Psalms · Chapter 41

Verse 1. Blessed is he that considereth] God is merciful; he will have man to resemble him: as far as he is merciful, feels a compassionate heart, and uses a benevolent hand, he resembles his Maker; and the mercy he shows to others God will show to him. But it is not a sudden impression at the sight of a person in distress, which obliges a man to give something for the relief of the sufferer, that constitutes the merciful character. It is he who considers the poor; who endeavours to find them out; who looks into their circumstances; who is in the habit of doing so; and actually, according to his power and means, goes about to do good; that is the merciful man, of whom God speaks with such high approbation, and to whom he promises a rich reward.

Verse 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor — Or, poor man; that conducts himself wisely and prudently toward him; as lykcm, maschil, properly signifies, that does not rashly and foolishly censure and condemn him, much less insult over him, but considers his case with prudence and tenderness, remembering it may be his own, and therefore pities and helps him; and thus takes the likeliest way to obtain similar pity for himself when in trouble. But the word ld dal, here rendered the poor, means the weak, sick, or languishing person, as appears by comparing this with verse 3, where the mercy which he is supposed to have afforded to him is returned to himself, and with verse 8. To conduct ourselves wisely toward such, is to take cognizance of their wants and miseries; to sympathize with them, and judge charitably concerning them; to pity and relieve them according to our power, or to take measures to provide for their relief. The Lord will deliver him — The poor afflicted man. Though his enemies conclude his case to be desperate, verse 8, God will confute them and deliver him. Or, rather, the considerer of the poor, the person that visits and relieves him. And so it is a promise of recompense. The wise and merciful man shall find mercy.

1. Considereth the poor—A duty of the first rank in Christian morality. It is a discreet and appreciative care, flowing from a true sympathy in the welfare both of soul and body. See Matthew 25:36. Poor—The word means, sick, weak, or helpless, from whatever cause. David had practiced this sympathy for the sick and afflicted, (Psalm 35:13, 14,) and while he comforts himself with the promise that God will remember him now and reward him good, his words also are an implied rebuke of the conduct of his enemies. See verses 6, 7, and Psalm 35:15.

Verse 2. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive] It is worthy of remark, that benevolent persons, who consider the poor, and especially the sick poor; who search cellars, garrets, back lanes, and such abodes of misery, to find them out, (even in the places where contagion keeps its seat,) very seldom fall a prey to their own benevolence. The Lord, in an especial manner, keeps them alive, and preserves them; while many, who endeavour to keep far from the contagion, are assailed by it, and fall victims to it. God loves the merciful man.

Verses 2, 3. The Lord will keep him alive — Hebrew, Will quicken him, that is, revive and restore him. God will either preserve him from trouble, or, if he see that trouble is necessary, or will be useful for him, and therefore suffers him to fall into it, he will raise him out of it. Thou wilt not deliver him, &c. — To the destruction which his enemies earnestly desire and endeavour to effect. Wilt make all his bed in his sickness — Wilt give him ease and comfort, which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir up their bed, to make it soft and easy for them.

2. Preserve him—Namely, from destruction and from the hurtfulness of adversity. Keep him alive—Restore him to health, raise him up. Blessed upon the earth—He shall be happy, prosperous in the land. Wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies—They shall gain no advantage over him on account of his sickness.

V. 3. Make his bed-Give him ease and comfort, which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir up their bed, to make it soft and easy for them.

Verse 3. The Lord will strengthen him] Good, benevolent, and merciful as he is, he must also die: but he shall not die as other men; he shall have peculiar consolations, refreshment, and support, while passing through the valley of the shadow of death.

Thou wilt make all his bed] tkph haphachta, thou hast turned up, tossed, and shaken it; and thou wilt do so to all his bed-thou wilt not leave one uneasy place in it-not one lump, or any unevenness, to prevent him from sleeping. Thou wilt do every thing, consistently with the accomplishment of the great decree, “Unto dust thou shalt return,” to give him ease, refreshment, and rest. We may sum up the privileges of the merciful man: 1. He is generally blessed, Psalm 41:1. 2. He will be delivered in the time of trouble, Psalm 41:1. 3. He will be preserved by a particular providence, Psalm 41:2. 4. He shall be kept alive amidst infection and danger, Psalm 41:2. 5. He shall be blessed on the earth in his temporal concerns, Psalm 41:2. 6. His enemies shall not be able to spoil or destroy him, Psalm 41:2. 7. He shall be strengthened on a bed of languishing, to enable him to bear his afflictions, Psalm 41:3. 8. He shall have ease, comfort, and support in his last hours, Psalm 41:3.

