Psalm 92:4

For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) The Vulgate rendering of this verse is quoted by Dante in a beautiful passage descriptive of the happiness which flows from delight in the beauty of the works of God in nature. But the reference is to the works in history, not in nature. The psalmist is really expressing his gladness at God’s wonders wrought for Israel. (Comp. Psalm 90:15-16,” Make us glad . . . let thy work appear unto thy servants.)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 92:4-5. For thou hast made me glad through thy work, &c. — Which thou didst create by thine almighty power, and dost still govern with infinite wisdom. “A prospect of creation, in the vernal season,” says Dr. Horne, “fallen as it is, inspires the mind with joy, which no words can express. But how doth the regenerate soul exult and triumph at beholding that work of God’s hands whereby he creates all things anew in Christ Jesus! If we can be pleased with such a world as this, where sin and death have fixed their habitation; shall we not much rather admire those other heavens and that other earth wherein dwell righteousness and life? What are we to think of the palace, since even the prison is not without its charms!” O Lord, how great are thy works! — Great beyond expression, beyond conception! The products of boundless power and unsearchable wisdom; men’s works are nothing to them. We cannot comprehend the greatness of God’s works, and therefore must reverently and awfully wonder, and even stand amazed at the magnificence of them. Thy thoughts are very deep — Here he assigns the reason of the inconceivable greatness and grandeur of God’s works. Mens’ works are little and trifling, for their thoughts are shallow: but God’s works are very great, and such as cannot be measured, because his thoughts are very deep, and such as cannot be fathomed. Or, he speaks of God’s counsels and methods in the government of the world and of his church. All his counsels, whether in creation or providence, as much exceed the contrivances of human wisdom as his works do the efforts of human power!

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

92:1-6 It is a privilege that we are admitted to praise the Lord, and hope to be accepted in the morning, and every night; not only on sabbath days, but every day; not only in public, but in private, and in our families. Let us give thanks every morning for the mercies of the night, and every night for the mercies of the day; going out, and coming in, let us bless God. As He makes us glad, through the works of his providence for us, and of his grace in us, and both through the great work of redemption, let us hence be encouraged. As there are many who know not the designs of Providence, nor care to know them, those who through grace do so, have the more reason to be thankful. And if distant views of the great Deliverer so animated believers of old, how should we abound in love and praise!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For thou, Lord, hast made me glad - Thou hast made me happy; thou hast given me such a state of feeling as finds an appropriate expression in "praise."

Through thy work - Either the work of creation, the finishing of which the Sabbath was designed particularly to commemorate; or the works of God in general - the universe; or the general dealings of his providence; or some particular interpositions of Providence in his behalf that called for special praise. All these are appropriately combined in the celebrations - the praises - of the Sabbath; to these should be added, as among the most marvelous of his works, and that which furnishes special occasion for praise on the Christian Sabbath, the wonderful work of redemption - that which of all the "works" of God makes a heart rightly affected most "glad."

I will triumph - I will exult or rejoice.

In the works of thy hands - In all thy works; in all that thou hast done.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. thy work—that is, of providence (Ps 90:16, 17).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Which thou didst create by thine almighty power, and dost still govern with infinite wisdom; one instance whereof we have in the following verses.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work,.... Either of creation, which work is mentioned in the precept of the sabbath, as an argument for it; and therefore a very proper work to be remembered and observed on that day; or of providence, which in general extends to all men, but especially to them that believe; or of the work of redemption wrought out by Christ, which is cause of great joy and gladness; or of the work of grace upon the soul, which when a man is satisfied of, gives him infinite pleasure, as knowing it will be performed until the day of Christ; and when a man is in such a joyful frame of spirit, he is in a very suitable one to sing the praises of God, James 5:13,

I will triumph in the works of thine hands; those before mentioned; or shout aloud for joy, on account of them; and also triumph over all enemies, as being out of the reach of them, so as to be hurt and ruined by them.

Geneva Study Bible

For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy {d} work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

(d) He shows the use of the Sabbath day: that is, to meditate God's works.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. hast made me glad through thy work] The prayer of Psalm 90:15-16 has been answered. God has wrought for Israel.

I will triumph] Or, as in Psalm 90:14, I will shout for joy. Not only joy but the expression of it is meant.

the works of thy hands] Or, the doings of thy hands, a different word from that in the preceding line. The context makes it clear that God’s work and doings do not here mean the works of creation (Psalm 8:3; Psalm 8:6), but the dealings of His Providence (Psalm 28:5; Psalm 143:5; Isaiah 5:12). It is the victory of righteousness which has gladdened the Psalmist’s heart.

4–8. The special ground for praise in the manifestation of Jehovah’s sovereignty.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work. It is difficult to say what "work" is intended. Some have supposed "the work of creation," as the psalm is one "for the sabbath" (see title); but perhaps the general "working" of God's providence in the world is more probable. (So Hengstenberg, Kay, and Cheyne.) I will triumph in the works of thy hands. A repetition for the sake of emphasis. Psalm 92:4

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Statement of the ground of this commendation of the praise of God. Whilst פּעל is the usual word for God's historical rule (Psalm 44:2; Psalm 64:10; Psalm 90:16, etc.), מעשׂי ידיך denotes the works of the Creator of the world, although not to the exclusion of those of the Ruler of the world (Psalm 143:5). To be able to rejoice over the revelation of God in creation and the revelation of God in general is a gift from above, which the poet thankfully confesses that he has received. The Vulgate begins Psalm 92:5 Quia delectasti me, and Dante in his Purgatorio, xxviii. 80, accordingly calls the Psalm il Salmo Delectasti; a smiling female form, which represents the life of Paradise, says, as she gathers flowers, she is so happy because, with the Psalm Delectasti, she takes a delight in the glory of God's works. The works of God are transcendently great; very deep are His thoughts, which mould human history and themselves gain from in it (cf. Psalm 40:6; Psalm 139:17., where infinite fulness is ascribed to them, and Isaiah 55:8, where infinite height is ascribed to them). Man can neither measure the greatness of the divine works nor fathom the depth of the divine thoughts; he who is enlightened, however, perceives the immeasurableness of the one and the unfathomableness of the other, whilst a אישׁ־בּער, a man of animal nature, homo brutus (vid., Psalm 73:22), does not come to the knowledge (לא ידע, used absolutely as in Psalm 14:4), and כּסיל, a blockhead, or one dull in mind, whose carnal nature outweighs his intellectual and spiritual nature, does not discern את־זאת (cf. 2 Samuel 13:17), id ipsum, viz., how unsearchable are God's judgments and untrackable His ways (Romans 11:33).