Psalms · Chapter 93

V. 1. Clothed-That majesty and strength which he always had, he will shew in the eyes of all people. Moved-He will overrule all the confusions in the world, so that they shall end in the erection of that kingdom of the Messiah, which can never be moved.

Verse 1. The Lord reigneth] He continues to govern every thing he has created; and he is every way qualified to govern all things, for he is clothed with majesty and with strength-dominion is his, and he has supreme power to exercise it; and he has so established the world that nothing can be driven out of order; all is ruled by him. Nature is his agent: or rather, nature is the sum of the laws of his government; the operations carried on by the Divine energy, and the effects resulting from those operations. He hath girded himself] The girding with strength refers to the girding in order to strengthen the loins, arms, knees, &c. When a Hindoo is about to set off on a journey, to lift a burden, or to do something that requires exertion, he binds firmly his loose upper garment round his loins.— WARD.

Verse 1. The Lord reigneth — He is the king and governor, not only of Israel, but of the whole world, as the last clause of the verse expounds it; and accordingly he will, in his due time, set up his empire over all nations, in the hands of his Son the Messiah. It was the psalmist’s glory and confidence that, though the nations boasted of the power and splendour of their kings, and trusted to their military preparations, yet the Lord, the great Jehovah, the God of Israel, still reigned. He is clothed with majesty, &c. — As kings are with their royal ornaments, and is girded with almighty strength, as warriors are with the sword: that majesty and strength, which he always had in himself, he now hath, and will shortly much more show forth in the eyes of all people. The world also is established that it cannot be moved — The effect of God’s government of the world shall be this, that he will order and overrule all the confusions, and divisions, and hostilities in it, so as they shall end in an orderly, peaceable, and happy settlement, and in the erection of that kingdom of the Messiah which can never be moved.

1. The Lord reigneth—The usual proclamation at the beginning of the reign of a new sovereign. Thus: “Absalom reigneth,” (2 Samuel 15:10;) and, “Jehu reigneth,” 2 Kings 9:13. Delitzsch: “The allusion makes it plain that the language does not apply to the constant government of God, but to a new, glorious manifestation of his dominion—as it were, a new ascent to the throne—as at the overthrow of Sennacherib.” See Psalm 96:10; 97:1; 99:1. Girded himself—To denote that he is ready for action; (Jeremiah 1:17; Luke 12:25;) also a symbol of strength. (Psalm 18:39; Isaiah 45:5.) The world also is stablished—And as securely has he founded his Church against the tumult and rage of her enemies. Matthew 16:18. This original “establishment of the world” proves God’s right and ability to govern it.

Verse 2. Thy throne is established of old] There never was a time in which God did not reign, in which he was not a supreme and absolute Monarch; for he is from everlasting. There never was a time in which he was not; there never can be a period in which he shall cease to exist.

Verses 2-4. Thy throne is established of old, &c. — This kingdom of thine is no new or upstart kingdom; as it may seem to the ignorant world, but the most ancient of all kingdoms, being from everlasting to everlasting, although it was not always equally manifested to mankind. The floods — The enemies of thy kingdom, who are often compared to floods for their numbers, force, rage, &c., have lifted up their waves — Have both, by their words and actions, made opposition against it. The Lord on high is mightier than many waters, &c. — The King of heaven is too strong for all earthly potentates, and will subdue them under his feet.

2. Thy throne is established of old—Literally, Thy throne is established from then, or, from that time; that is, from the time that thou hast been— from eternity. “This phrase, spoken of God or Christ, means eternity; in respect to creation it is the beginning of time.” Isaiah 44:8.— Ainsworth. When there is no historic indication of the particular time referred to, it must be determined by the nature of the subject, which in this case must be the duration of divine existence.

V. 3. Floods-The enemies of thy kingdom.

Verse 3. The floods have lifted up] Multitudes of people have confederated against thy people; and troop succeeds troop as the waves of the sea succeed each other.

Verses 2-4. Thy throne is established of old, &c. — This kingdom of thine is no new or upstart kingdom; as it may seem to the ignorant world, but the most ancient of all kingdoms, being from everlasting to everlasting, although it was not always equally manifested to mankind. The floods — The enemies of thy kingdom, who are often compared to floods for their numbers, force, rage, &c., have lifted up their waves — Have both, by their words and actions, made opposition against it. The Lord on high is mightier than many waters, &c. — The King of heaven is too strong for all earthly potentates, and will subdue them under his feet.

3. Floods—twrhn, (neharoth,) rivers. Lifted up their voice—This could be done by rivers only in the rushing and roaring of cataracts. The cataracts of the Jordan were used as a figure of the civil commotions which drove David for a season from his capital. See on Psalm 42:7. Probably the word rivers, here, refers to the Euphrates and the Tigris, as representing the mad power of Assyria. Waves—The word signifies “waves” that are broken by being dashed against the shore, or otherwise broken with violence—breakers. The radical idea is, to dash in pieces—to break. The common word for wave is different, and comes from the idea to heap together, to cast up a mound. In symbolic language, the sea, or any great body of water, represents a great collection of people; and a troubled, or tumultuous, sea signifies a nation or nations at war. See Psalm 65:7; Daniel 7:2; Jeremiah 51:42. The figure here clearly points to such war and commotion as threatened the destruction of the nation, and is a strong indication of the date we have assigned to the psalm.

