PSALM 65
. This is a song of praise for God's spiritual blessings
to His people and His kind providence over all the earth.
1. Praise waiteth for
thee—literally, "To Thee silence praise," or (compare
Psalms 62:1), To Thee silence is
praise—that is, Praise is waiting as a servant; it is due to Thee.
So the last clause expresses the duty of paying vows. These two parts
of acceptable worship, mentioned in Psalms 62:1, are rendered in Zion, where God chiefly displays His mercy
and receives homage.
2. All are encouraged to pray by
God's readiness to hear.
3. God's mercy alone delivers us
from the burden of iniquities, by purging or expiating by an
atonement the transgressions with which we are charged, and which are
denoted by—
Iniquities—or,
literally, "Words of iniquities."
4. dwell in thy courts; . . .
[and] satisfied with the goodness . . . temple—denote
communion with God (Psalms 15:1;
Psalms 23:6; compare Psalms 23:6). This is a blessing for all God's people, as denoted by the
change of number.
5. terrible things—that is, by
the manifestation of justice and wrath to enemies, accompanying that
of mercy to His people (Psalms 63:9-11;
Psalms 64:7-9).
the confidence—object
of it.
of all . . . earth—the
whole world; that is, deservedly such, whether men think so or not.
6-13. God's great power and
goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in
His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting
men with awe and dread (Psalms 26:7;
Psalms 98:1, &c.), and in His
fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man
and beast.
8. outgoings of . . . rejoice—all
people from east to west.
9. visitest—in mercy (compare
Psalms 8:4).
river of God—His
exhaustless resources.
6-13. God's great power and
goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in
His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting
men with awe and dread (Psalms 26:7;
Psalms 98:1, &c.), and in His
fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man
and beast.
12. wilderness—places, though
not inhabited by men, fit for pasture (Leviticus 16:21;
Leviticus 16:22; Job 24:5).
pastures—is literally,
"folds," or "enclosures for flocks"; and in Job 24:5 it may be "lambs," the same word used and so
translated in Psalms 37:20; so
that "the flocks are clothed with lambs" (a figure for
abundant increase) would be the form of expression.
6-13. God's great power and
goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in
His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting
men with awe and dread (Psalms 26:7;
Psalms 98:1, &c.), and in His
fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man
and beast.
PSALM 65
. This is a song of praise for God's spiritual blessings to His people and His kind providence over all the earth.
1. Praise waiteth for thee—literally, "To Thee silence praise," or (compare Psalms 62:1), To Thee silence is praise—that is, Praise is waiting as a servant; it is due to Thee. So the last clause expresses the duty of paying vows. These two parts of acceptable worship, mentioned in Psalms 62:1, are rendered in Zion, where God chiefly displays His mercy and receives homage.
2. All are encouraged to pray by God's readiness to hear.
3. God's mercy alone delivers us from the burden of iniquities, by purging or expiating by an atonement the transgressions with which we are charged, and which are denoted by—
Iniquities—or, literally, "Words of iniquities."
4. dwell in thy courts; . . . [and] satisfied with the goodness . . . temple—denote communion with God (Psalms 15:1; Psalms 23:6; compare Psalms 23:6). This is a blessing for all God's people, as denoted by the change of number.
5. terrible things—that is, by the manifestation of justice and wrath to enemies, accompanying that of mercy to His people (Psalms 63:9-11; Psalms 64:7-9).
the confidence—object of it.
of all . . . earth—the whole world; that is, deservedly such, whether men think so or not.
6-13. God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psalms 26:7; Psalms 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.
8. outgoings of . . . rejoice—all people from east to west.
9. visitest—in mercy (compare Psalms 8:4).
river of God—His exhaustless resources.
6-13. God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psalms 26:7; Psalms 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.
11. thy paths—ways of providence (Psalms 25:4; Psalms 25:10).
12. wilderness—places, though not inhabited by men, fit for pasture (Leviticus 16:21; Leviticus 16:22; Job 24:5).
pastures—is literally, "folds," or "enclosures for flocks"; and in Job 24:5 it may be "lambs," the same word used and so translated in Psalms 37:20; so that "the flocks are clothed with lambs" (a figure for abundant increase) would be the form of expression.
6-13. God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psalms 26:7; Psalms 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.