1.
O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
1. call . . . name— (Psalms 79:6;
Romans 10:13). Call on Him,
according to His historically manifested glory. After the example of
Abraham, who, as often as God acquired for Himself a name in guiding
him, called in solemn worship upon the name of the Lord
(Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:4).
among the people—or,
"peoples" (Psalms 18:49).
deeds—or, "wonders"
(Psalms 103:7).
2.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
3, 4. Seeking God's favor is the
only true mode of getting true happiness, and His strength [] is the only true source of protection (compare Psalms 32:11;
Psalms 40:16).
Glory . . . name—boast
in His perfections. The world glories in its horses and chariots
against the Church of God lying in the dust; but our hope is
in the name, that is, the power and love of God to His people,
manifested in past deliverances.
4.
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
5, 6. judgments . . . mouth—His
judicial decisions for the good and against the wicked.
6.
O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
6. chosen—rather qualifies
"children" than "Jacob," as a plural.
7.
He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
7. Rather, "He, Jehovah, is
our God." His title, "JEHOVAH,"
implies that He, the unchangeable, self-existing Being, makes things
to be, that is, fulfils His promises, and therefore will not forsake
His people. Though specially of His people, He is God over all.
8.
He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
8-11. The covenant was often
ratified.
word—answering to
"covenant" [Psalms 105:9]
in the parallel clause, namely, the word of promise, which, according
to Psalms 105:10, He set forth
for an inviolable law.
commanded—or,
"ordained" (Psalms 68:28).
to a thousand
generations—perpetually. A verbal allusion to Psalms 68:28 (compare Exodus 20:6).
9.
Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
9. Which covenant—or, "Word"
(Psalms 105:8).
10.
And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
10, 11. Alluding to God's
promise to Jacob (Genesis 28:13).
Out of the whole storehouse of the promises of God, only one is
prominently brought forward, namely, that concerning the possession
of Canaan [Psalms 105:11].
Everything revolves around this. The wonders and judgments have all
for their ultimate design the fulfilment of this promise.
11.
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
12.
When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
12-15. few . . . in number—alluding
to Jacob's words (Genesis 34:30), "I
being few in number."
yea, very few—literally,
"as a few," that is, like fewness itself (compare Genesis 34:30).
strangers—sojourners in
the land of their future inheritance, as in a strange country (Genesis 34:30).
13.
When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;
13. from one nation to another—and
so from danger to danger; now in Egypt, now in the wilderness, and
lastly in Canaan. Though a few strangers, wandering among various
nations, God protected them.
14.
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
14. reproved kings—Pharaoh of
Egypt and Abimelech of Gerar (Genesis 12:17;
Genesis 20:3).
15.
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
15. Touch not—referring to , where Abimelech says of Isaac, "He that toucheth
this man or his wife shall surely be put to death."
mine anointed—as
specially consecrated to Me (). The patriarch was the prophet, priest, and king of his
family.
my prophets—in a
similar sense, compare Genesis 20:7.
The "anointed" are those vessels of God, consecrated to His
service, "in whom (as Pharaoh said of Joseph, Genesis 20:7) the Spirit of God is" [HENGSTENBERG].
16.
Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
16. God ordered the famine. God
called for a famine—as
if it were a servant, ready to come at God's bidding. Compare
the centurion's words, as to disease being God's servant (Matthew 8:8;
Matthew 8:9).
upon the land—namely,
Canaan (Genesis 41:54).
staff of bread—what
supports life (Leviticus 26:26; Psalms 104:15;
Isaiah 3:1).
17.
He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
17-21. Joseph was sent of God
(Genesis 45:5).
18.
Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
18. hurt with fetters— ().
was laid in iron—literally,
"his soul" (see on ), or, "he came into iron," or, he was bound to
his grief (compare Psalms 3:2;
Psalms 11:1). The "soul"
is put for the whole person, because the soul of the captive suffers
still more than the body. Joseph is referred to as being an
appropriate type of those "bound in affliction and iron"
(Psalms 107:10).
19.
Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
19. his word came—His prophecy
(Genesis 41:11-20) to the
officers came to pass, or was fulfilled (Judges 13:12;
Judges 13:17; 1 Samuel 9:6,
explain the form of speech).
the word of the Lord—or,
"saying," or "decree of the Lord."
tried him—or, "proved
him," by the afflictions it appointed him to endure before his
elevation (compare 1 Samuel 9:6).
20.
The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
17-21. Joseph was sent of God
(Genesis 45:5).
21.
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
22.
To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
22. To bind—Not literally
bind; but exercise over them absolute control, as the
parallel in the second clause shows; also Genesis 41:40;
Genesis 41:44, in which not literal
fettering, but commanding obedience, is spoken of. It
refers to Psalms 105:18. The soul
that was once bound itself now binds others, even
princes. The same moral binding is assigned to the saints (Psalms 105:18).
teach . . . senators
wisdom—the ground of his exaltation by Pharaoh was his wisdom
(Genesis 41:39); namely, in state
policy, and ordering well a kingdom.
23.
Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
23-25. Israel . . . and Jacob—that
is, Jacob himself is meant, as speaks of "his people." Still, he came with his
whole house (Genesis 46:6; Genesis 46:7).
sojourned— (Genesis 46:7).
land of Ham—or, Egypt
(Psalms 78:51).
24.
And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
25.
He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.
