Psalms · Chapter 147

Verse 1. Praise is comely.] It is decent, befitting, and proper that every intelligent creature should acknowledge the Supreme Being: and as he does nothing but good to the children of men, so they should speak good of his name.

Verses 1-3. Praise the Lord, for it is good — It is acceptable to God, and greatly beneficial and productive of comfort to ourselves. It is pleasant, and praise is comely — “Being the only return man can make for his creation and redemption, and all other mercies; the offspring of gratitude, and the expression of love; the elevation of the soul, and the ante-past of heaven; its own reward in this life, and an introduction to the felicities of the next.” — Horne. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem — It is the Lord’s own doing, and not man’s. He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel — Hebrew, yjdn, the banished, or expelled, who had been carried captives out of their own land, and dispersed in divers strange countries. He healeth the broken in heart — Those whose hearts were broken, either with a sense of their sins, or with their afflictions, calamities, and sorrows. He seems to speak peculiarly of the captive Israelites now returned.

1. The change of one letter, hrmz, to wrmz, makes it is pleasant become he is pleasant, and some critics have so rendered it.

Verse 2. The Lord doth build up] The psalmist appears to see the walls rising under his eye, because the outcasts of Israel, those who had been in captivity, are now gathered together to do the work.

Verses 1-3. Praise the Lord, for it is good — It is acceptable to God, and greatly beneficial and productive of comfort to ourselves. It is pleasant, and praise is comely — “Being the only return man can make for his creation and redemption, and all other mercies; the offspring of gratitude, and the expression of love; the elevation of the soul, and the ante-past of heaven; its own reward in this life, and an introduction to the felicities of the next.” — Horne. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem — It is the Lord’s own doing, and not man’s. He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel — Hebrew, yjdn, the banished, or expelled, who had been carried captives out of their own land, and dispersed in divers strange countries. He healeth the broken in heart — Those whose hearts were broken, either with a sense of their sins, or with their afflictions, calamities, and sorrows. He seems to speak peculiarly of the captive Israelites now returned.

2. The Lord… build—The king of Persia and Nehemiah are recognised only as subordinates. It was the Lord who gathered home his banished ones and restored their city.

Verse 3. He healeth the broken in heart] yrwbv, the shivered in heart. From the root rbv shabar, to break in pieces, we have our word shiver, to break into splinters, into shivers. The heart broken in pieces by a sense of God’s displeasure.

Verses 1-3. Praise the Lord, for it is good — It is acceptable to God, and greatly beneficial and productive of comfort to ourselves. It is pleasant, and praise is comely — “Being the only return man can make for his creation and redemption, and all other mercies; the offspring of gratitude, and the expression of love; the elevation of the soul, and the ante-past of heaven; its own reward in this life, and an introduction to the felicities of the next.” — Horne. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem — It is the Lord’s own doing, and not man’s. He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel — Hebrew, yjdn, the banished, or expelled, who had been carried captives out of their own land, and dispersed in divers strange countries. He healeth the broken in heart — Those whose hearts were broken, either with a sense of their sins, or with their afflictions, calamities, and sorrows. He seems to speak peculiarly of the captive Israelites now returned.

3. Broken in heart—This was their sad state in exile, but now they are comforted.

V. 4. Calleth them-He exactly knows them as we do those whom we can call by name.

Verse 4. He telleth the number of the stars] He whose knowledge is so exact as to tell every star in heaven, can be under no difficulty to find out and collect all the scattered exiles of Israel.

Verse 4. He telleth the number of the stars — Which no man can do, for those which astronomers number are only such as are most distinctly visible to the eye, and most considerable for their influences. He calleth them all by their names — That is, “He as distinctly and exactly knows them, how numerous soever they be, (Genesis 15:5,) and how confusedly soever they seem to us to be scattered in the sky, as we do those things which we call by their proper names, and thus he knows how to gather the outcasts of Israel out of all their dispersions, and to find every one of them wheresoever they are.”

4. He telleth the… stars—Here is something more than poetical embellishment. He who thus knows and calls the stars, much more knows and names his people.

Verse 5. His understanding is infinite.] To his intelligence there is no number: though he numbers the stars, his understanding is without number. It is infinite; therefore, he can know, as he can do, all things.

