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Psalm Forty-eight
Psalm 48
Chapter Contents
The glories of the church of Christ.
Commentary on Psalm 48:1-7
(Read Psalm 48:1-7)
Jerusalem is the city of our God: none on earth render
him due honour except the citizens of the spiritual Jerusalem. Happy the
kingdom
the city
the family
the heart
in which God is great
in which he is
all. There God is known. The clearer discoveries are made to us of the Lord and
his greatness
the more it is expected that we should abound in his praises.
The earth is
by sin
covered with deformity
therefore justly might that spot
of ground
which was beautified with holiness
be called the joy of the whole
earth; that which the whole earth has reason to rejoice in
that God would thus
in very deed dwell with man upon the earth. The kings of the earth were afraid
of it. Nothing in nature can more fitly represent the overthrow of heathenism
by the Spirit of the gospel
than the wreck of a fleet in a storm. Both are by
the mighty power of the Lord.
Commentary on Psalm 48:8-14
(Read Psalm 48:8-14)
We have here the improvement which the people of God are
to make of his glorious and gracious appearances for them. Let our faith in the
word of God be hereby confirmed. Let our hope of the stability of the church be
encouraged. Let our minds be filled with good thoughts of God. All the streams
of mercy that flow down to us
must be traced to the fountain of His
loving-kindness. Let us give to God the glory of the great things he has done
for us. Let all the members of the church take comfort from what the Lord does
for his church. Let us observe the beauty
strength
and safety of the church.
Consider its strength; see it founded on Christ the Rock
fortified by the
Divine power
guarded by Him who neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious
ordinances are its palaces
what precious promises are its bulwarks
that you
may be encouraged to join yourselves to it: and tell this to others. This God
who has now done such great things for us
is unchangeable in his love to us
and his care for us. If he is our God
he will lead and keep us even to the
last. He will so guide us
as to set us above the reach of death
so that it
shall not do us any real hurt. He will lead us to a life in which there shall
be no more death.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 48
Verse 1
[1]
Great is the LORD
and greatly to be praised in the city of our God
in the
mountain of his holiness.
The city — In
Jerusalem.
Mountain — In
his holy mountain.
Verse 2
[2] Beautiful for situation
the joy of the whole earth
is mount Zion
on the
sides of the north
the city of the great King.
The joy —
This is spoken prophetically
because the joyful doctrine of the gospel was to
go from thence to all nations.
The city — Of
God
who justly calls himself a great king.
Verse 3
[3] God
is known in her palaces for a refuge.
Known — By
long experience.
Palaces —
Possibly he may point at the king's palace and the temple
which was the palace
of the king of heaven; which two palaces God did in a singular manner protect
and by protecting them
protected the whole city and people.
Verse 4
[4] For
lo
the kings were assembled
they passed by together.
The kings —
Either those kings confederate against Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 20:1
or the Assyrian princes; whom
they vain-gloriously called kings
Isaiah 10:8.
Passed — In
their march towards Jerusalem.
Verse 5
[5] They saw it
and so they marvelled; they were troubled
and hasted away.
Saw it —
They did only look upon it
but not come into it
nor shoot an arrow there -
nor cast a bank against it
2 Kings 19:32.
Marvelled — At
the wonderful works wrought by God.
Verse 6
[6] Fear
took hold upon them there
and pain
as of a woman in travail.
Fear — At
the tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them
2 Kings 19:9
and at that terrible slaughter of
their army
verse 2 Kings 19:35.
Verse 7
[7] Thou
breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
Breakest —
Thou didst no less violently and suddenly destroy these raging enemies of
Jerusalem
than sometimes thou destroyest the ships at sea with a fierce and
vehement wind
such as the eastern winds were in those parts.
Verse 8
[8] As
we have heard
so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts
in the city of
our God: God will establish it for ever. /*Selah*/.
Heard —
The predictions of the prophets have been verified by the events.
Establish —
God will defend her in all succeeding ages. And so God would have done
if
Jerusalem had not forsaken him
and forfeited his protection.
Verse 9
[9] We
have thought of thy lovingkindness
O God
in the midst of thy temple.
Thought — It
hath been the matter of our serious and deep meditation
when we have been
worshipping in thy temple.
Verse 10
[10]
According to thy name
O God
so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy
right hand is full of righteousness.
So — Thou art acknowledged
to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thyself to be in thy Word
God
Almighty
or All-sufficient
the Lord of hosts
and a strong tower to all that
trust in thee.
Righteousness — Of
righteous actions; by which thou discoverest thy holiness.
