The Book of Psalms

Psalm 92

Psalm XCII · Vol. II, pp. 1048–1049

1 The prophet exhorteth to praise God, 4 for his great works, 6 for his judgments on the wicked, 10 and for his goodness to the godly.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

A psalm or song for the sabbath-day.

1 It is^a a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

B.C. cir. 1045.

a Ps.33.1; 147.1; 107.1,8,15,21; 135.3. Lu.1.47. Phi.4.4.

2 To^b show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,¹

b La.3.23. Ps.55.17; 89.1,2; 45.17; 145.2; 71.8,15.

1 Heb. in the night.

3 Upon^c an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; ²upon the harp with a solemn sound.³

c Ps.33.2; 57.8; 68.25; 150.3-5.

2 Or, upon the solemn sound with the harp.

3 Heb. Higgaion, Ps.9.16; 19.14.

4 For thou, LORD, ^dhast made me glad through thy work:⁴ I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

d Ge.1.31. Ps.104.31; 13.5; 145.6,7; 149.2-5.

4 The work here commemorated, is that to which praise is ascribed under the Name of God (ver. 1), consequently the whole work of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and, in these words, the Son addresses the Father, triumphing in the works of creation, providence, and redemption, which he had been commissioned to achieve.—C.

5 O LORD, ^ehow great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

e Ps.104.24; 40.5; 139.17. Is.28.29; 55.9. Ro.11.33. 1 Co.2.10.

6 A^g brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool ^hunderstand this.

g Ps.94.8; 14.1. 1 Co.2.14. Is.1.3.

h ver.7,9. Ps.73.16-22; 37.35,36.

7 Whenⁱ the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be ^jdestroyed for ever:

i Job 12.6; 21.7-12. Ps.73.12. Je.12.1,2. Mal.3.15; 4.1.

j Ps.37.2,36; 73.18-20; 55.15,23. 2 Th.1.7-9.

8 But thou, LORD, art ^kmost high for evermore.

k Ex.18.11. Ps.56.2. Ec.5.8. Da.4.34,35.

9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, ^lthine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

l Ps.73.27; 68.1,2,30; 1.4; 83.13-17. Mat.7.23.

Vol. II, p. 1049

10 Butⁿ my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn:⁵ I ^oshall be anointed with fresh oil.

A.M. cir. 2959. B.C. cir. 1045.

n Ps.57.10; 132.17; 89.17,24. Re.3.21.

5 Of any animal specifically meant, nothing is known. The real meaning is,—'My power wilt thou exalt as a sole and supreme ruler.' And as the head is alone in the body, so is Christ in his church.—C.

o 2 Co.1.21. 1 Jn.2.20. Ps.23.5. Job 29.6.

11 Mine^p eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies; and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.⁶

p Ps.52.6; 54.7; 58.10; 91.8; 112.8; 37.34. Job 22.19. Mal.3.5. Re.19.1,2.

6 Literally, 'Of mine enemies mine eyes shall see; of those that rise up against me mine ears shall hear.' It is a prophecy rather than a prayer.—P.

12 The^q righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

q Is.65.22; 41.19; 55.13; 61.3. Ca.7.7,8. Ps.52.8. Ho.14.5-8. Re.7.9.

13 Those that ^rbe planted⁷ in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

r Ps.1.3. Is.60.21. Eze.47.12. Ro.6.4,5; 11.17. 2 Pe.3.18.

7 Those trees that are planted in the house and courts of God, represent those children that, having been received into his house by the 'Spirit of adoption,' frequent his courts for the purposes of worship.—C.

14 They^s shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;⁸

s Job 17.9. Pr.4.18. Is.44.3,4. Je.17.8; 31.12.

8 Heb. green, Eze.47.12.

15 To show ^tthat the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

t Ps.25.8. De.32.4. Ro.9.14. 2 Ti.4.8. He.6.10. 2 Th.1.6,7. Zep.3.5.

Notes

Ver. 3. Of the several musical instruments here enumerated, there is little, if any, certain knowledge. Nor is their specific nature important; as the object of the speaker is merely to show, that all instruments of music should be dedicated to the praise of God—to show forth his 'loving-kindness' in 'the morning,' because he has preserved his children while they slept—and his 'faithfulness every night,' because he has given them 'bread' through the day. C.

Ver. 12. Like the palm-tree—lofty and fruitful. Like the cedar—great and incorruptible. These characters meet in one, but are from him transfused to many. C.

Reflections.—Whatever our engagements be, we are bound at least to begin and end every day with prayer and praise. And they who have lively experience of God's love and faithfulness, will delight in daily showing forth his salvation. None but such as are ignorant or wicked will disregard his work of creation or providence; and much less that of redemption—but short-lived is the flourishing of wicked men, and dreadful the misery in which it issues; and yet this misery is the legitimate outcome of sin against God! But pleasant and profitable to themselves and others, and honourable to God, shall be the spiritual growth of those who are planted in Christ, and live in continued fellowship with him.