Verses 5, 6. Great is our Lord, and of great power — “This is a proper conclusion, drawn from the former part of the Psalm, and especially from the preceding verse. The greatness of God’s power, which overcometh all difficulties, to effect the salvation of his people, is not to be grasped by the human mind; and that wisdom which numbers the stars of heaven, and the sand of the sea, and the generations of the sons of Adam, can itself be subject to the rules of no arithmetic.” The Lord lifteth up the meek, &c. — “To exalt and reward the humble, penitent, believing, and obedient; and to depress and punish the proud, impenitent, unbelieving, and disobedient; these are the measures and ends of all the divine dispensations. And as a man ranks himself in one or other of these two divisions, he may expect from heaven storm or sunshine, mercy or judgment.” — Horne.

Verse 6. The Lord lifteth up the meek] The humbled, the afflicted.

Verses 5, 6. Great is our Lord, and of great power — “This is a proper conclusion, drawn from the former part of the Psalm, and especially from the preceding verse. The greatness of God’s power, which overcometh all difficulties, to effect the salvation of his people, is not to be grasped by the human mind; and that wisdom which numbers the stars of heaven, and the sand of the sea, and the generations of the sons of Adam, can itself be subject to the rules of no arithmetic.” The Lord lifteth up the meek, &c. — “To exalt and reward the humble, penitent, believing, and obedient; and to depress and punish the proud, impenitent, unbelieving, and disobedient; these are the measures and ends of all the divine dispensations. And as a man ranks himself in one or other of these two divisions, he may expect from heaven storm or sunshine, mercy or judgment.” — Horne.

6. Lifteth up… casteth… down—As has just been shown, in restoring his people and repelling their enemies.

Verse 7. Sing unto the Lord] wn[ enu, sing a responsive song, sing in parts, answer one another.

Verses 7-9. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving — Hebrew, hdwtb hwhyl wn[, literally, answer to the Lord in praise. “Sing alternately,” which may fairly be supposed to be the sense intended by the psalmist, as it was the ancient practice to sing alternately. Celebrate in this way, with your thankful songs, the infinite power, wisdom, and goodness of God. Sing praise upon the harp — Let instruments of music accompany your voices, and exert your utmost ability in his praise. Who covereth the heaven with clouds — Which, though they darken the air, and intercept the beams of the sun, yet contain and distil those refreshing dews and showers which are necessary to render the earth fruitful. Who — By the rain which descends on them; maketh grass to grow upon the mountains — Even the high mountains, which man neither takes care of, nor could water; and gives that grass to the wild beasts that inhabit them, for which man neither does nor can make any provision. And feeds the young ravens which cry — Which, in their way, call upon him for sustenance. And surely this watchful care of the Divine Providence over all creatures, speaks the same language to us which God made use of to Joshua, and which the apostle hath applied to Christians; I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5. For “He who provides food for the wild beasts, will never leave the lambs of his flock destitute; and he who feeds the young of the unclean ravens when they cry, and, as it were, ask a supply of their wants from him, will not, in the day of dearth and calamity, forsake the meek and harmless dove that mourns continually in prayer before him.” — Horne.

7. Sing—The exiles are not only happy in their return, but they see mercy and goodness in the prospect of rain from heaven and fruitful seasons—of future food and gladness.

Verse 8. Who covereth the heaven with clouds] Collects the vapours together, in order to cause it to rain upon the earth. Even the direction of the winds, the collection of the clouds, and the descent of the rain, are under the especial management of God. These things form a part of his providential management of the world.

Maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.] After this clause the Vulgate, the Septuagint, Æthiopic, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon, add, and herb for the service of man. It appears that a hemistich, or half-line, has been lost from the Hebrew text; which, according to the above Versions, must have stood thus: האדם לעבדת bc[w veeseb laabodath haadam, as in Psalm 104:14: “And herbage for the service of mankind.”