Verse 11
[11] Let
mount Zion rejoice
let the daughters of Judah be glad
because of thy
judgments.
Judgments —
Upon thine and their enemies.
Verse 12
[12] Walk
about Zion
and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
Tell — He
bids them mark well her towers
bulwarks
and palaces
with thankfulness to
God
when they should find upon enquiry
that not one of them were demolished.
Verse 13
[13] Mark
ye well her bulwarks
consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the
generation following.
Tell it —
That they may continue their praises to God for this mercy
by which they hold
and enjoy all their blessings.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Psalm 48:14
Barbara Youderian
the wife
of Roj Youderian who died along with Jim Elliot as they sought to reach the
Auca Indians
wrote the following in her diary: “Tonight
the captain told us
of his finding four bodies in the river. One had tee-shirt and blue jeans. Roj
was the only one who wore them….God gave me this verse two days ago
Psalm
48:14
‘For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our Guide even
unto death.’ As I came face to face with the news of Roj’s death
my heart was
filled with praise. He was worthy of his home-going. Help me
Lord
to be both
mummy and daddy. ‘To know wisdom and instruction…’” (Cited by Elisabeth Elliot
Through Gates of Splendor
Old Tappan
N.J.: Revell
1970 p.191)
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
TITLE. A Song and
Psalm for the Sons of Korah. A song for joyfulness and a Psalm for reverence.
Alas! every song is not a Psalm
for poets are not all heaven born
and every
Psalm is not a song
for in coming before God we have to utter mournful
confessions as well as exulting praises. The Sons of Korah were happy in having
so large a selection of song; the worship where such a variety of music was
used could not become monotonous
but must have given widest scope for all the
sacred passions of gracious souls.
SUBJECT
AND DIVISION. It would be idle dogmatically to attribute this song to any one
event of Jewish history. Its author and date are unknown. It records the
withdrawal of certain confederate kings from Jerusalem
their courage failing
them before striking a blow. The mention of the ships of Tarshish may allow us
to conjecture that the Psalm was written in connection with the overthrow of
Ammon
Moab
and Edom in the reign of Jehoshaphat; and if the reader will turn
to 2 Chronicles 20
and note especially 2Ch 20:19
25
36
he will probably
accept the suggestion. Ps 48:1-3
are in honour of the Lord and the city
dedicated to his worship. From Ps 48:4-8 the song records the confusion of
Zion's foes
ascribing all the praise to God; Ps 48:9-11 extolling Zion
and
avowing Jehovah to be her God for evermore.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. Great is the Lord. How great Jehovah is essentially none
can conceive; but we can all see that he is great in the deliverance of his
people
great in their esteem who are delivered
and great in the hearts of
those enemies whom he scatters by their own fears. Instead of the mad cry of
Ephesus
"Great is Diana
"we bear the reasonable
demonstrable
self
evident testimony
"Great is Jehovah." There is none great in the
church but the Lord. Jesus is "the great Shepherd
"he is
"a Saviour
and a great one
"our great God and Saviour
our great
High Priest; his Father has divided him a portion with the great
and his name
shall be great unto the ends of the earth. And greatly to be praised.
According to his nature should his worship be; it cannot be too constant
too
laudatory
too earnest
too reverential
too sublime. In the city of our
God. He is great there
and should be greatly praised there. If all the
world beside renounced Jehovah's worship
the chosen people in his favoured
city should continue to adore him
for in their midst and on their behalf his
glorious power has been so manifestly revealed. In the church the Lord is to be
extolled though all the nations rage against him. Jerusalem was the peculiar
abode of the God of Israel
the seat of the theocratic government
and the
centre of prescribed worship
and even thus is the church the place of divine
manifestation. In the mountain of his holiness. Where his holy temple
his holy priests
and his holy sacrifices might continually be seen. Zion was a
mount
and as it was the most renowned part of the city
it is mentioned as a
synonym for the city itself. The church of God is a mount for elevation and for
conspicuousness
and it should be adorned with holiness
her sons being
partakers of the holiness of God. Only by holy men can the Lord be fittingly
praised
and they should be incessantly occupied with his worship.