25. turned their heart—God
controls men's free acts (compare ). "When Saul had turned his back to go from (God's
prophet) Samuel, God turned (Margin) him another heart"
(see Exodus 1:8, c.). Whatever evil
the wicked man plots against God's people, God holds bound even his
heart, so as not to lay a single plan except what God permits. Thus
Isaiah (Isaiah 43:17) says it was
God who brought forth the army of Pharaoh to pursue
Israel to their own destruction (Exodus 4:21
Exodus 7:3).
26.
He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.
26. Moses . . . chosen—both
what they were by divine choice ().
27.
They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
27. signs—literally, "words
of signs," or rather, as "words" in Hebrew
means "things," "things of His signs," that is,
His marvellous tokens of power (, Margin). Compare the same Hebraism (, Margin).
28.
He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.
28-36. The ninth plague is made
prominent as peculiarly wonderful.
they rebelled not—Moses
and Aaron promptly obeyed God (); (compare Exodus 7:1-11;
Psalms 78:44-51, with which
this summary substantially agrees). Or, rather, the "darkness"
here is figurative (Jeremiah 13:16),
the literal plague of darkness (Exodus 10:22;
Exodus 10:23) being only alluded
to as the symbol of God's wrath which overhung Egypt as a dark cloud
during all the plagues. Hence, it is placed first, out of the
historical order. Thus, "They rebelled not (that is, no longer)
against His word," refers to the Egyptians. Whenever God
sent a plague on them, they were ready to let Israel go,
though refusing when the plague ceased.
his word—His command to
let Israel go [HENGSTENBERG].
Of the ten plagues, only eight are mentioned, the fifth, the murrain
of beasts, and the sixth, the boils, being omitted.
29.
He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
29-31. He deprived them of their
favorite "fish," and gave them instead, [] out of the water, loathsome "frogs," and () upon their land tormenting "flies" (the
dog-fly, according to MAURER)
and "lice" (gnats, according to HENGSTENBERG).
30.
Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.
31.
He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.
32.
He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
32. gave them—referring to , "I give you rain in due season." His
"gift" to Israel's foes is one of a very different kind
from that bestowed on His people.
hail for rain—instead
of fertilizing showers, hail destructive to trees. This forms the
transition to the vegetable kingdom. The locusts in similarly are destructive to plants.
33.
He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
33. their coasts—all their
land (Psalms 78:54).
34.
He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
34. caterpillars—literally,
"the lickers up," devouring insects; probably the
hairy-winged locust.
35.
And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
28-36. The ninth plague is made
prominent as peculiarly wonderful.
they rebelled not—Moses
and Aaron promptly obeyed God (); (compare Exodus 7:1-11;
Psalms 78:44-51, with which
this summary substantially agrees). Or, rather, the "darkness"
here is figurative (Jeremiah 13:16),
the literal plague of darkness (Exodus 10:22;
Exodus 10:23) being only alluded
to as the symbol of God's wrath which overhung Egypt as a dark cloud
during all the plagues. Hence, it is placed first, out of the
historical order. Thus, "They rebelled not (that is, no longer)
against His word," refers to the Egyptians. Whenever God
sent a plague on them, they were ready to let Israel go,
though refusing when the plague ceased.
his word—His command to
let Israel go [HENGSTENBERG].
Of the ten plagues, only eight are mentioned, the fifth, the murrain
of beasts, and the sixth, the boils, being omitted.
36.
He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
36. the chief—literally, "the
firstlings." The ascending climax passes from the food of man to
man himself. The language here is quoted from .
37.
He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
37. with silver and gold—presented
them by the Egyptians, as an acknowledgment due for their labors in
their bondage (compare Exodus 12:35).
one feeble person—or,
"stumbler," unfit for the line of march. Compare
"harnessed," that is, accoutred and marshalled as an army
on march (Exodus 13:18; Isaiah 5:27).
38.
Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
38. (Compare Exodus 12:33;
Deuteronomy 11:25).
39.
He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
39. covering—in sense of
protection (compare Exodus 13:21;
Numbers 10:34). In the burning sands
of the desert the cloud protected the congregation from the heat of
the sun; an emblem of God's protecting favor of His people, as
interpreted by Isaiah (Isaiah 4:5;
Isaiah 4:6; compare Isaiah 4:6).
40.
The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41.
He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
42.
For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
42-45. The reasons for these
dealings: (1) God's faithfulness to His covenant, "His holy
promise" of Canaan, is the fountain whence flowed so many acts
of marvellous kindness to His people (compare Psalms 105:8;
Psalms 105:11). Psalms 105:11 is the fundamental passage [HENGSTENBERG].
(2) That they might be obedient. The observance of God's commands by
Abraham was the object of the covenant with him (Psalms 105:11), as it was also the object of the covenant with Israel,
that they might observe God's statutes.
remembered . . . and
Abraham—or, "remembered His holy word (that is, covenant
confirmed) with Abraham."
43.
And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
44.
And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;
44. inherited the labour—that
is, the fruits of their labor; their corn and vineyards ().
45.
That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.
42-45. The reasons for these
dealings: (1) God's faithfulness to His covenant, "His holy
promise" of Canaan, is the fountain whence flowed so many acts
of marvellous kindness to His people (compare Psalms 105:8;
Psalms 105:11). Psalms 105:11 is the fundamental passage [HENGSTENBERG].
(2) That they might be obedient. The observance of God's commands by
Abraham was the object of the covenant with him (Psalms 105:11), as it was also the object of the covenant with Israel,
that they might observe God's statutes.
remembered . . . and
Abraham—or, "remembered His holy word (that is, covenant
confirmed) with Abraham."