Verses 7-9. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving — Hebrew, hdwtb hwhyl wn[, literally, answer to the Lord in praise. “Sing alternately,” which may fairly be supposed to be the sense intended by the psalmist, as it was the ancient practice to sing alternately. Celebrate in this way, with your thankful songs, the infinite power, wisdom, and goodness of God. Sing praise upon the harp — Let instruments of music accompany your voices, and exert your utmost ability in his praise. Who covereth the heaven with clouds — Which, though they darken the air, and intercept the beams of the sun, yet contain and distil those refreshing dews and showers which are necessary to render the earth fruitful. Who — By the rain which descends on them; maketh grass to grow upon the mountains — Even the high mountains, which man neither takes care of, nor could water; and gives that grass to the wild beasts that inhabit them, for which man neither does nor can make any provision. And feeds the young ravens which cry — Which, in their way, call upon him for sustenance. And surely this watchful care of the Divine Providence over all creatures, speaks the same language to us which God made use of to Joshua, and which the apostle hath applied to Christians; I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5. For “He who provides food for the wild beasts, will never leave the lambs of his flock destitute; and he who feeds the young of the unclean ravens when they cry, and, as it were, ask a supply of their wants from him, will not, in the day of dearth and calamity, forsake the meek and harmless dove that mourns continually in prayer before him.” — Horne.

8. Clouds—The early Sanscrit calls the clouds “the cows of the gods nourishing the earth.” Upon the mountains—That is, beyond man’s reach, for the wild goats of the rock.

V. 9. Ravens-Which he mentions because they were most contemptible, especially to the Jews, to whom they were unclean: and because they are not only neglected by men, but also forsaken by their dams as soon as ever they can fly, and so are wholly left to the care of Divine providence.

Verses 7-9. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving — Hebrew, hdwtb hwhyl wn[, literally, answer to the Lord in praise. “Sing alternately,” which may fairly be supposed to be the sense intended by the psalmist, as it was the ancient practice to sing alternately. Celebrate in this way, with your thankful songs, the infinite power, wisdom, and goodness of God. Sing praise upon the harp — Let instruments of music accompany your voices, and exert your utmost ability in his praise. Who covereth the heaven with clouds — Which, though they darken the air, and intercept the beams of the sun, yet contain and distil those refreshing dews and showers which are necessary to render the earth fruitful. Who — By the rain which descends on them; maketh grass to grow upon the mountains — Even the high mountains, which man neither takes care of, nor could water; and gives that grass to the wild beasts that inhabit them, for which man neither does nor can make any provision. And feeds the young ravens which cry — Which, in their way, call upon him for sustenance. And surely this watchful care of the Divine Providence over all creatures, speaks the same language to us which God made use of to Joshua, and which the apostle hath applied to Christians; I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5. For “He who provides food for the wild beasts, will never leave the lambs of his flock destitute; and he who feeds the young of the unclean ravens when they cry, and, as it were, ask a supply of their wants from him, will not, in the day of dearth and calamity, forsake the meek and harmless dove that mourns continually in prayer before him.” — Horne.

9. Ravens which cry—The young ravens, like the sparrows, are low and worthless birds. The divine care over them implies more care over those who are of more value than many sparrows.

V. 10. Delighteth not-As if he needed either the one or the other for the accomplishment of his designs.

Verse 10. He delighteth not] The horse, among all animals, is most delighted in by man for beauty, strength, and fleetness. And a man’s legs, if well proportioned, are more admired than even the finest features of his face. Though God has made these, yet they are not his peculiar delight.

Verses 10, 11. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse, &c. — As if he needed either one or the other for the accomplishment of his designs: see the note on Psalm 33:16, 17. Mr. Green translates the verse, He delights not in the courage of the horse, nor is pleased with the agility of the warrior; and Bishop Patrick connects it with the preceding verse: and paraphrases it thus: “Let us not doubt, then, but he that takes care of crows will much more take care of us; and not be afraid, though we are of little force, (Nehemiah 4:3, and 7:4,) and have no armies of horse and foot to defend us: for the Lord, who fights for us, hath no need of these, (Nehemiah 4:29,) and will not take part with our enemies, because they are superior to us in the strength of their horses, and the nimbleness of their soldiers.” But the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him — “He delights to give those his assistance and protection who, worshipping him devoutly, fear to offend him; and having no help in themselves, nor any earthly refuge to flee to, depend, notwithstanding, with a steadfast faith on his infinite mercy.”

10. Delighteth not… taketh not pleasure—Hebrew poetry loves to divide thoughts into parallel expressions. The English would be more likely to say: “The strength and legs (speed) of horse or man.”

Verse 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him] That are truly religious.

In those that hope is his mercy.] Who are just beginning to seek the salvation of their souls. Even the cry of the penitent is pleasing in the ear of the Lord. With this verse the hundred and forty-sixth Psalm ends in all the Versions, except the Chaldee. And the hundred and forty-seventh commences with the 12th verse. I believe these to be two distinct Psalms. The subjects of them are not exactly the same, though something similar; and they plainly refer to different periods.