Verse
2. Beautiful for situation. Jerusalem was so naturally
she
was styled the Queen of the East; the church is so spiritually
being placed
near God's heart
within the mountain of his power
upon the hills of his
faithfulness
in the centre of providential operations. The elevation of the
church is her beauty. The more she is above the world the fairer she is. The
joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion. Jerusalem was the world's star;
whatever light lingered on earth was borrowed from the oracles preserved by
Israel. An ardent Israelite would esteem the holy city as the eye of the
nations
the most precious pearl of all lands. Certainly the church of God
though despised of men
is the true joy and hope of the world. On the sides
of the north
the city of the great King. Either meaning that Jerusalem was
in the northern extremity of Judah
or it may denote that part of the city that
lay to the north of Mount Zion. It was the glory of Jerusalem to be God's city
the place of his regal dwelling
and it is the joy of the church that God is in
her midst. The great God is the great King of the church
and for her sake he
rules all the nations. The people among whom the Lord deigns to dwell are
privileged above all others; the lines have fallen unto them in pleasant
places
and they have a goodly heritage. We who dwell in Great Britain in the
sides of the north
have this for our chief glory
that the Lord is known in
our land
and the abode of his love is among us.
Verse
3. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. We worship no
unknown God. We know him as our refuge in distress
we delight in him as such
and run to him in every time of need. We know nothing else as our refuge.
Though we are made kings
and our houses are palaces
yet we have no confidence
in ourselves
but trust in the Lord Protector
whose well known power is our
bulwark.
Verse
4. The kings were assembled
they passed by together. They
came and they went. No sooner together than scattered. They came one way and
fled twenty ways. Boastful the gathering hosts with their royal leaders
despairing the fugitive bands with their astonished captains. They came like
foam on the angry sea
like foam they melted away. This was so remarkable that
the psalmist puts in a note of exclamation
Lo! What! have they so
suddenly fled! Even thus shall the haters of the church vanish from the field.
Papists
Ritualists
Arians
Sceptics
they shall each have their day
and
shall pass on to the limbo of forgetfulness.
Verse
5. They saw it
and so they marvelled. They came
they saw
but they did not conquer. There was no veni
vidi
vici for them. No
sooner did they perceive that the Lord was in the Holy City
than they took to
their heels. Before the Lord came to blows with them
they were faint hearted
and beat a retreat. They were troubled and hasted away. The troublers
were troubled. Their haste in coming was nothing to their hurry in going. Panic
seized them
horses were not fleet enough; they would have borrowed the wings
of the wind. They fled ignominiously
like children in a fright. Glory be to
God
it shall be even thus with the foes of his church; when the Lord cometh to
our help
our enemies shall be as nothing. Could they foresee their ignominious
defeat
they would not advance to the attack.
Verse
6. Fear took hold upon them there. They were in Giant
Despair's grip. Where they hoped to triumph
there they quivered with dismay.
They did not take the city
but fear took hold on them. And pain
as of a
woman in travail. They were as much overcome as a woman whose fright causes
premature delivery; or
as full of pain as a poor mother in her pangs—a strong
expression
commonly employed by Orientals to set forth the extremity of
anguish. When the Lord arises for the help of his church
the proudest of his
foes shall be as trembling women
and their dismay shall be but the beginning
of eternal defeat.
Verse
7. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As
easily as vessels are driven to shipwreck
dost thou overturn the most powerful
adversaries; or it may mean the strength of some nations lies in their ships
whose wooden walls are soon broken; but our strength is in our God
and
therefore
it fails not; or there may be another meaning
though thou art our
defence
yet thou takest vengeance on our inventions
and while thou dost
preserve us
yet our ships
our comforts
our earthly ambitions
are taken from
us that we may look alone to thee. God is seen at sea
but he is equally
present on land. Speculative heresies
pretending to bring us wealth from afar
are constantly assailing the church
but the breath of the Lord soon drives
them to destruction. The church too often relies on the wisdom of men
and
these human helps are soon shipwrecked; yet the church itself is safe beneath
the care of her God and King.
Verse
8. As we have heard
so have we seen in the city of the Lord of
hosts
in the city of our God. Our father's stories are reproduced before
our very eyes. We heard the promise
and we have seen the fulfilment. The
records of Zion
wonderful as they are
are proved to be truthful
because
present facts are in perfect harmony therewith. Note how the Lord is first
spoken of as Lord of hosts
a name of power and sovereignty
and then as
our God
a name of covenant relation and condescension. No wonder that
since the Lord bears both titles
we find him dealing with us after the
precedents of his lovingkindness
and the faithfulness of his promises. God
will establish it for ever. The true church can never be disestablished.
That which kings establish can last for time only
that which God establishes
endures to all eternity. Selah. Here is a fit place to pause
viewing
the past with admiration
and the future with confidence.
