2 (1) The works of the LORD are great, (7) Sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 3) His work is honourable and glorious: (1) And his righteousness endureth for ever. (1) He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: (n) The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. 5 (D) He hath given meat unto them that fear him: The word sod denotes (1) the confidential intercourse of intimate friends, xxv. 14, &c., (2) a gathering or council of such persons (lxxxix. 7); and it has been thought by some that it is here contrasted with the congregation. Hence Coverdale (P.B.V.), secretly among the faithful and in the congregation. But the grammatical construction does not support the distinction. The congregation assembled for worship is termed council as being united by the sense of common fellowship, and its members are described as the upright, for it is presumed that they are actuated by true devotion. Cp. xxxiii. 1 ; i. 5. 2. The ground of praise. The doings of Jehovah of which the Psalmist is thinking are those which He has wrought for His people (v. 6), but for us they will include His works in Nature (civ. 13, 24, 31) as well as in history. They are studied or to be studied (Jer. exquirenda) with loving diligence by all who delight in learning to understand His revelation of Himself (i. 2; Neh. i. 11). Less probable are the renderings in regard to all their desirableness (Prov. viii. 11); or, in regard to all their (LXX his) purposes. 3. His work is majesty and splendour, And his righteousness standeth fast for ever. All His works are a revelation of those attributes of royal dignity with which He clothes Himself (civ. 1), and at the same time they are the outcome of His eternal righteousness. With Him there is no divorce between might and right. Similarly "His counsel standeth fast for ever" (xxxiii. 11). 4. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered] Lit. made a memorial for his wonderful works, particularly the deliverance of His people from Egypt, by the continuous tradition which they were charged to hand on from one generation to another (lxxviii. 3; Ex. xii. 26; &c.), and by the festivals and ordinances which commemorated that deliverance, especially the Passover (Ex. xii. 14). But the words may also be rendered, He hath made (himself) a memorial by his wonderful works, won for Himself honour by them1. Cp. Neh. ix. 10, "So thou didst get thee a name"; Ex. xiv. 4, 17. gracious and full of compassion] Cp. ciii. 8. Fundamental attributes of Jehovah (Ex. xxxiv. 6) illustrated in the Exodus, and in all His dealings with Israel (Neh. ix. 17, 31). 5. meat] As He made provision for Israel's wants in the wilderness by the manna, so He provides for the wants of His people at all times 1 Zēker, 'memorial,' is nearly equivalent to 'name' (cxxxv. 13, and often). He will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath shewed his people the power of his works, 6 They stand fast for ever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: (Ps. xxxiv. 9, 10). Tereph, lit. prey of a lion, in later Heb. has the general sense of food (Prov. xxxi. 15; Mal. iii. 10). The unusual word is chosen here for the sake of the acrostic. he will remember his covenant for ever] The deliverance from Egypt was a proof that Jehovah remembered His covenant with the patriarchs (Ex. ii. 24; vi. 5), and a pledge that He would never be unmindful of it. Cp. cv. 8, 10. 6. that he may give them &c.] R.V., In giving them the heritage of the nations. By dispossessing the Canaanites and giving Israel their land for its inheritance Jehovah most signally demonstrated His might (Deut. iv. 38 and often). That gift was the pledge of a still wider sovereignty, to be fulfilled only in a spiritual way (Ps. ii. 8; Is. lx. 14). 7. verity and judgment] Truth and right. Jehovah's actions are manifestations of His eternal attributes of truth and justice (Deut. xxxii. 4). He is constantly true to His promises, unfailingly just in His moral government of the world. The gift of Canaan to Israel was the fulfilment of His promise to the patriarchs, while the expulsion of its former inhabitants was a just retribution for their sins (Deut. ix. 4, 5). his commandments] R.V. his precepts, the various special injunctions in which man's duties are set forth. These are sure, trustworthy, not mutable or arbitrary. By a natural transition the Psalmist passes from the mighty works which Jehovah has done for His people to the commandments which He has given them. The memories of Sinai naturally follow those of the Exodus. This verse is a reminiscence of xix. 7-9: cp. also v. 36 with xix. 9a. The word for precepts is peculiar to the Psalter: xix. 8; ciii. 18; cxix (21 times). 8. Stablished for ever and ever, Made in truth and uprightness. This verse further characterises Jehovah's precepts, and to suit his acrostic the poet uses the word 'ăsuyīm in the sense of 'made,' 'enacted,' not in its common sense of 'done,' 'performed' (ciii. 18). 9, 10. A final summary of God's love and man's duty. 9. He hath sent redemption] The primary reference is to the deliverance from Egypt (Deut. vii. 8 and often), and the ratification of the covenant at Sinai: but the restoration from exile in Babylon had been a second and scarcely less notable act of redemption. By it Jehovah had given proof of His faithfulness to His covenant, which in PSALMS 43 7 8 10 He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: () A good understanding have all they that do his commandments: () His praise endureth for ever. the dark days of the Exile might have seemed abrogated for ever Jer. xxxiii. 20 ff.; Is. xlix. 14). holy and reverend is his name] To be feared (xcvi. 4); elsewhere rendered fearful (Deut. xxviii. 58) or terrible (Ps. xcix. 3). By these deliverances and acts of grace Jehovah has revealed Himself as a God Who is holy and must be feared (Ex. xv. 11; Is. xxix. 23; viii. 13). 10. The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom] The fundamental principle of the 'Wisdom' or religious philosophy of Israel (Prov. ix. 10; i. 7; Job xxviii. 