Verses 2, 3. The Lord will keep him alive — Hebrew, Will quicken him, that is, revive and restore him. God will either preserve him from trouble, or, if he see that trouble is necessary, or will be useful for him, and therefore suffers him to fall into it, he will raise him out of it. Thou wilt not deliver him, &c. — To the destruction which his enemies earnestly desire and endeavour to effect. Wilt make all his bed in his sickness — Wilt give him ease and comfort, which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir up their bed, to make it soft and easy for them.

3. Strengthen him—The figure belongs to the sick bed, Thou wilt prop him up, support him, as a careful nurse would a sick person. See Song of Solomon 2:6. Make all his bed—Turn, turn over, change all his bed, namely, for the greater ease and comfort of the sick one. The most delicate and tender care is here described. God’s loving presence will make a sick bed easy. As the word rendered “make,” here, properly means to turn, and the word “bed” is derived from the verb to lie down, and sometimes means recumbency, it has been supposed that the turning the sick bed, that is, the recumbency or bedridden condition, denotes convalescence. Thus Delitzsch: “He gives complete turn to the sick bed towards recovery.” But the former is the more easy and natural sense.

V. 4. Heal-The soul is said to be healed, when it is pardoned and purged. For-For I acknowledge that I have sinned.

Verse 4. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me] I need thy mercy especially, because I have sinned against thee, and my sin is a deadly wound to my soul; therefore heal my soul, for it has sinned against thee.

Verse 4. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me — He appeals to mercy, as one that knew he could not stand the test of strict justice. The best saints, even those that have been merciful to the poor, have not made God their debtor; but must throw themselves on his mercy. When we are under the rod, we must thus recommend ourselves to the tender mercy of our God. Heal my soul — Sin is the sickness of the soul and the soul is healed when, being pardoned by mercy, it is also renewed by grace. And this spiritual healing we should be more earnest for than for bodily health. For I have sinned against thee — And, therefore, my soul needs healing: I am a sinner, a miserable sinner; and, therefore, God, be merciful to me. The psalmist does not appear here to refer to any particular gross act of sin, but to his sins in general, which his sickness, and the troubles he met with, set in order before him; and the dread of the consequences of which made him pray, Heal my soul.

Verse 4. Heal my soul. It would appear that David was visited with some temporary sickness, prior to Absalom’s rebellion, and that the disaffected took every advantage of it to strengthen their revolt. They spread reports that an evil, a supernatural disease, consumed him: ver. 8.

4. I said—The “I” is emphatic. “As for me, I said,” etc. It stands opposed to “mine enemies speak,” etc., verse 5. The contrast is given by a comparison of verses 1-3 with verses 5-8. I have sinned—Here is a depth of contrition, and an openness of confession, which point unmistakably to the psalmist’s one great sin—forgiven, indeed, but always lamented.

Verse 5. Mine enemies speak evil] It is often a good man’s lot to be evil spoken of; to have his motives, and even his most benevolent acts, misconstrued.

Verses 5-7. Mine enemies speak evil of me — Designing thereby to grieve my spirit, ruin my reputation, and sink my interest. And if he come to see me — If any of mine enemies visit me in my sickness, according to the custom; he speaketh vanity — Or falsehood, pretending sympathy with, and friendship to me, while he is contriving mischief in his heart against me. His heart gathereth iniquity, &c. — Even when he is with me, and pretends a sincere affection for me, his heart is devising evil against me. When he goeth abroad he telleth it — Partly to delight his companions, and partly to encourage them to, and direct them in, their malicious designs against me. They whisper together against me — Secretly defame me, and closely plot against me.

5. When shall he die—This shows that his death was expected, and his enemies were impatient for it. His name perish—His memorial perish. They wished to blot out his fame, and influence, and posterity.

V. 6. His heart-Even when he is with me, and pretends hearty affection, his heart is devising mischief against me.

Verse 6. And if he come to see me] This may relate to Ahithophel; but it is more likely that it was to some other person who was his secret enemy, who pretended to come and inquire after his health, but with the secret design to see whether death was despatching his work.