Verse 4. The Lord—is mightier than the noise of many waters] Greater in strength than all the peoples and nations that can rise up against him. Mighty waves of the sea.] Even the most powerful empires can prevail nothing against him; therefore those who trust in him have nothing to fear.

Verses 2-4. Thy throne is established of old, &c. — This kingdom of thine is no new or upstart kingdom; as it may seem to the ignorant world, but the most ancient of all kingdoms, being from everlasting to everlasting, although it was not always equally manifested to mankind. The floods — The enemies of thy kingdom, who are often compared to floods for their numbers, force, rage, &c., have lifted up their waves — Have both, by their words and actions, made opposition against it. The Lord on high is mightier than many waters, &c. — The King of heaven is too strong for all earthly potentates, and will subdue them under his feet.

4. The Lord on high is mightier—This surely celebrates a sudden victory by the hand of God over a most formidable combination of haughty nations, rushing upon Israel like noisy breakers or cataracts. The imagery naturally refers us to the Assyrian invasion and catastrophe, already mentioned. Many waters—Many nations or peoples, such as always made up the armies of the eastern conquerors.

V. 5. Testimonies-Thy promises, which no less than the precepts are God’s testimonies, or the witnesses, or declarations of his will to mankind. He seems here to speak of those precious promises concerning the erection of his kingdom in the world by the Messiah. Holiness-It becometh thy people to be holy in all their approach to thee.

Verse 5. Thy testimonies are very sure] Thou wilt as surely fulfil thy word as thou wilt keep possession of thy throne.

Holiness becometh thine house] Thy nature is holy, all thy works are holy, and thy word is holy; therefore, thy house—thy Church, should be holy. The building itself should be sanctified-should be so consecrated to thy worship alone, that it shall never be employed in any other service. The ministers of this Church should be holy, the members holy, the ordinances holy; its faith, its discipline, and its practice holy. And this at all times, and in all circumstances; for holiness becometh thine house-for ever,” ימים Ëral le-orech yamin, for length of days. During the whole lapse of time; till the sun and moon shall be no more. The old Psalter says the house of God is man’s saule; and of this house holiness is hwan naavah, “the ornament;” it produces that meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. No decoration of person nor simplicity of dress can supply the place of this heavenly clothing.

Verse 5. Thy testimonies — Thy words: either, 1st, Thy precepts, which are commonly called God’s testimonies. And so, having spoken of God’s kingdom, he now showeth that the laws of that kingdom are just, and true, and holy, which is a singular commendation of it. Or, rather, 2d, Thy promises, as may be gathered from the following words, are sure, or true, or faithful; which attribute properly belongs, and everywhere in Scripture is ascribed to, promises rather than to precepts. And the promises, no less than the precepts, are God’s testimonies, or the witnesses or declarations of his mind and will to mankind. And he seems here to speak of those great and precious promises concerning the erection and establishment of his kingdom in the world by the Messiah. Which promises, saith he, are infallibly true, and shall certainly be accomplished in thy time. Holiness becometh thy house — This is to be understood, either, 1st, Of God’s church or people, who are sometimes called his house, and whose business and delight are in God’s house and in his service there performed. So the sense is, It becometh thy people to be holy in all their approaches to thee, and worshipping of thee. Or, rather, 2d, Of God himself, who dwelt in his house, from whence he gave forth his oracles, and where all his testimonies were kept upon record. And so the sense is, Holiness is the constant ornament and glory of thy house. Or, it becometh thee, who dwellest in thy house, to be holy in all thy words and actions, and therefore thy testimonies are very sure, and thou wilt undoubtedly fulfil all thy promises, for “thou canst as soon renounce thy holiness as thy faithfulness in performing them.”

5. Thy testimonies—The words apply to the charges and declarations delivered to Moses for the people, constituting the entire torah, or system of the law, (Psalm 19:7,) but is here specially used of the annexed promises of divine protection and favour to such as keep the law. Psalm 94:12. Are… sure—Literally, Have been amen. Compare 2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 19:9; 21:5; 22:6. They have proved faithful and true through all this terrible ordeal of danger and suffering by the uproar and tumult of the nations. Holiness becometh thine house— And therefore God will defend it against the daring assaults of wicked men, and purge his own people from corruptions by the terrible ordeal of judgments, like a summer threshing floor. The psalmist recognises the preserved sanctity of the house of God as the moral reason for the divine interference, and as the crowning glory of deliverance. Also, this recognition of the standing of the temple at the time offers a clew to the date of writing. For ever—Hebrew, To length of days; and the duration of this term being determined by the nature of the subject, makes it “for ever.” Compare the same form in Psalm 23:6. But when God’s own people forget that holiness is the chief adornment of them and the sanctuary where they worship, he will sweep them from the earth. See in 2 Chronicles 36:15-19.