28; Ecclesiasticus i. 20). The A.V. reverend in v. 9 obscures the close connexion between this verse and v. 9. Jehovah has revealed Himself as One Who is to be feared; to fear Him therefore is the starting point of all true wisdom; and Ps. cxii developes the thought of the happiness of the man whose life is governed by this principle. In connexion with the attribute holy in v. 9c it may be noted that Prov. ix. 10 adds, "and the knowledge of the Holy One is discernment." a good understanding] A.V. marg. good success, R.V. marg. good repute. The cognate verb often denotes success resulting from intelligence, and in Prov. iii. 4 the word approximates to the meaning repute, but it is best to retain the rendering understanding. Cp. Prov. xiii. 15. that do his commandments] Heb. that do them; i.e. all that is implied in the fear of Jehovah. Insight is the reward of obedience. Cp. John vii. 17. R.V. restores Coverdale's that do thereafter. his praise standeth fast for ever] All the attributes of Jehovah which demand man's praise are, like His righteousness (v. 3), eternal. Thus the Psalmist rounds off his song by returning to the thought with which he began it, and gives the reason for the Hallelujah prefixed to it. PSALM CXII. 112 Praise ye the LORD. (N) Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, 1. Happy is the man that feareth Jehovah] This Psalm takes up and expands the last verse of the preceding Psalm. The secret and source of all true happiness and prosperity is the fear of Jehovah, which leads to a cheerful and thorough obedience to His commandments. That delighteth greatly in his commandments. () His seed shall be mighty upon earth: The generation of the upright shall be blessed. And his righteousness endureth for ever. 3 (1) Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: 4 (1) He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. that delighteth] A reminiscence of i. 2. Cp. xl. 8; cxix. 35, 97. It is the same word as in cxi. 2. 2. His seed &c.] His posterity shall be powerful in the land. Cp. xxv. 13; xxxvii. 9, 11. Gibbōr generally means valiant in war, but is here used for the sake of the acrostic, in the wider sense of powerful by wealth and position. the generation of the upright] Lit. a generation of upright men, the descendants of the man who fears Jehovah, parallel to and synonymous with his seed. 3. Wealth &c.] Cp. Prov. iii. 16; viii. 18. his righteousness standeth fast for ever] Here and in v. 9 the words which are used in cxi. 3 of God are applied to the godly man. They may be understood to mean that the character of the godly man is a reflection of the character of God: but the parallelism suggests that here, as in xxiv. 5 (where righteousness answers to blessing), righteousness is nearly equivalent to the reward of righteousness (cp. Ezek. xviii. 20; Is. lviii. 8). The unbroken prosperity of the godly is the verdict of approval which God pronounces upon his character and conduct. Cp. Is. lxv. 23. 4. It is possible to understand this verse of Jehovah, He ariseth as a light in the darkness to the upright, being gracious, &c. But it seems clear from the general tenor of the Psalm that the epithets applied to God in cxi. 4 are here applied to the godly man. Cp. Matt. v. 48; Lk. vi. 361. The verse may be rendered There ariseth a light in the darkness for the upright, (For him that is) gracious, compassionate, and righteous. Cp. xcvii. 11; and the striking parallel in Is. lviii. 10, where the dawn of prosperity after the night of trouble is promised as the reward of merciful conduct. But the upright' is plural, while throughout the Psalm the godly man is spoken of in the singular (v. 2 is not an exception, for the plural there refers to his descendants), and the construction is harsh. It seems best therefore to render, He ariseth as a light in the darkness for the upright, The 'upright' are the poor but godly whom he befriends in their need (vv. 5, 9), reflecting the attributes of God in his dealings with his fellow-men. 1 The LXX here has λenμov kai oikтípμwv, the words used in Matt. v. 7, Lk. vi. 36: cp. Heb. ii. 17; James v. 11. 5 (D) A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: (The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7) He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: His heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. 8 (D) His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, Until he see his desire upon his enemies. 9 (5) He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; () His righteousness endureth for ever; His horn shall be exalted with honour. 5. A good man sheweth favour] Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously. The A.V. is ungrammatical, and misses the connexion with the preceding verse. Cp. xxxvii. 21, 26. he will guide his affairs with discretion] Or, who manages his affairs with rectitude (Heb. judgement). So Symm., olkovoμŵv тà #рáyμara αὐτοῦ μετὰ κρίσεως. He takes care to injure no one in the conduct of his business. Cp. cxi. 7. R.V. and most commentators render, he shall maintain his cause in judgement. But the thought thus introduced is incongruous. Why should the just and liberal man be brought into court at all? 6. For (giving the reason for Well is it of v. 5) he shall never be moved. He will enjoy firm and unshaken prosperity. Cp. xv. 5; lv. 22; Prov. x. 30. the righteous &c.] Cp. Prov. x. 7; Ecclus. xliv. 1-15. The line corresponds to cxi. 4 a. As God has made Himself remembered by His marvellous works, so the godly man is held in remembrance for his acts of mercy. 7. Since he has a clear conscience and a quiet trust, he is not tortured by presentiments of evil, like the wicked man, Job xv. 20 ff.; Prov. x. 24. fixed] i.e. steadfast, as lvii. 7. 8. established] Cp. cxi. 8; Is. xxvi. 3, where the word for trusting used in v. 7 also occurs. until &c.] If he is attacked he is confident that in due time his cause, which is the cause of God and right, will triumph. Cp. xci. 8. 9. He hath dispersed] Of liberal, open-handed, distribution of wealth, in Prov. xi. 24. his righteousness &c.] As in v. 3. "How little these words are contrary to the Christian consciousness is shewn by St Paul's citation of them in 2 Cor. ix. 9, where he applies them for the encouragement of Christian beneficence" (Delitzsch). his horn &c.] Cp. 1 Sam. ii. 1; and see note on Ps. xcii. 10. |