1.
O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.
1-3. allude to disasters.
cast . . . off—in scorn
(Psalms 43:2; Psalms 44:9).
scattered—broken our
strength (compare 2 Samuel 5:20).
Oh, turn thyself—or,
"restore to us" (prosperity). The figures of physical,
denote great civil, commotions (Psalms 46:2;
Psalms 46:3).
2.
Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
3.
Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
3. drink . . . wine of
astonishment—literally, "of staggering"—that is,
made us weak (compare Psalms 75:8;
Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22).
4.
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
4, 5. Yet to God's banner they
will rally, and pray that, led and sustained by His power (right
hand, Psalms 17:7; Psalms 20:6),
they may be safe.
5.
That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
5. hear me—or, "hear us."
6.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
6-10. God hath spoken in—or,
"by."
his holiness— (Psalms 89:35;
Amos 4:2), on the pledge of His
attributes (Psalms 22:3; Psalms 30:4).
Taking courage from God's promise to give them possession (Exodus 23:31;
Deuteronomy 11:24) (and perhaps renewed to
him by special revelation), with triumphant joy he describes the
conquest as already made.
Shechem, and . . . Succoth—as
widely separated points, and—
7.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
7. Gilead . . . and Manasseh—as
large districts, east and west of Jordan, represent the whole land.
divide . . . and mete
out—means to have entire control over.
Ephraim—denotes the
military (Deuteronomy 33:17); and—
Judah—(the lawgiver, Deuteronomy 33:17), the civil power. Foreign nations are then presented as
subdued.
8.
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
8. Moab—is a my washpot—the
most ordinary vessel.
over—or, "at"
Edom—(as a slave) he
casts his shoe.
Philistia, triumph,
&c.—or, rather, "shout."
for me—acknowledges
subjection (compare Psalms 108:9,
"over Philistia will I triumph").
9.
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
9, 10. He feels assured that,
though once angry, God is now ready to favor His people.
who will lead me— or,
who has led me, as if the work were now begun.
10.
Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?
10. Wilt not thou?—or, "Is
it not Thou?"
11.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
11, 12. Hence he closes with a
prayer for success, and an assurance of a hearing.
12.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.