Verse
9. We have thought. Holy men are thoughtful men; they do not
suffer God's wonders to pass before their eyes and melt into forgetfulness
but
they meditate deeply upon them. Of thy lovingkindness
O God. What a
delightful subject! Devout minds never tire of so divine a theme. It is well to
think of past lovingkindness in times of trial
and equally profitable to
remember it in seasons of prosperity. Grateful memories sweeten sorrows and
sober joys. In the midst of thy temple. Fit place for so devout a
meditation. Where God is most seen he is best loved. The assembled saints
constitute a living temple
and our deepest musings when so gathered together
should have regard to the lovingkindness of the Lord
exhibited in the varied
experiences of each of the living stones. Memories of mercy should be
associated with continuance of praise. Hard by the table of show bread
commemorating his bounty
should stand the altar of incense denoting our
praise.
Verse
10. According to thy name
O God
so is thy praise unto the ends
of the earth. Great fame is due to his great name. The glory of Jehovah's
exploits overleaps the boundaries of earth; angels behold with wonder
and from
every star delighted intelligences proclaim his fame beyond the ends of the
earth. What if men are silent
yet the woods
and seas
and mountains
with all
their countless tribes
and all the unseen spirits that walk them
are full of
the divine praise. As in a shell we listen to the murmurs of the sea
so in the
convolutions of creation we hear the praises of God. Thy right hand is full
of righteousness. Thy sceptre and thy sword
thy government and thy
vengeance
are altogether just. Thy hand is never empty
but full of energy
of
bounty
and of equity. Neither saint nor sinner shall find the Lord to be an
empty handed God; he will in both cases deal out righteousness to the full: to
the one
through Jesus
he will be just to forgive
to the other just to
condemn.
Verse
11. Let mount Zion rejoice. As the first of the cities of
Judah
and the main object of the enemies' attack
let her lead the song. Let
the daughters of Judah be glad
let the smaller towns join the chorus
for
they join in the common victory. Let the women
who fare worst in the havoc of
war
be among the gladdest of the glad
now that the spoilers have fled. All
the church
and each individual member
should rejoice in the Lord
and magnify
his name. Because of thy judgments. The righteous acts of the Lord are
legitimate subjects for joyful praise. However it may appear on earth
yet in
heaven the eternal ruin of the wicked will be the theme of adoring song. Re
19:1
3: "Alleluia; salvation
and glory
and honour
and power
unto the
Lord our God. For true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the
great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication
and hath avenged
the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said
Alleluia
and her
smoke rose up for ever and ever." Justice which to our poor optics now
seems severe
will then be perceived to be perfectly consistent with God's name
of love
and to be one of the brightest jewels of his crown.
Verse
12. Walk about Zion; often beat her bounds
even as Israel
marched around Jericho. With leisurely and careful inspection survey her. And
go round about her. Encircle her again and again with loving
perambulations. We cannot too frequently or too deeply consider the origin
privileges
history
security
and glory of the church. Some subjects deserve
but a passing thought; this is worthy of the most patient consideration. Tell
the towers thereof. See if any of them have crumbled
or have been
demolished. Is the church of God what she was in doctrine
in strength and in
beauty? Her foes counted her towers in envy first
and then in terror
let us
count them with sacred exultation. The city of Lucerne
encircled by its ancient
walls
adorned with a succession of towers
is a visible illustration of this
figure; and as we have gone around it
and paused at each picturesque tower
we
have realised the loving lingering inspection which the metaphor implies.
Verse
13. Mark ye well her bulwarks. Consider most attentively how
strong are her ramparts
how safely her inhabitants are entrenched behind
successive lines of defence. The security of the people of God is not a
doctrine to be kept in the background
it may be safely taught
and frequently
pondered; only to base hearts will that glorious truth prove harmful; the sons
of perdition make a stumbling stone even of the Lord Jesus himself
it is
little wonder that they pervert the truth of God concerning the final
perseverance of the saints. We are not to turn away from inspecting Zion's
ramparts
because idlers skulk behind them. Consider her palaces.
Examine with care the fair dwellings of the city. Let the royal promises which
afford quiet resting places for believers be attentively inspected. See how
sound are the defences
and how fair are the pleasaunces of "that ancient
citie
"of which you are citizens. A man should be best acquainted with
his own home; and the church is our dear and blest abode. Would to God professors
were more considerate of the condition of the church; so far from telling the
towers
some of them scarcely know what or where they are; they are too busy
counting their money
and considering their ledgers. Freehold and copyhold
and
leasehold
men measure to an inch
but heaven hold and grace hold are too often
taken at peradventure
and neglected in sheer heedlessness. That ye may tell
it to the generation following. An excellent reason for studious
observation. We have received and we must transmit. We must be students that we
may be teachers. The debt we owe to the past we must endeavour to repay by
handing down the truth to the future.
