Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary · Psalms 第75章

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Psalms 75章

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简体中文

本篇标题虽归亚萨,却与大卫在扫罗死后登基之时的境遇如此相合,以致大多数解经家将其应用于那关头,并推测:或亚萨以大卫之名为其桂冠诗人而作(大概本诗的内容原是大卫登基时对各邦会议的某次讲话,亚萨将其改为诗体,以诗歌形式发布,以便在民间更广流传),或大卫自作而交与亚萨作为圣殿的伶长。在本诗中:一、大卫为神带他登宝座而献上感谢(诗75:1,9);二、他应许要运用神所赐的权柄为公益而尽己之力(诗75:2,3,10);三、他遏制那些反对他登基之人的狂妄(诗75:4,5);四、他从神在世人世事中的主权统治引出这一切的缘由(诗75:6-8)。我们唱这首诗时,当将各邦各国一切更迭的荣耀归给神,信这一切都照他的旨意,且他必使这一切都为教会的益处效力。

英語原文

Though this psalm is attributed to Asaph in the title, yet it does so exactly agree with David's circumstances, at his coming to the crown after the death of Saul, that most interpreters apply it to that juncture, and suppose that either Asaph penned it, in the person of David, as his poet-laureate (probably the substance of the psalm was some speech which David made to a convention of the states, at his accession to the government, and Asaph turned it into verse, and published it in a poem, for the better spreading of it among the people), or that David penned it, and delivered it to Asaph as precentor of the temple. In this psalm, I. David returns God thanks for bringing him to the throne, Ps 75:1,9. II. He promises to lay out himself for the public good, in the use of the power God had given him, Ps 75:2,3,10. III. He checks the insolence of those that opposed his coming to the throne, Ps 75:4,5. IV. He fetches a reason for all this from God's sovereign dominion in the affairs of the children of men, Ps 75:6-8. In singing this psalm we must give to God the glory of all the revolutions of states and kingdoms, believing that they are all according to his counsel and that he will make them all to work for the good of his church.

1-5

The Magistrate's Resolution

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简体中文

治理者的决心

交与伶长,调用「不要毁坏」。亚萨的诗歌。

¹ 神啊,我们称谢你,我们称谢你,因为你的名相近,人都述说你奇妙的作为。
² 我到了所定的日期,必按正直施行审判。
³ 地和其上的居民都熔化了;我曾立了地的柱子。〔细拉〕
⁴ 我对狂傲人说:不要行事狂傲;对恶人说:不要举角。
⁵ 不要把你们的角高举;不要挺着颈项说话。

在这些经节里,

一、诗人因神使他升上尊荣与权能,并为他和他百姓以色列所行的一切大事,将赞美归给神(诗75:1):「神啊,我们称谢你」,为你所赐给我们的一切恩惠;又说,「我们称谢你」;因为我们的感恩当屡次重复。我们在追赶怜悯之时既常常祷告,既已得着,难道以为一两次称谢便够了么?不仅「我」称谢,更是「我们」称谢——我与一切朋友。我们既与他人同享其怜悯,便当与他们同献赞美。「『神啊』——我们怜悯的源头(我们不将惟独你所当得的荣耀归给工具),『我们称谢你;因为你的名相近』(你向大卫所应许的全备成全不远了)『人都述说你奇妙的作为』——你已为他所行的那些事,宣告了这点。」注意,1. 神为他百姓所行的许多事,确实可称为「奇妙的作为」——出于护理常轨之外、远超我们所盼。2. 这些奇妙的作为宣告他名的相近;它们显明他自己就在近处,在我们所求告之事上贴近我们,并显明他将为他百姓成就大事,以成就他的旨意与应许。3. 当神的奇妙作为宣告他名的相近时,我们当向他献上感谢,并且一次又一次地感谢。