Verses 10, 11. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse, &c. — As if he needed either one or the other for the accomplishment of his designs: see the note on Psalm 33:16, 17. Mr. Green translates the verse, He delights not in the courage of the horse, nor is pleased with the agility of the warrior; and Bishop Patrick connects it with the preceding verse: and paraphrases it thus: “Let us not doubt, then, but he that takes care of crows will much more take care of us; and not be afraid, though we are of little force, (Nehemiah 4:3, and 7:4,) and have no armies of horse and foot to defend us: for the Lord, who fights for us, hath no need of these, (Nehemiah 4:29,) and will not take part with our enemies, because they are superior to us in the strength of their horses, and the nimbleness of their soldiers.” But the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him — “He delights to give those his assistance and protection who, worshipping him devoutly, fear to offend him; and having no help in themselves, nor any earthly refuge to flee to, depend, notwithstanding, with a steadfast faith on his infinite mercy.”

11. Taketh pleasure—As in Ezra and Nehemiah, who, having been loyal to God in trying times, now felt the sunshine of his pleasure.

Verse 12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, O Zion — O holy city, O holy hill. For where should praise be offered to God, if not there where his altar is? And where should glory be given to him, if not in his house, the beauty of holiness? Let the inhabitants of Jerusalem praise God in their own houses; let the priests and Levites that attend in Zion, the city of their solemnities, in a special manner praise him. They have more cause to do it than others. and they lie under greater obligations; for it is their business, it is their profession. Praise thy God, O Zion — He is thine, and therefore thou art bound to praise him; his being thine includes all happiness, and therefore thou canst never want matter for praise.

12. Praise the Lord—The psalm bursts out afresh with joy at the condition of Jerusalem and the prospects of the nation. Israel returned from the captivity with the profound conviction, never again to be shaken, that the gods of other nations were vanity, and that Jehovah was God— almighty, eternal, and alone.

V. 13. Thy gates-Thy strength consists not in thy walls, and gates, and bars, but in his protection.

Verse 13. He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates] He has enabled thee to complete the walls of Jerusalem. From the former part of the Psalm it appears the walls were then in progress; from this part, they appear to be completed, and provisions to be brought into the city, to support its inhabitants. The gates were set up and well secured by bars, so that the grain, &c., was in safety.

Verses 13, 14. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates — Thy strength consists not in thy walls, and gates, and bars, but in his protection. They had walls and gates, and kept their gates barred in time of danger; but that would not have been an effectual security to them, if God had not strengthened the bars of their gates, and fortified their fortifications. Let us remember, the most probable means we can devise for our defence and preservation will not answer the end, unless God give his blessing with them; we must, therefore, in the careful and diligent use of these means, depend upon him for that blessing, and attribute the undisturbed repose of our land more to the wall of fire than the wall of water round about us, Zechariah 2:5. He maketh peace in thy borders — In all thy land, even to its utmost borders, which are most liable to the incursion of enemies. He puts an end to the wars that existed, and prevents those that were threatened and feared. And he preserves the country in tranquillity, healing all differences between contending parties, and preventing intestine broils and animosities. And filleth thee with the finest wheat — With wheat, the most valuable grain, the finest of that, and a fulness thereof. Canaan abounded with the best wheat, Deuteronomy 32:14; and exported it to the countries abroad, Ezekiel 27:17. It was not enriched with precious stones or spices, but with what was far more valuable, with bread which strengthens man’s heart. That, with abundance of milk and honey, vines and fig-trees, rendered it the glory of all lands.

V. 14. Borders-In all thy land, even to its utmost borders.

Verse 14. He maketh peace] They were now no longer troubled with the Samaritans, Moabites, &c.

Verses 13, 14. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates — Thy strength consists not in thy walls, and gates, and bars, but in his protection. They had walls and gates, and kept their gates barred in time of danger; but that would not have been an effectual security to them, if God had not strengthened the bars of their gates, and fortified their fortifications. Let us remember, the most probable means we can devise for our defence and preservation will not answer the end, unless God give his blessing with them; we must, therefore, in the careful and diligent use of these means, depend upon him for that blessing, and attribute the undisturbed repose of our land more to the wall of fire than the wall of water round about us, Zechariah 2:5. He maketh peace in thy borders — In all thy land, even to its utmost borders, which are most liable to the incursion of enemies. He puts an end to the wars that existed, and prevents those that were threatened and feared. And he preserves the country in tranquillity, healing all differences between contending parties, and preventing intestine broils and animosities. And filleth thee with the finest wheat — With wheat, the most valuable grain, the finest of that, and a fulness thereof. Canaan abounded with the best wheat, Deuteronomy 32:14; and exported it to the countries abroad, Ezekiel 27:17. It was not enriched with precious stones or spices, but with what was far more valuable, with bread which strengthens man’s heart. That, with abundance of milk and honey, vines and fig-trees, rendered it the glory of all lands.