Verse
14. For this God is our God for ever and ever. A good reason
for preserving a record of all that he has wrought. Israel will not change her
God so as to wish to forget
nor will the Lord change so as to make the past
mere history. He will be the covenant God of his people world without end.
There is no other God
we wish for no other
we would have no other even if there
were. There are some who are so ready to comfort the wicked
that for the sake
of ending their punishment they weaken the force of language
and make for
ever and ever mean but a time; nevertheless
despite their interpretations
we exult in the hope of an eternity of bliss
and to us "everlasting
" and "for ever and ever" mean what they say. He will be our
guide even unto death. Throughout life
and to our dying couch
he will
graciously conduct us
and even after death he will lead us to the living fountains
of waters. We look to him for resurrection and eternal life. This consolation
is clearly derivable from what has gone before; hitherto our foes have been
scattered
and our bulwarks have defied attack
for God has been in our midst
therefore all possible assaults in the future shall be equally futile.
"The
church has all her foes defied
And laughed to scorn their rage;
Even thus for aye she shall abide
Secure from age to age."
Farewell
fear. Come hither
gratitude and faith
and sing right joyously.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
TITLE. A Song and
Psalm. Wherein both voice and instrument were used; the voice began first and
the instrument after: and where the inscription is a Psalm and Song
there
likely the instrument began and the voice followed. John Richardson.
Whole
Psalm. According to Dr. Lightfoot
the constant and ordinary Psalm for
the second day of the week was the forty-eighth.
Verse
1. Great is the Lord
and greatly to be praised in the city of
our God
etc. The prophet
being about to praise a certain edifice
commences by praising the architect
and says that in the holy city the
wonderful skill and wisdom of God
who built it
is truly displayed. Great
is the Lord and greatly to be praised; and so he is
whether we look at his
essence
his power
his wisdom
his justice
or his mercy
for all are
infinite
everlasting
and incomprehensible; and thus
so much is God greatly
to be praised
that all the angels
all men
even all his own works would
not suffice thereto; but of all things revealed
there is no one thing can give
us a greater idea of his greatness
or for which were should praise and thank
him more
than the establishment of his church; and therefore
the prophet
adds
in the city of our God
in the mountain of his holiness; that is
to say
the greatness of God
and for which he deserves so much praise
is
conspicuous in the foundation and construction of his church. Robert
Bellarmine (Cardinal).
Verse
1. Great is the Lord. Greater
Job 33:12. Greatest of all
Ps
95:3. Greatness itself
Ps 145:3. A degree he is above the superlative. John
Trapp.
Verse
1. Mountain of his holiness. The religion in it holy
the
people in it a holy people. William Nicholson.
Verse
2. Beautiful for situation
the joy of the whole earth
is mount
Zion
on the sides of the north
the city of the great King. What is there
or was there
about Zion to justify the high eulogium of David? The situation
is indeed eminently adapted to be the platform of a magnificent citadel. Rising
high above the deep valley of Gihon and Hinnom
on the west and south
and the
scarcely less deep one of the Cheesemongers on the east
it could only be
assailed from the northwest; and then on the sides of the north it was
magnificently beautiful
and fortified by walls
towers
and bulwarks
the
wonder and terror of the nations: "For the kings were assembled
they
passed by together. They saw it
and so they marvelled; they were troubled
and
hasted away." At the thought of it the royal psalmist again bursts
forth in triumph: "Walk about Zion
and go round about her: tell the
towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks
consider her palaces; that ye may
tell it to the generation following." Alas! her towers have long since
fallen to the ground
her bulwarks have been overthrown
her palaces have
crumbled to dust
and we who now walk about Zion can tell no other story than
this to the generation following. There is another Zion
however
whose towers
are still more glorious
and shall never be overthrown. "God is known
in her palaces for a refuge." And "this God is our God for
ever and ever." How often is this name synonymous with the church of
the living God! and no other spot but one can divide with it the affection of
his people—no other name but one can awaken such joyful hopes in the
Christian's heart. The temporal Zion is now in the dust
but the true Zion is
rising and shaking herself from it
and putting on her beautiful garments to
welcome her King when he comes to reign over the whole earth. W. M.
Thompson
D.D.