When he goeth abroad, he telleth it.] He makes several observations on my dying state; intimates that I am suffering deep remorse for secret crimes; that God is showing his displeasure against me, and that I am full of sorrow at the approach of death.

Verses 5-7. Mine enemies speak evil of me — Designing thereby to grieve my spirit, ruin my reputation, and sink my interest. And if he come to see me — If any of mine enemies visit me in my sickness, according to the custom; he speaketh vanity — Or falsehood, pretending sympathy with, and friendship to me, while he is contriving mischief in his heart against me. His heart gathereth iniquity, &c. — Even when he is with me, and pretends a sincere affection for me, his heart is devising evil against me. When he goeth abroad he telleth it — Partly to delight his companions, and partly to encourage them to, and direct them in, their malicious designs against me. They whisper together against me — Secretly defame me, and closely plot against me.

6. If he come to see me—Professedly to inquire after my health as a friend. He speaketh vanity—His professions of friendship are empty and hypocritical. His heart gathereth iniquity—Not only is his false profession of friendship an accumulation of his guilt, but it is in his heart even there to gather up material for my injury. Nay, this was the real object of his professedly friendly visit. Compare with this the feigned friendship but real malignity of Christ’s enemies. Luke 20:20. He telleth it—He reports my sickness, and my private conversation, in a way to hurt me with the people.

Verse 7. All that hate me whisper together against me] This is in consequence of the information given by the hypocritical friend, who came to him with the lying tongue, and whose heart gathereth iniquity to itself, which, when he went abroad, he told to others as ill-minded as himself, and they also drew their wicked inferences.

Verses 5-7. Mine enemies speak evil of me — Designing thereby to grieve my spirit, ruin my reputation, and sink my interest. And if he come to see me — If any of mine enemies visit me in my sickness, according to the custom; he speaketh vanity — Or falsehood, pretending sympathy with, and friendship to me, while he is contriving mischief in his heart against me. His heart gathereth iniquity, &c. — Even when he is with me, and pretends a sincere affection for me, his heart is devising evil against me. When he goeth abroad he telleth it — Partly to delight his companions, and partly to encourage them to, and direct them in, their malicious designs against me. They whisper together against me — Secretly defame me, and closely plot against me.

7. Whisper together—The conspiracy was conducted with the utmost privacy.

Verse 8. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him] wb qwxy בליעל דבר debar beliyaal yatsuk bo, a thing, word, or pestilence of Belial, is poured out upon him. His disease is of no common sort; it is a diabolical malady.

He shall rise up no more.] His disease is incurable without a miracle; and he is too much hated of God to have one wrought for him. Some apply this to the death and resurrection of Christ; he lieth-he is dead and buried; he shall never rise again from the dead.

Verses 8, 9. An evil disease cleaveth fast unto him — Hebrew, l[ylb rbd, debar Belijagnal, a word, or thing of Belial. Literally, says Houbigant, A thing of Belial is poured out upon him, that is, his wickedness is brought round upon, or overflows him. The reproach wherewith they had loaded him, they hoped, would cleave so fast to him, that his name would perish with him, and they should gain their point. Or, their meaning was, The disease, wherewith he is now afflicted, will certainly make an end of him; for it is the punishment of some great, enormous crime, which he will not repent of, and which proves him, however he has appeared, a son of Belial. And now he lieth, he will rise up no more — Seeing God has begun to punish him, he will continue so to do till he destroy him, and then we shall be rid of him, and divide the spoil of his preferments. Yea, mine own familiar friend — Probably he means Ahithophel, who had been his bosom friend, and prime minister of state; in whom he had trusted, as one inviolably firm to him, and on whose advice he had relied much, in dealing with his enemies: which did eat of my bread — With whom he had been very intimate, and whom he had taken to sit at the table with him; nay, whom he had maintained and given a livelihood to, and so obliged both in gratitude and interest to adhere to him; hath lifted up his heel against me — A phrase implying injury joined with insolence and contempt; taken from an unruly horse, which kicks at him that owns and feeds it. He not only deserted, but insulted; opposed and endeavoured to supplant him. Those are wicked indeed, whom no courtesy done them, no confidence reposed in them, will oblige. Although these words were literally fulfilled in David, yet the Holy Ghost, who dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Judas, in whom they received a further and fuller accomplishment; and to whom, therefore, they are applied, John 13:18.