二、他约束自己善用所托的权能,遵照所受的重大托付而行(诗75:2):「我到了所定的日期,必按正直施行审判。」他在此前提下认定:神必在所定之时成全关乎他的事——会众虽迟迟不归向他,虽有极大的阻挡,他终必「得着」会众;因为神在圣洁中所说的,必以智慧与权能成全。他既如此盼望那怜悯,便应许尽忠尽职:「我作了审判官,必审判,且『按正直』审判」;不似他以前的人,或忽略审判,更糟的是颠倒审判——或不用其权能行善,或用以行恶。注意,1. 凡被升到尊荣之位的人,当记念那也是服事之位,必当勤奋用心去做所蒙召的工。他不是说:「『我既得了会众』便安享尊荣、装腔作势,把公务交托别人」;而是说:「我要亲自办理。」2. 公共的托付当以高度的诚信管理;凡审判的必按正直审判,照公义的法则,不徇情面。

三、他盼望自己的治理必成为以色列的公众之福(诗75:3)。王国当前的光景甚坏:「地和其上的居民都熔化了」;无怪乎如此,因前朝如此败坏,一切都土崩瓦解。因未执行律法对付罪恶与亵渎,民风普遍败坏。他们因没有像所当为的那样,归向神所设立的治理中心,而彼此分裂。他们四分五裂,二对三、三对二,碎成派别与党派,势必将归于毁灭;但「我曾立了地的柱子」。即使在扫罗年间,大卫也已尽其所能为公众福祉效力;但他盼望自己既得了会众,所要行的必更多,不仅能止住公众的败坏,更能恢复公众的力量与荣美。如今,1. 看党派之祸:它们能熔化一地与其上的居民。2. 看一个元首常能撑持多少。若不是大卫撑持其柱子,那栋建筑早已沉沦。这话很可以应用在基督与其国上。「世界和其上的居民」因罪而「熔化」;人的背叛曾威胁全受造之工的毁灭。但基督「立了它的柱子」;他借拯救他的百姓脱离罪恶,拯救了全世界免于彻底毁灭;又因护理之国的施行交在他手中,「他常用他权能的命令托住万有」(来1:3)。

四、他警告那些反对他治理、反对他登基、阻挠其行政、竭力维持他所致力消除的罪恶与亵渎的人(诗75:4-5):「我对狂傲人说:不要行事狂傲。」他在扫罗年间已曾如此对他们说。那时他虽无权约束他们,却已有智慧与恩典责备他们,给他们好的劝戒;他们虽仗着那位不幸之王的恩宠自高,他却警告他们不要太过放肆。或者更确切地说,他如今正是在对他们说。他一登基,便发出禁令,对付罪恶与亵渎,此处便是其内容。1. 对那些暗中行恶、愚昧犯罪的以色列人,对他们他说:「不要行事狂傲」;不要像你们这样直接违背理性和利益而行——你们违背神赐给以色列的律法、违背他对大卫的应许时正是如此。大卫的子孙基督,也以此劝戒我们,发出这令:「不要行事狂傲。」神所立为我们智慧的那位,命我们为自己作智慧人,不要自取愚妄。2. 对那些胆大妄为、公然犯罪、向神自己挑战的恶人,他说:「不要举角」;不要夸自己的权能与特权;不要执意顽抗、轻蔑你所受的治理;「不要把你们的角高举」,仿佛你能随心所欲、为所欲为;「不要挺着颈项说话」——颈项中有铁筋,永不肯向神在治理中的旨意弯曲;因为不肯弯的必折断;颈项僵硬的,是自寻毁灭。这正是基督在福音中所发的命令:「一切山洼都要填平,大小山冈都要削平」(赛40:4)。让那敌基督的权势,无论其头其角,都不要向他高举,因为它必被打得粉碎;挺颈所说的话,必须以破碎的心收回,否则我们便灭亡了。法老挺着颈项说:「耶和华是谁?」神却叫他付了代价才认识。

英語原文

The Magistrate's Resolution

To the chief musician, Al-taschith. A psalm or song of Asaph.

