Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

This Psalm is a very proper supplement to the former, for it celebrates the divine goodness in defending his people, and securing them from their enemies.

A Song of Degrees.

The sacred writers all delight in using strong images and figures, by which to represent divine things: as in this instance, God's covenant engagements in Christ are compared to strong mountains, the mountains of Jerusalem, fixed and immoveable. His promises indeed are all of this kind: yea and amen, 2 Corinthians 1:20. So sometimes the Lord represents his faithfulness and presence as a wall of fire round about, Zechariah 2:5. Such is Jesus, to encircle his people, so that they can never be approached for their hurt. The Lord sheaved this to the prophet's servant, when the invisible host of heaven, which is always taking its stand about the Lord's people, were made visible to his eyes, at the request of the prophet, 2 Kings 6:15-17.

This is a precious scripture to prove how the Lord watcheth over his people for good, and by his preventing and restraining grace knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, 2 Peter 2:9.

The prayer of the faithful, and the prospect of the ruin of the ungodly, are strikingly blended in one view. The same scripture that promiseth to feed his people, declares that their enemies shall be hungry. See a string of rich and blessed promises to this amount, Isaiah 65:13-15.

REFLECTIONS

MY soul! contemplate in this Psalm the security of the Lord's people, and beg of thy gracious God to give thee, an everlasting, steady, and unshaken faith in him. Thou hast been sweetly taught, that there is nothing to be depended upon but Jesus: and having, through grace, made a covenant God in Christ thy portion; see to it, that He, the rock of ages, is thy rock, thy confidence, thy strong hold, and thine abiding place, for-ever. So that strengthened in his strength, and made powerful in his might, thou wilt be more than conqueror through Him that loveth thee. Learn Paul's maxim, and under the Holy Ghost's sweet influence, from day today bring it forth into continual exercise: I c an do nothing of myself, but I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me. Rejoice in the Lord, and in the power of his might.