Verse
2. When I stood that morning on the brow of Olivet
and looked down
on the city
crowning those battlemented heights
encircled by those deep and
dark ravines
I involuntarily exclaimed
Beautiful for situation
the joy of
the whole earth
is mount Zion
on the sides of the north
the city of the
great King. And as I gazed
the red rays of the rising sun shed a halo
round the top of the castle of David; then they tipped with gold each tapering
minaret
and gilded each dome of mosque and church
and at length
bathed in
one flood of ruddy light the terraced roofs of the city
and the grass and
foliage
the cupolas
pavements
and colossal walls of the Haram. No human
being could be disappointed who first saw Jerusalem from Olivet. J. L.
Porter.
Verse
2. (first clause). Beautiful in climate
that is
Mount Zion is situated in a fair and lovely climate. This is the view taken by
Montanus and Ainsworth. Bate and Parkhurst read
"Beautiful in
extension
i.e.
in the prospect which it extends to the eye." Editorial
Note to Calvin in loc.
Verse
2. Beautiful for situation. This earth is
by sin
covered
with deformity
and therefore justly might that spot of ground
which was thus
beautified with holiness
be called the joy of the whole earth
i.e.
what the whole earth had reason to rejoice in
because God would thus in very
deed dwell with man upon the earth. Matthew Henry.
Verse
2. Beautiful for situation.
—Fair
Jerusalem
The holy city
lifted high her towers
And higher yet the glorious temple reared
Her pile
far off appearing like a mount
Of alabaster
topped with golden spires.
—John Milton in "Paradise Regained."
Verse
2. On the sides of the north. Jerusalem
that is the upper
and best part of it
was built on the north side of Mount Zion. Hadrian Reland
1676-1718.
Verse
2. Jerusalem lay to the north of Sion
and this circumstance is
mentioned as a proof of Mount Zion's greatest security
for it was almost
inaccessible on any other side except the north
and there is was defended by
Jerusalem
which was very strong. Samuel Burder.
Verse
2. The great King. God is named the great King in
opposition to the kings in Ps 48:4. E. W. Hengstenberg.
Verse
4. They were many and powerful: kings and a plurality of them. They
were confederate kings. The kings were assembled. Forces united are the
more powerful. But all the endeavours of these confederate kings came to
nothing. They passed by together—together they came
and together they
vanished. William Nicholson.
Verses
5-6. The potentates of the world saw the miracles of the apostles
the
courage and constancy of the martyrs
and the daily increase of the church
notwithstanding all their persecutions; they beheld with astonishment the rapid
progress of the faith through the Roman empire; they called upon their gods
but their gods could not help themselves; idolatry expired at the foot of the
victorious cross. George Horne.
Verse
6. Fear took hold upon them there
and pain
as of a woman in
travail. Nothing is more unaccountable than panic. No man
no body of men
can adequately guard against such terror. He who made the ears can easily make
them to tingle. He who holds the winds in his fist
can easily make them
whisper alarm
or roar dismay. This is specially to be expected when men so act
as to have their own conscience against them. Job 15:21. But God can at any
time so forsake men as that they shall be unmanned
and play the fool
exceedingly. Le 26:36. Men have fought bravely several battles
and then played
the coward. William S. Plumer.
Verse
7. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. It
is only by her Lord that the church gained "the true riches; "when
she enters into traffick with the world
she takes the means of the world for
her resources; and when she trusts in her wealth
in her political power
in
earthly cunning
to make merchandise
the instruments she adopts come to
nothing in her hands
and leave her helpless and poor. From "A Plain
Commentary on the Book of Psalms (The Prayer Book Version)
chiefly founded on
the Fathers
"1859.
Verse
7. With an east wind
which
in Judea
is a very violent and
destructive wind. Kennicot renders the verse thus
As the east wind dasheth
in pieces the ships of Tarshish; founding his conjecture upon the
similarity in form of two Hebrew letters
signifying the one in
and the
other as. Daniel Cresswell.
Verse
9. We have thought. The Hebrew (Mwd) and (Mmd) and (hmd)
belong all to the same signification
of quiet
rest
silence
patient
expecting
thinking
considering
and must be determined to any of these
senses by the context. And here that of expecting or patient waiting
with affiance in him
and without all distrust or repining
at his delays
seems to be most proper for it. For coming to the
sanctuary to pray for mercy
it is most agreeable to say we wait for it
there
as in the place where he hath promised to afford it
in return to prayers.
Henry Hammond.