¹ Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.
² When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.
³ The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.
⁴ I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
⁵ Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

In these verses,

I. The psalmist gives to God the praise of his advancement to honour and power, and the other great things he had done for him and for his people Israel (Ps 75:1): Unto thee, O God! do we give thanks for all the favours thou hast bestowed upon us; and again, unto thee do we give thanks; for our thanksgivings must be often repeated. Did not we often pray for mercy when we were in pursuit of it; and shall we think it will suffice once or twice to give thanks when we have obtained it? Not only I do give thanks, but we do, and I and all my friends. If we share with others in their mercies, we must join with them in their praises. "Unto thee, O God! the author of our mercies (and we will not give that glory to the instruments which is due to thee only), we give thanks; for that thy name is near (that the complete accomplishment of thy promise made to David is not far off) thy wondrous works, which thou hast already done for him, declare." Note, 1. There are many works which God does for his people that may truly be called wondrous works, out of the common course of providence and quite beyond our expectation. 2. These wondrous works declare the nearness of his name; they show that he himself is at hand, nigh to us in what we call upon him for, and that he is about to do some great things for his people, in pursuance of his purpose and promise. 3. When God's wondrous works declare the nearness of his name it is our duty to give him thanks, again and again to give him thanks.

II. He lays himself under an obligation to use his power well, pursuant to the great trust reposed in him (Ps 75:2): When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. Here he takes it for granted that God would, in due time, perfect that which concerned him, that though the congregation was very slow in gathering to him, and great opposition was made to it, yet, at length, he should receive it; for what God has spoken in his holiness he will perform by his wisdom and power. Being thus in expectation of the mercy, he promises to make conscience of his duty: "When I am a judge I will judge, and judge uprightly; not as those that went before me, who either neglected judgment or, which was worse, perverted it, either did no good with their power or did hurt." Note, 1. Those that are advanced to posts of honour must remember they are posts of service, and must set themselves with diligence and application of mind to do the work to which they are called. He does not say, "When I shall receive the congregation I will take my ease, and take state upon me, and leave the public business to others;" but, "I will mind it myself." 2. Public trusts are to be managed with great integrity; those that judge must judge uprightly, according to the rules of justice, without respect of persons.

III. He promises himself that his government would be a public blessing to Israel, Ps 75:3. The present state of the kingdom was very bad: The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; and no marvel, when the former reign was so dissolute that all went to wrack and ruin. There was a general corruption of manners, for want of putting the laws in execution against vice and profaneness. They were divided one from another for want of centering, as they ought to have done, in the government God had appointed. They were all to pieces, two against three and three against two, crumbled into factions and parties, which was likely to issue in their ruin; but I bear up the pillars of it. Even in Saul's time David did what he could for the public welfare; but he hoped that when he had himself received the congregation he should do much more, and should not only prevent the public ruin, but recover the public strength and beauty. Now, 1. See the mischief of parties; they melt and dissolve a land and the inhabitants of it. 2. See how much one head frequently holds up. The fabric would have sunk if David had not held up the pillars of it. This may well be applied to Christ and his government. The world and all the inhabitants of it were dissolved by sin; man's apostasy threatened the destruction of the whole creation. But Christ bore up the pillars of it; he saved the whole world from utter ruin by saving his people from their sins, and into his hand the administration of the kingdom of Providence is committed, for he upholds all things by the word of his power, Heb 1:3.

IV. He checks those that opposed his government, that were against his accession to it and obstructed the administration of it, striving to keep up that vice and profaneness which he had made it his business to suppress (Ps 75:4,5): I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly. He had said so to them in Saul's time. When he had not power to restrain them, yet he had wisdom and grace to reprove them, and to give them good counsel; though they bore themselves high, upon the favour of that unhappy prince, he cautioned them not to be too presumptuous. Or, rather, he does now say so to them. As soon as he came to the crown he issued out a proclamation against vice and profaneness, and here we have the contents of it. 1. To the simple sneaking sinners, the fools in Israel, that corrupted themselves, to them he said, "Deal not foolishly; do not act so directly contrary both to your reason and to your interest as you do while you walk contrary to the laws God has given to Israel and the promises he has made to David." Christ, the son of David, gives us this counsel, issues out this edict, Deal not foolishly. He who is made of God to us wisdom bids us be wise for ourselves, and not make fools of ourselves. 2. To the proud daring sinners, the wicked, that set God himself at defiance, he says, "Lift not up the horn; boast not of your power and prerogatives; persist not in your contumacy and contempt of the government set over you; lift not up your horn on high, as though you could have what you will and do what you will; speak not with a stiff neck, in which is an iron sinew, that will never bend to the will of God in the government; for those that will not bend shall break; those whose necks are stiffened are so to their own destruction." This is Christ's word of command in his gospel, that every mountain will be brought low before him, Isa 40:4. Let not the anti-christian power, with its heads and horns, lift up itself against him, for it shall certainly be broken to pieces; what is said with a stiff neck must be unsaid again with a broken heart, or we are undone. Pharaoh said with a stiff neck, Who is the Lord? But God made him know to his cost.

