man sensible sang to a
stone insensible
did he sing "with understanding"? But now
brethren
we see not with our eyes whom we adore
and yet correctly we adore.
Much more is God commended to us
that with our eyes see him not. Augustine.
Verse
9. The princes of the people are gathered together. I note
from hence
1. That it is not impossible for great men to be good men; for the
heads of a country to be members of Christ; and for princes as well as the
people to serve the God of Abraham. It is said by the prophet
"upon my
peace came great bitterness; ""a thousand fell on the left hand
but
ten thousand at the right hand" Ps 91:7: ten perish in their prosperity
for one that falleth in adversity. Homo victus in paradiso
victum in
stercore: Adam in the garden of pleasure was overcome by the subtil
serpent
whereas Job on the dunghill of misery was more than a conqueror.
Woodmen say that deer are more circumspect in fat pastures; so the godly fear
most in a rich estate: nihil timendum video (saith one)
timeo tamen.
(Seneca.) It is a sweet prayer of our church in the Litany
"Good Lord
deliver us in all time of our wealth
"insinuating that our minds are not
so wanton as in abundance: yet
as you see
such is Christ's unspeakable
goodness towards all sort of men
in preventing them even with the riches of
his mercy
that not only the mean people
but also the mighty princes among the
heathen are joined unto the church of the God of Abraham. John Boys.
Verse
9. Gathered together. Christ's gathering of the saints
together unto him will be at his second coming
his coming to judgment
the
general and final judgment. "Now we beseech you
brethren
by the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ
and by our gathering together unto him." 2Th
2:1. James Scott (—1773)
in "A Collection of Sermons
"1774.
Verse
9. The people of the God of Abraham. First
touching the
God of Abraham
it is Christ
whose day Abraham desired to see
and in
seeing whereof he did so much rejoice Joh 8:1-59; that is
not only the day of
his birth
which he saw
as we learn by the oath which he caused his servant to
take Ge 24:1-67 but also the day of his passion
which he saw long ago
and
rejoiced in seeing it
when he said to his son Isaac in the mount
"The
Lord will provide a sacrifice." Ge 22:8. Secondly
The people of the
God of Abraham
are his children and posterity: not only that they are the
seed of Abraham
coming out of his loins
and are "the children of the
flesh" Ro 9:9; but "the children of the promise; "for
if they that come out of Abraham's loins were only his children
then the
Hagarins
the Turks
and Ishmaelites should be the people of God; "But
in Isaac shall thy seed be called." They that lay hold of the promise
by faith
"They that are of the faith
are the children of Abraham"
Ga 3:7
that have the same spirit of faith that Abraham had. As the apostle
saith Ro 2:28
"He is not a Jew that is one outwardly
but a Jew inwardly
is the true Jew." They that worship the Messias by believing in him with
the faith of Abraham
they are Abraham's children
and the people of
Abraham's God
which thing John Baptist affirms Mt 3:1-17
"God can of
stones raise up children unto Abraham." So the Gentiles
which worshipped
stones
and therefore were "like unto them" Ps 115:1-18
were
notwithstanding raised up to be children to Abraham. Lancelot Andrewes.
Verse
9. The shields of the earth belong unto God. There we have
the rulers of the earth set forth by a double relation; the one upward
they are scuta Deo
they belong to God; the other downward
they
are scuta terae
"the shields of the earth; "and both these
noting two things
their dignity and their duty. They belong to
God
it is their honour that he hath sealed them: they belong to God
it is
their duty to be subject to him. They are shields of the earth
it is
their honour that they are above others: they are the shields of the earth
it is their duty to protect others. Edward Reynolds (Bishop).
Verse
9. The shields of the earth are God's
is understood by many
as spoken of princes. I admit that this metaphor is of frequent occurrence in
Scripture
nor does this sense seem to be unsuitable to the scope of the
passage...Yet the sense will be more simple if we explain the words thus: That
as it is God alone who defends and preserves the world
the high and supreme
majesty which is sufficient for so exalted and difficult a work as the
preservation of the world
is justly looked upon with admiration. The sacred
writer expressly uses the word shields in the plural number
for
considering the various and almost innumerable dangers which unceasingly
threaten every part of the world
the providence of God must necessarily
interpose in many ways
and make use
as it were
of many bucklers. John
Calvin.
Verse
9. The shields of the earth. Magistrates are said to bear the
sword
not to be swords; and they are said to be shields
not to
bear shields; and all this to show that protection and preservation are more
essential and intrinsical to their office than destruction and punishment are. Joseph
Caryl.
HINTS TO THE VILLAGE
PREACHER
Verse
1. Unusual and enthusiastic expressions of joy when justifiable and
even desirable.
Verses
1-4. Joy the true spirit of worship.
1.
Joy in God's character.
2. In his reign.
3. In the triumphs of his gospel.
4. In his favour to his saints.
Verse
2. The terrors of the Lord viewed by faith as a subject of joy.
Verse
2 (second clause). The universal reign of Christ as it is and is to
be.
Verse
3. The hope of victory to the church. What shall be subdued? By
whose instrumentality? Us. By whose power? He. When shall it be accomplished?
What is the token of it? The ascension
Ps 47:5.
Verse
3.
1.
The final triumph of the saints. All enemies subdued under them in earth and
hell
within and without—(a) gradually
(b)completely.
2.
The power by which it is accomplished. He shall
etc.
(a)
Not without means.
(b) Not by means only.
(c) But by appointed means made potent by divine energy. G. R.
Verse
4. This comprehends time and eternity. It is a matter of fact
of
holy acquiescence
of desire
of thankfulness.
Verse
4.
1. God is willing to choose our inheritance for us in time and eternity.
2. His choice is better than ours—the excellency of Jacob.
3. He will leave us to the consequences of our own choice.
4. He will help us in obtaining that which he chooses for us. G. R.
Verse
5. The ascension. Its publicity
solemnity
triumph
joy. Who went
up. Where he went up. To what he went up. For what purpose. With what result.
Verse
6. The importance of holy song. The repetition rebukes our slackness
and implies that earnestness
frequency
delight
and universality should
characterise the praises offered.
Verse
7 (last clause). The psalmody of the instructed
and
instruction by psalmody; praise should be both the fruit and the vehicle of
teaching.
Verse
8 (last clause). Divine sovereignty always connected with
holiness.
Verse
8.
1.
God has a throne of holiness
for which he is to be feared by all men.
2. A throne of grace
for which he is to be loved by his redeemed.
3. A throne of glory
for which he is to be praised by his whole creation.
Verse
9.
1.
A shield is a merciful weapon
none more so.
2.
A shield is a venturous weapon
a kind of surety
which bears the blows
and receives the injuries which were intended for another.
3.
A shield is a strong weapon
to repel the darts of wickedness and break
them in pieces.
4.
A shield is an honourable weapon
none more: taking away of shields was a sign
of victory; preserving them a sign of glory.
5.
Remember
a shield must ever have an eye to guide it—you the shields
the law the eye. Bishop Reynolds.
WORK
UPON THE FORTY-SEVENTH PSALM
In
the Works of JOHN BOYS
1626
folio
pp. 931-937
there is an Exposition of
this Psalm.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》