V. 15. Commandment-Which is sufficient without any instruments to execute whatsoever pleaseth him. Swiftly-The thing is done without delay.

Verse 15. He sendeth forth his commandment] His substantial word. It is here personified, armym meymra, Chaldee; and appears to be a very active agent running every where, and performing the purposes of his will.

Verse 15. He sendeth forth his commandment, &c. — Which is sufficient, without any instruments, to execute whatsoever pleaseth him, either in the works of nature or of providence. For, as the world was first made, so it is still upheld and governed by the almighty word of God’s power. His word runneth very swiftly — The thing is done with out delay or difficulty, for nothing can oppose or retard the execution of his counsel. As the lightning, which passeth through the air in an instant, such is the word of God’s providence, and such the word of his grace, when it is sent forth with commission, Luke 17:25.

15. The allusion is to the creative energy: “And God said.” The effect of his word was instantaneous.

V. 16. Like wool-Not only in colour and shape, and softness, but also in use, keeping the fruits of the earth warm. Ashes-In colour and smallness of parts, as also in its burning quality.

Verse 16. He giveth snow like wool] Falling down in large flakes; and in this state nothing in nature has a nearer resemblance to fine white wool. Scattereth the hoar frost like ashes.] Spreading it over the whole face of nature.

Verses 16-18. He giveth snow like wool — Not only in colour, and shape, and softness, and its falling silently like a lock of wool; but in its covering the earth and keeping it warm, and so promoting its fruitfulness. He scattereth the hoar-frost — Which is dew congealed, as the snow and hail are rain congealed; like ashes — Which it resembles in colour and smallness of parts, and has the appearance of ashes scattered upon the grass. Sometimes also it is prejudicial to the products of the earth, and blasts them, as if it were hot ashes. He casteth forth his ice — Great hailstones, which are of an icy nature, and which are very properly said to be cast forth, or cast down, out of the clouds, and that like morsels or fragments, the particles being congealed in them. Who can stand before his cold? — The cold which he sometimes sends into the air is so sharp and piercing that it would be intolerable if men did not defend themselves from it by houses, clothes, furs, fires, &c. He sendeth out his word and melteth them — To prevent the hurt that might ensue by the continuance of the snow, frost, and cold, he issues forth another command, which as suddenly (see verse 15) makes a thaw. He causeth his wind to blow — The southern, or some other warm wind, sent with commission to dissolve the frost and melt the snow; and the waters flow — The waters, which were bound up, are loosened, and made to flow again, and the rivers return to their wonted course.

16. Giveth snow—A Greek writer calls snow “fleecy rain.” So frost is like sprinkled ashes, and hail like scattered morsels.

V. 17. Ice-Great hail-stones, which are of an icy nature, and are cast forth out of the clouds, like morsels or fragments.

Verse 17. He casteth forth his ice] wjrq korcho, (probably hailstones,) like crumbs.

Who can stand before his cold?] At particular times the cold in the east is so very intense as to kill man and beast. Jacobus de Vitriaco, one of the writers in the Gesta Dei per Francos, says, that in an expedition in which he was engaged against Mount Tabor, on the 24th of December, the cold was so intense that many of the poor people, and the beasts of burden, died by it. And Albertus Aquensis, another of these writers, speaking of the cold in Judea, says, that thirty of the people who attended Baldwin I. in the mountainous districts near the Dead Sea, were killed by it; and that in that expedition they had to contend with horrible hail and ice, with unheard-of snow and rain. From this we find that the winters are often very severe in Judea; and in such cases as the above, we may well call out, “Who can stand against his cold!”