8. An evil disease… cleaveth fast unto him—Hebrew, An affair of Belial is firm in him. On Belial, see Psalm 18:4. rbd, (dabar,) (English version, disease,) may take the sense of matter, cause, forensically, that is, suit at law, as Exodus 18:16, 19, 20; and qwxy, (yatzook,) (English version, cleaveth fast,) takes the sense of firmness, fixedness, as in Job 41:23, “they are firm in themselves;” and verse 24, “His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.” [Hebrews of vers. 15, 16.] The sense is, that David’s sickness was regarded as evidence of a hopeless controversy with God, in which the king, who is supposed to be fixed and stubborn, would surely fall.

V. 9. Yea-These words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy Ghost looked farther in them, even to Christ and Judas, in whom they received a fuller accomplishment. Lift up-A phrase implying injury, joined with insolency and contempt; taken from an unruly horse, which kicks at him that owns and feeds him.

Verse 9. Mine own familiar friend] This is either a direct prophecy of the treachery of Judas, or it is a fact in David’s distresses which our Lord found so similar to the falsity of his treacherous disciple, that he applies it to him, John 13:18. What we translate mine own familiar friend, ymwlv vya ish shelomi, is the man of my peace. The man who, with the Ël שלום shalom lecha, peace be to thee! kissed me; and thus gave the agreed-on signal to my murderers that I was the person whom they should seize, hold fast, and carry away.

Did eat of my bread] Was an inmate in my house. Applied by our Lord to Judas, when eating with him out of the same dish. See John 13:18, 26. Possibly it may refer to Ahithophel, his counsellor, the man of his peace, his prime minister; who, we know, was the strength of Absalom’s conspiracy.

Verses 8, 9. An evil disease cleaveth fast unto him — Hebrew, l[ylb rbd, debar Belijagnal, a word, or thing of Belial. Literally, says Houbigant, A thing of Belial is poured out upon him, that is, his wickedness is brought round upon, or overflows him. The reproach wherewith they had loaded him, they hoped, would cleave so fast to him, that his name would perish with him, and they should gain their point. Or, their meaning was, The disease, wherewith he is now afflicted, will certainly make an end of him; for it is the punishment of some great, enormous crime, which he will not repent of, and which proves him, however he has appeared, a son of Belial. And now he lieth, he will rise up no more — Seeing God has begun to punish him, he will continue so to do till he destroy him, and then we shall be rid of him, and divide the spoil of his preferments. Yea, mine own familiar friend — Probably he means Ahithophel, who had been his bosom friend, and prime minister of state; in whom he had trusted, as one inviolably firm to him, and on whose advice he had relied much, in dealing with his enemies: which did eat of my bread — With whom he had been very intimate, and whom he had taken to sit at the table with him; nay, whom he had maintained and given a livelihood to, and so obliged both in gratitude and interest to adhere to him; hath lifted up his heel against me — A phrase implying injury joined with insolence and contempt; taken from an unruly horse, which kicks at him that owns and feeds it. He not only deserted, but insulted; opposed and endeavoured to supplant him. Those are wicked indeed, whom no courtesy done them, no confidence reposed in them, will oblige. Although these words were literally fulfilled in David, yet the Holy Ghost, who dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Judas, in whom they received a further and fuller accomplishment; and to whom, therefore, they are applied, John 13:18.

Ver. 9. Mine own familiar friend. Hebrews the man of my peace; or as the Chaldaic, the man who ought to have sought my peace. It can scarcely be doubted but the reference is to Ahithophel, who ate at his table, and took the king’s arm when walking to the house of God; yet this consummate hypocrite was the eye and soul of Absalom’s revolt, and like Judas, sold the life of his master.

9. Yea—µg, (gam,) here takes the sense of also, moreover, even, as giving an accession to what had already been said. Not only had enemies conspired against him, but even his own familiar friend—Hebrew, A man of my peace, my trusted counsellor. Which did eat of my bread—My table companion. A designation of familiar confidence. See a further description, Psalm 55:13, 14. Hath lifted up his heel—Hebrew, hath magnified his heel, a proverbial phrase for a formidable and treacherous conspiracy. On “heel,” see note on Psalm 49:5, where the same word occurs. The reference is to Ahithophel, 2 Samuel 16:23. Our Lord quotes this passage as prophetic of Judas Iscariot, John 13:18, where in verse 21 he interprets, “lifted up his heel,” by “one of you shall betray me.” See the introductory note of this psalm.