Verses
12-13. In a spiritual sense the towers and bulwarks of
Sion are those doctrines of the true faith
which are the strength and glory of
the church
which are to be maintained in their soundness and stability against
the assaults of heretical teachers
so that they may be transmitted unimpaired
to following generations. Origen and Theodoret
quoted by Wordsworth.
Verse
13. Mark ye well her bulwarks. Margin as in the Hebrew
"Set
your heart to her bulwarks." That is
pay close attention to them;
make the investigation with care
not as one does whose heart is not in the
thing
and who does it negligently. The word rendered bulwarks
(lyx)
khail—means
properly
a host or army
and then a fortification or entrenchment
especially
the ditch or trench
with the low wall or breastwork which
surrounds it. 2Sa 20:15 Isa 26:1. (Gesenius
Lex.)—Albert Barnes.
Verse
13. Mark ye well: set your heart
mind earnestly
set
your affections on. Henry Ainsworth.
Verse
13. Her bulwarks.
1.
The designation and constitution of Jesus Christ to be King of the church
King
of Zion
is the great bulwark of Zion.
2.
The second bulwark of Zion is the promises of God
which are innumerable.
3.
The watchful providence of God over the church.
4.
Another bulwark is God's special presence. God is in a special manner present
in his church.
5.
The last bulwark unto which all others may be reduced
is the covenant of God:
"For this God is our God." John Owen.
Verse
14. This God is our God for ever and ever. What a portion then
is that of the believer! The landlord cannot say of his fields
these are mine
for ever and ever. The king cannot say of his crown
this is mine for ever and
ever. These possessions shall soon change masters; these possessors shall soon
mingle with the dust
and even the graves they shall occupy may not long be
theirs; but it is the singular
the supreme happiness of every Christian to
say
or have a right to say
"This glorious God with all his divine
perfections is my God
for ever and ever
and even death itself shall not
separate me from his love." George Burder.
Verse
14. This God is our God. The people of God are sometime
represented as so taken with this apprehension of their peculiar relation to
God
that they cannot be content to know
but they proclaim it; nor was it
enough the present age should know
but they must have it told the following
generation: "Let Mount Zion rejoice
" etc. Mark
"That ye may
tell the generation following
"For this is our God. See their
ostentation of him! This God; q.d.
Behold what a God have we! view him
well
and take notice how glorious a God he is. And as they glory in the
greatness of the God to whom they were related
so they do in the eternity of
the relation. "This God is our God for ever and ever." John
Howe.
Verse
14. God is not only a satisfying portion
filling every crevice of
thy soul with the light of joy and comfort; and a sanctifying portion
elevating thy soul to its primitive and original perfection; and a universal
portion; not health
or wealth
or friends
or honours
or liberty
or life
or
house
or wife
or child
or pardon
or peace
or grace
or glory
or earth
or
heaven
but all these
and infinitely more
but also he is an eternal portion.
This God would be thy God for ever and ever. Oh
sweet word ever!
thou art the crown of the saints' crown
and the glory of their glory. Their
portion is so full that they desire no more; they enjoy variety and plenty of
delights above what they are able to ask or think
and want nothing but to have
it fixed. May they but possess it in peace without interruption or cessation
they will trample all kingdoms of the earth as dirt under their feet; and lo!
thou art the welcome dove to bring this olive branch in thy mouth. This God
is our God for ever and ever. All the arithmetical figures of days
and
months
and years
and ages
are nothing to this infinite cipher ever
which
though it stand for nothing in the vulgar account
yet contains all our
millions; yea
our millions and millions of millions are less than drops in
this ocean ever. George Swinnock.
Verse
14. Some expositors have strangely found a difficulty in the last
verse
deeming such a profession of personal faith as inappropriate termination
for a national song. Even Dr. Delitzch
a wise and devout interpreter
shares
in this notion; going
indeed
so far as to throw out the surmise
that some
word must have been lost from the Hebrew text. To me it seems that the verse
as it stands
is admirably in harmony with the song
and is its crowning
beauty. When the Lord does great things for church or nation
he means that all
the faithful
however humble their station
should take courage from it
should
repose in him fresh confidence
and cling to him with a firmer hope
and say
This
God shall be our God for ever; he will guide us even unto death. William
Binnie.
Verse
14. Unto death
or as some explain it
at death
i.e.
he will save us from it; others
over death
beyond it. But the most
obvious explanation
and the one most agreeable to usage
is that which makes
the phrase mean even to the end of life
or as long as we live. The idea of a
future state
though not expressed
is not excluded. J. A. Alexander.
