Bible Commentaries

« Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. » I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite — Who having out lived Solomon, and seen both the defection of the ten tribes from the house of David, and the woeful work made by Shishak, king of Egypt, in the kingdom of Judah, 2 Chronicles 12:1-9 composed this psalm (as it may seem), and left it for an eruditive or instruction to all succeeding ages what to do in such dismal changes and concussions. That Jewish doctor mentioned by Aben Ezra was more ignorent than wise, who would neither read nor hear this psalm, Quia videtur dura de Deo proferre, because it seemeth to speak harshly of God, Psalms 89:39 .

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord — God’s mercies moved him to promise, his faithfulness bindeth him to perform; Ethan promiseth to celebrate both, were the times never so bad, their case never so calamitous.

I will make known thy faithfulness — Which yet I am sometimes moved to make question of. Thus the psalmist insinuateth before he complaineth, Ut faciendum docent rhetores in causis invidiosis; wherein he showeth himself a right rhetorician.

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For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

For I have said — I believed, therefore have I spoken it; I dare say it shall be so, because thou hast said it (so the Greek here hath it). What God saith we may write upon it, because all the words of his mouth are in righteousness, neither is there anything froward or perverse in them, Proverbs 8:8 .

Mercy shall be built up for ever — Till the topstone be laid, and judgment be brought forth into victory, Matthew 12:20 ; the sure mercies of David fail not.

Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the heavens — Or, with the very heavens; that is, so sure as they are established. If that martyr could say, The heavens shall sooner fall than I will forsake the truth I have learned; how much more may we say so of God’s unfailable faithfulness! See Psalms 89:33 .

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I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

I have made a covenant with my chosen — i.e. With Christ (who is God’s elect one, Isaiah 42:1 ), and in him with all his people, Ephesians 1:4 .

I have sworn unto David — The father and figure of Christ, who is frequently called David, and is here chiefly to be understood. O happy we, for whose sake God hath sworn! saith Tertullian; and O most wretched, if we believe him not thus swearing!

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Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Thy seed will I establish for ever — David’s for a long time, but Christ’s for ever and aye.

And build up thy throne to all generations — Christ’s kingdom hath no end, Isaiah 9:7 Luke 1:33 . This is very comfortable. The Jews understanding this promise of David’s kingdom, have oft attempted the restoration of it; but in vain, and to the ruin of their nation.

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And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

And the heavens shall praise thy wonders — Heb. thy miracle, viz. in their circumgyration (which showeth a first mover), in their embroidery, influences, …, yielding matter and occasion of praise. And thus, All thy works praise thee, O Lord; but thy saints bless thee, Psalms 145:10 . And so by heavens here we may understand the angels of heaven (as they are called, Matthew 24:36 ), as by the congregation of saints the Church universal in heaven and earth, by whom God is highly praised for the covenant of grace.

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For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? [who] among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

For who in the heaven can be compared? … — Thou far transcendest the brightest cherub, all Whose excellence is but derivative, a drop of thine ocean, a spark of thy flame.

Who among the sons of the mighty — Inter chores Angelorum, saith the Chaldee: What angel, what man?

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God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all [them that are] about him.

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly, … — Heb. Daunting terrible in the secret of the saints very much. The holy angels make their addresses unto him with greatest reverence and self-abasement; for they know that he humbleth himself to behold things in heaven, Psalms 113:4-6 . How much more, then, should we set ourselves to serve him with reverence and godly fear, since our God is a consuming fire! Hebrews 12:28-29 .

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O LORD God of hosts, who [is] a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

Who is a strong Lord, like unto thee — Heb. Who is like thee, mighty Jah? This is to magnify God, when we get above all creatures, in our conceptions of him.

Or to thy faithfulness round about thee? — To those that are round about thee; or, thou art full of faithfulness.

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