V. 10. Requite-Punish them for their wicked practices; which being now a magistrate, he was obliged to do.

Verse 10. Raise me up] Restore me from this sickness, that I may requite them. This has also been applied to our Lord; who, knowing that he must die, prays that he may rise again, and thus disappoint the malice of his enemies.

Verse 10. But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me — They censure me grievously, and conclude my case to be desperate; but, Lord, do thou vindicate me, and confute them. Raise me up, that I may requite them — Hebrew, hmlvaw, veashallemah, and I will requite them, that is, punish them for their malicious, perfidious, and wicked practices, which, being now a magistrate, it was his duty to do, for the public good. For he was not to bear the sword in vain, but, being a minister of God, invested with his authority, was to be a revenger, to execute wrath upon those that did evil, Romans 13:4; although, when a private person, he was so far from revenging himself that he rendered good for evil, Psalm 35:12, 13. In this prayer of David, that God would raise him up, is included a prophecy of the exaltation of Christ, whom God raised from the dead, that he might be a just avenger of all the wrongs done to him and to his people, particularly by the Jews, whose utter destruction followed not long after. Thus, “the hour is coming when the church shall arise to glory, and all her enemies shall be confounded.” — Horne.

10. That I may requite them—Their sin was high treason, which by the laws of all nations is punishable with death. But as they had conspired against the throne of David no less than against his person, the issue lay primarily between them and God, who had anointed David as king, and promised perpetuity to his dynasty. The stability of government, involving the public welfare, demanded that proper notice should be taken of their proceedings.

V. 11. By this-Because hitherto thou hast supported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of their hopes.

Verse 11. By this I know that thou favourest me] If thou hadst not been on my side, I had perished by this disease; and then my enemies would have had cause to triumph.

This also has been applied to our Lord; and Calmet says it is the greatest proof we have of the divinity of Christ, that he did not permit the malice of the Jews, nor the rage of the devil, to prevail against him. They might persecute, blaspheme, mock, insult, crucify, and slay him; but his resurrection confounded them; and by it he gained the victory over sin, death, and hell.

Verses 11, 12. By this I know that thou favourest me — Bearest a good will to me, and art resolved to make good thy promises to me, and wilt plead my righteous cause; because mine enemy doth not triumph over me — Because hitherto thou hast supported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of his hopes, and designed triumphs. This mercy I thankfully receive as a token of further mercy. Thou upholdest me in mine integrity — As, through thy grace, I have kept my integrity, so thou hast kept me in and with it. Or, thou upholdest me for my integrity; that is, because thou hast seen my innocence, notwithstanding all the calumnies of mine enemies; and settest me before thy face for ever — Hebrew, ynbyxtw, vetatzibeeni, wilt set, confirm, or establish me in thy presence, under thine eye and special care; to minister unto thee, as a king over thy people. And in regard of his posterity, the kingdom was established for ever. Let us learn from hence, if at any time we suffer in our reputation, to make it our chief care to preserve our integrity, and then cheerfully to leave it to God to secure our reputation. We must remember, however, that we cannot hold our integrity any longer than God upholds us in it; for, by his grace we are what we are: if we be left to ourselves we shall not only fall but fall, away. But it may be a comfort to us to know, that, however weak we are, God is able to uphold us in our integrity, and will do it, if we commit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing; and that those whom he now upholds in their integrity, he will set before his face for ever, and make them happy in the vision and fruition of himself. He that endures to the end shall be saved.

11. By this I know—Already David discovers the hand of God in his favour, because, although not yet restored to health and power, his enemies do not succeed.

V. 12. Settest-Or, hast confirmed me in thy presence, under thine eye and special care: to minister unto thee, as a king over thy people. And in regard of his posterity, the kingdom was established for ever.

Verse 12. Thou upholdest me] I am still enabled to show that my heart was upright before God.

Settest me before thy face for ever.] Thou showest that thou dost approve of me: that I stand in thy presence, under the smiles of thy approbation.

This also has been applied to our Lord, and considered as pointing out his mediatorial office at the right hand of God.