Verses 16-18. He giveth snow like wool — Not only in colour, and shape, and softness, and its falling silently like a lock of wool; but in its covering the earth and keeping it warm, and so promoting its fruitfulness. He scattereth the hoar-frost — Which is dew congealed, as the snow and hail are rain congealed; like ashes — Which it resembles in colour and smallness of parts, and has the appearance of ashes scattered upon the grass. Sometimes also it is prejudicial to the products of the earth, and blasts them, as if it were hot ashes. He casteth forth his ice — Great hailstones, which are of an icy nature, and which are very properly said to be cast forth, or cast down, out of the clouds, and that like morsels or fragments, the particles being congealed in them. Who can stand before his cold? — The cold which he sometimes sends into the air is so sharp and piercing that it would be intolerable if men did not defend themselves from it by houses, clothes, furs, fires, &c. He sendeth out his word and melteth them — To prevent the hurt that might ensue by the continuance of the snow, frost, and cold, he issues forth another command, which as suddenly (see verse 15) makes a thaw. He causeth his wind to blow — The southern, or some other warm wind, sent with commission to dissolve the frost and melt the snow; and the waters flow — The waters, which were bound up, are loosened, and made to flow again, and the rivers return to their wonted course.

Verse 18. He sendeth out his word] He gives a command: the south wind blows; the thaw takes place; and the ice and snow being liquefied, the waters flow, where before they were bound up by the ice.

Verses 16-18. He giveth snow like wool — Not only in colour, and shape, and softness, and its falling silently like a lock of wool; but in its covering the earth and keeping it warm, and so promoting its fruitfulness. He scattereth the hoar-frost — Which is dew congealed, as the snow and hail are rain congealed; like ashes — Which it resembles in colour and smallness of parts, and has the appearance of ashes scattered upon the grass. Sometimes also it is prejudicial to the products of the earth, and blasts them, as if it were hot ashes. He casteth forth his ice — Great hailstones, which are of an icy nature, and which are very properly said to be cast forth, or cast down, out of the clouds, and that like morsels or fragments, the particles being congealed in them. Who can stand before his cold? — The cold which he sometimes sends into the air is so sharp and piercing that it would be intolerable if men did not defend themselves from it by houses, clothes, furs, fires, &c. He sendeth out his word and melteth them — To prevent the hurt that might ensue by the continuance of the snow, frost, and cold, he issues forth another command, which as suddenly (see verse 15) makes a thaw. He causeth his wind to blow — The southern, or some other warm wind, sent with commission to dissolve the frost and melt the snow; and the waters flow — The waters, which were bound up, are loosened, and made to flow again, and the rivers return to their wonted course.

Verse 19. He showeth his word unto Jacob] To no nation of the world beside had God given a revelation of his will.

Verses 19, 20. He showeth his word unto Jacob — “That word, the effects of which, upon the spiritual system, are similar to those experienced by nature in the vernal season: that word was showed unto Jacob, and became the property of Israel, while Israel continued to be the church of God. It hath since been made over, with all its types realized, and its prophecies accomplished in Jesus, to the Christian Church.” He hath not dealt so with any nation — But for many ages left all others to their native darkness and blindness, and to those dim discoveries of God, and of themselves, and of God’s will concerning them, which they had from the light of nature. Divine revelation is that peculiar blessing, “which distinguishes the church of God from the rest of the world, and for which her children are bound at all times to praise the Lord.”

19. His statutes… judgments—The special blessing of Israel. God’s “statutes and judgments” had produced the Daniels, Esthers, and Mordecais of the captivity, and kept heart and hope from sinking down. Other nations had sad confusion of moral ideas. The chief advantage of the Jews was, that to them were committed the oracles of God, the light and truth that now go forth to the ends of the earth.

Verse 20. And as for his judgments] The wondrous ordinances of his law, no nation had known them; and consequently, did not know the glorious things in futurity to which they referred.

Verses 19, 20. He showeth his word unto Jacob — “That word, the effects of which, upon the spiritual system, are similar to those experienced by nature in the vernal season: that word was showed unto Jacob, and became the property of Israel, while Israel continued to be the church of God. It hath since been made over, with all its types realized, and its prophecies accomplished in Jesus, to the Christian Church.” He hath not dealt so with any nation — But for many ages left all others to their native darkness and blindness, and to those dim discoveries of God, and of themselves, and of God’s will concerning them, which they had from the light of nature. Divine revelation is that peculiar blessing, “which distinguishes the church of God from the rest of the world, and for which her children are bound at all times to praise the Lord.”