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(a) Though the horrible confusion of things might cause them to despair of God's favour, yet the manifold examples of his mercies cause them to trust in God though to man's judgment they saw no reason to. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. For I have {b} said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou {c} establish in the very heavens.
(b) As he who surely believed in heart. (c) As your invisible heaven is not subject to any alteration and change: so shall the truth of your promise be unchangeable. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, {d} I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
(d) The prophet shows what the promise of God was, on which he grounded his faith. Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. And the {e} heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
(e) The angels will praise your power and faithfulness in delivering your Church. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the {g} sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?
(g) Meaning, the angels. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the {h} saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
(h) If the angels tremble before God's majesty and infinite justice, what earthly creature by oppressing the Church dares to set himself against God? O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. {i} Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
(i) For as he delivered the Church by the Red sea, and by destroying Rahab, that is, the Egyptians, so will he deliver it, when the dangers are great. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. The north and the south thou hast created them: {k} Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
(k) Tabor is a mountain west from Jerusalem, and Hermon to the East, so the prophet signifies that all parts and places of the world will obey God's power for the deliverance of his Church. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. {l} Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
(l) For by this he judges the world and shows himself to be a merciful father and faithful protector to his. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. Blessed is the people that {m} know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy {n} countenance.
(m) Feeling in their conscience that God is their father. (n) They will be preserved by your fatherly providence. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. For thou art the {o} glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
(o) In that they are preserved and continue, they should give the praise and glory to you alone. For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. For the LORD is our {p} defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
(p) In that our King has power to defend us, it is the gift of God. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. Then thou spakest in vision to {q} thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is {r} mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
(q) To Samuel and to others, to assure that David was the chosen one. (r) Whom I have both chosen and given strength to execute his office, as in Ps 89:21. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. And I will {s} beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
(s) Though there will always be enemies against God's kingdom yet he promises to overcome them. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. But my faithfulness and my {t} mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his {u} horn be exalted.
(t) I will mercifully perform my promise to him despite his infirmities and offences. (u) His power, glory and estate. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the {x} rivers.
(x) He will enjoy the land around him. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my {y} father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
(y) His excellent dignity will appear in this, that he will be named the son of God and the firstborn in which he is a figure of Christ. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. His seed also will I make to endure {z} for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
(z) Though for the sins of the people the state of the kingdom decayed, yet God reserved still a root till he had accomplished this promise in Christ. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. {a} Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
(a) Though the faithful answer not in all points to their profession, yet God will not break his covenant with them. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. My covenant will I not break, nor {b} alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
(b) For God in promising has respect to his mercy, and not to man's power in performing. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful {c} witness in heaven. Selah.
(c) As long as the Sun and Moon endure, they will be witnesses to me of this promise. But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. Thou hast {d} made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his {e} crown by casting it to the ground.
(d) Because of the horrible confusion of things, the prophet complains to God, as though he did not see the performance of his promise and thus discharging his cares on God, he resists doubt and impatience. (e) By this he means the horrible dissipation and tearing of the kingdom which was under Jeroboam, or else by the Spirit of prophecy Ethan speaks of those great miseries which came to pass soon after at the captivity of Babylon. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah. The days of his {f} youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
(f) He shows that the kingdom fell before it came to perfection or was ripe. How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire? How long, {g} LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
(g) The prophet in joining prayer with his complaint, shows that his faith never failed. Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? Remember {h} how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
(h) Seeing man's life is short, and you have created man to bestow your benefits on him, unless you hasten to help, death will prevent you. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth? Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my {i} bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
(i) He means that God's enemies not only slandered him behind his back, but also mocked him to his face and as it were cast their injuries in his bosom. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. Wherewith {k} thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the {l} footsteps of thine anointed.
(k) So he calls them who persecute the Church. (l) They laugh at us who patiently wait for the coming of your Christ. Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen. Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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