Verses 11, 12. By this I know that thou favourest me — Bearest a good will to me, and art resolved to make good thy promises to me, and wilt plead my righteous cause; because mine enemy doth not triumph over me — Because hitherto thou hast supported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of his hopes, and designed triumphs. This mercy I thankfully receive as a token of further mercy. Thou upholdest me in mine integrity — As, through thy grace, I have kept my integrity, so thou hast kept me in and with it. Or, thou upholdest me for my integrity; that is, because thou hast seen my innocence, notwithstanding all the calumnies of mine enemies; and settest me before thy face for ever — Hebrew, ynbyxtw, vetatzibeeni, wilt set, confirm, or establish me in thy presence, under thine eye and special care; to minister unto thee, as a king over thy people. And in regard of his posterity, the kingdom was established for ever. Let us learn from hence, if at any time we suffer in our reputation, to make it our chief care to preserve our integrity, and then cheerfully to leave it to God to secure our reputation. We must remember, however, that we cannot hold our integrity any longer than God upholds us in it; for, by his grace we are what we are: if we be left to ourselves we shall not only fall but fall, away. But it may be a comfort to us to know, that, however weak we are, God is able to uphold us in our integrity, and will do it, if we commit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing; and that those whom he now upholds in their integrity, he will set before his face for ever, and make them happy in the vision and fruition of himself. He that endures to the end shall be saved.

12. And as for me—Literally, And I. The “I” is emphatic, as in verse 4. He contrasts God’s treatment towards him with that of his enemies, whom God had doomed to destruction. Mine integrity—As between him and his enemies David could plead his blamelessness, but as between his soul and God he confessed, as in verse 4, his sin. Settest me before thy face—A mark of noble rank and royal favour. See Psalm 34:16. For ever—To eternity, which only is the duration of this rule and dignity of David, realized in his illustrious seed, Messiah, who is blessed for evermore.

V. 13. Amen-Signifies an hearty assent and approbation, and withal an earnest desire of the thing, to which it is annexed. And as the psalms are divided into five books, so each of them is closed with this word; the first here: the second, Psalm 72:19, the third, Psalm 89:52, the fourth, Psalm 106:48, the last in the end of Psalm 150:6, the doubling of the word shews the fervency of his spirit, in this work of praising God.

Verse 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel] By all these circumstances and events glory shall redound to the name of God for ever; for the record of these things shall never perish, but be published from one generation to another; and it has been so.

From everlasting, and to everlasting.] העולם ועד מהעולם mehaolam vead haolam; From the hidden time to the hidden time; from that which had no beginning to that which has no end.

To which he subscribes, Amen and Amen. Fiat, fiat.—Vulgate. Genoito, genoito.—Septuagint. The Chaldee says, “And let the righteous say, Amen, and Amen.” [Anglo-Saxon] “Be blessed, Lord God of Israel, from world, and in world. Be it! So be it!”—Anglo-Saxon. To which the Old Psalter approaches very nearly: Blyssed Lord God of Isrel, fra werld, and in werld: Be it done! be it done. Thus illustrated by the same, Fra werld in werld; that es, fra the bygynnyng of this wereld, in til wereld that lastes ay. Be it done, be it done. This dubblying schews that it es at do of al men. In Latyn, it es, fiat, fiat! in Ebru, Amen Amen es writyn: tharfore that Aquila translated vere, vel fideliter, that es, sothfastly or trew.

Thus ends what the Hebrews call the first book of Psalms; for the reader will recollect that this book is divided by the Jews into five books, the first of which ends with this Psalm.

This doxology, Dr. Kennicott supposes, may have been added by the collector of this book; and he thinks that the division into books is not arbitrary; and that the Psalms were collected at different times by different persons. See the Introduction. There is certainly a considerable variety in the style of the several books; in the examination of which the Hebrew critic will not lose his labour.

Verse 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel — A God in covenant with his people; who has done great and kind things for them, and has more and better in reserve; from everlasting to everlasting — Or, from age to age, as long as the world lasts, and to all eternity. Amen and amen — Amen, especially a double amen, signifies a hearty assent and approbation, and withal an earnest desire of the thing to which it is annexed. And as the Psalms are divided into five books, so each of them is closed with this word: the first here; the second, Psalm 72.: the third, Psalm 89.: the fourth, Psalm 106.: the last in the end of Psalm cl.: the doubling of the word shows the fervency of his spirit in this work of praising God.

Ver. 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. This verse closes each of the five books of Hebrew psalms, as Psalm 72. 89. 106. and 150.

13. From everlasting, and to everlasting—Literally, from the eternity, and unto the eternity. The sentence must be taken literally, and proves the faith of the author in the immortality of man. The Amen, and Amen, are a climax of the doctrine of the doxology, and of faith in the word of God.