Verse
14. (last clause). The last clause is much misunderstood. It
is not
"Our guide unto death
"for the words are
(twm-le
wnghny)
"shall lead us over death." Surely it means
"It
is he who leads over death to resurrection"—over Jordan to Canaan.
The (Heb.) is used in Le 15:25
for "beyond
"in regard to
time
and is not this the sense here? "Beyond the time of
death"? Till death is to us over? Till we have stood upon the grace of
death? Yes; he it is who leads us on to this last victory; he swallows up
death in victory
and leads us to trample on death. And so viewed
we
easily discern the beautiful link of thought that joins this Psalm to that
which follows. Such is the celebration of The Mighty One become the glory of
Jerusalem. Andrew A. Bonar.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
All
the suggestions under this Psalm except those otherwise designated
are by our
beloved friend
Rev. George Rogers
Tutor of the Pastor's College.
Verse
1.
1. What
the church is to God.
(a)
His "city:" not a lawless rabble
but a well organised
community.
(b)
A mountain of holiness
for the display of justifying righteousness
of
sanctifying grace.
2. What
God is to the church.
(a)
Its inhabitant. It is his city
his mountain. There he is great. There
was no room for the whole of God in Paradise
there is no room for him in his
law
no room for him in the heaven of angels: in the church only is there room
for all his perfections
for a triune Jehovah. Great everywhere
he is
peculiarly great here.
(b)
The object of its praises. As he is greatest here
so are his praises
and
through the universe on this account.
Verse
2.
1. Was
the ancient Zion beautiful for situation? So is the New Testament church
founded upon a rock
upon eternal purpose and grace.
2. Was
it the joy of the whole earth? So the New Testament church will become.
3. Was
it the special joy of the tribes of Israel that were almost entirely to the
north of Jerusalem? So the church is to the saints.
4. Was
it a royal as well as a holy city? So is the church. "Yet I have set
"etc.
Verse
3.
1.
God is a refuge in his church. The church is a city of refuge
but the refuge
is not in its church
but its God.
(a)
For sinners from wrath.
(b)
For saints from trials and fears.
(c)
God is there known as such
known to thousands
not known as such elsewhere.
"They that know thy name
"etc.
Verses
4-7.
1.
The opposition of worldly powers to the church. "The kings
"etc.
2.
The manner in which they are subdued—by their own fears; conscience has
persecuted those who have persecuted the church of God. They who have seized
the ark of God have been glad to return it with an offering.
3.
The completeness of their overthrow
As a fleet of ships of Tarshish
dispersed
broken
and engulfed by the east wind.
Verse
8.
1.
God has ever been to his people what he now is; the same heard as seen.
2.
He is now what he ever has been: the same seen as heard.
3.
He will ever be what he now is. "Will establish it for ever."
Verse
9.
1.
What are the lovingkindnesses of God? Pity to the wretched
pardon to the
penitent
help to the prayerful
comfort to the afflicted
etc.
2.
Where are they to be found? "In the midst of
"etc.
(a)
Here they are revealed.
(b) Here they are dispensed.
(c) Here they are sought.
(d) Here they are enjoyed.
Verse
10. As the name of God
so his praises are—
1.
Supreme.
2. Unqualified.
3. Universal.
4. Everlasting.
Verse
10. Thy right hand
etc.
1.
The justice of omnipotence.
2. Omnipotence controlled by justice.
3. The omnipotence of justice.
Verse
11.
1.
The subjects of his peoples' joy. Not mercies merely
but judgments
2.
Reasons: (a) Because they are holy—needful to the purity of moral government;
(b) Just—needful to vindicate law; (c) Good—needful for the greatest amount of
good.
Verse
12.
1.
What is to be understood by the preservation and protection of the church?
2.
What is meant by searching into
and considering of
these causes and means of
the church's preservation?
3.
What are those causes and means of the church's preservation
those towers and
bulwarks which will not fail?
4.
What reason is there why we should thus search into and consider these causes
of the church's preservation and protection?
5.
What is the testimony which we have to give concerning this matter to the
ensuing generation? John Owen's Sermon.
Verse
14. (first clause). This is the language of a proprietary
in God: 1. Of an assured proprietary—"This God is our
God." 2. Of a permanent proprietary—for ever and ever. 3. Of
an exulting proprietary. W. Jay.
Verse
14.
1.
The language of discrimination. This God. This God in Christ
in
the church.
2.
The language of Faith—our God.
3.
Of Hope—For ever and ever.
4.
Of Resignation—He will be our guide
etc.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》