6-10

God's Government of the World

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简体中文

 神对世界的治理

⁶ 因为高举非从东来,非从西来,也非从南来。
⁷ 惟有 神判断:他降卑这人,使那人升高。
⁸ 耶和华手里有杯,其中的酒起沫,满了调和物;他倒出来,地上所有的恶人都必喝这酒的渣滓,并且喝尽。
⁹ 至于我,我要永远传扬;我要歌颂雅各的 神。
¹⁰ 恶人一切的角我也必砍断;惟独义人的角必被高举。

在这些经文里,有两大教义被陈明,并有两个善美的推论从它们引出,为要坚定他先前所说的话。

一、此处陈明关于 神治理世界的两大真理,我们当用信心与之相和,两者都切合于本场合:——

  1. 君王从 神独得权柄(诗75:6-7),因此大卫只将他自己高升的荣耀归给 神;他的权柄既从 神而来,他便要为 神而用,所以那些向他「高举角」的人是愚顽人。我们在邦国之中看见奇异的革命,对一些人的忽然蒙羞、另一些人的忽然高升感到惊讶;这些改变发生之时,我们都为之充满;但此处我们被引导去看这些事的创始者,并受教权柄的本源何在、高升从何而来。高升到邦国——到其王权——从何而来?邦国中的高升——到有权柄可信赖的职位——从何而来?前者并不靠百姓的旨意,后者也不靠君王的旨意,两者都靠 神的旨意,他将一切人的心握在手中;因此那些追求高升的人当仰望他,那时他们才算起头正确。此处告诉我们:(1)消极地,我们不当向何处寻找权柄之源:「高举非从东来,非从西来,也非从旷野来」——意即既不从耶路撒冷北方的旷野,也不从其南方的旷野;所以高升的顺风,不可指望从罗盘的任何方位吹来,惟独从上面直直吹来。人不能借东方众子的智慧财富得着高升,也不能借那位于西方的外邦海岛的众多兵力得着,更不能借那位于南方的埃及或阿拉伯得着;次要原因的会合之笑,若无第一原因,不能将人提拔到高位。博学的罗益德主教对此有所解释:「众人原都以为权柄之源在于天,但许多人不知在天的哪一位;东方列国——他们一般崇尚星象之学——以为权柄来自他们的星,尤其来自他们的神太阳。不,大卫说,它既不从东来,也不从西来;既不从某行星的升起或某星宿的沉落而来,也不从南来,不从日头或任何星在中天的升高而来。」他没有提到北方,因为无人以为权柄从那里来;或因同一字既指北方,又指隐密之处,而权柄实在从 神旨意的隐密处而来;或从锡安的圣所而来,那地方位于耶路撒冷的北面。请注意:没有一种风能吹来高升,除非那位将风握在拳中的主所指引。(2)积极地:「 神是判断者」,是治理者或裁判。当各方相争争夺奖赏之时,他「降卑这人,使那人升高」,随他看为合宜,借以服事他自己的旨意,成全他自己的计谋。他在此事上凭特权而行,并不向我们交代这些事的任何一项;他既是无限智慧、圣洁、良善的,便有权柄随他喜悦设立或废去何人、何时、如何,这不是任何损害、危险或羞辱。这是一个好理由,说明官长当为 神而治理,作为那要向他交账的人,因为君王借他而治。

  2. 一切人都要从 神独得他们的结局(诗75:8):「耶和华手里有杯」,他将这杯递在世人手中——那是护理的杯,由许多成分调和而成(随他看为合宜),是苦难的杯。基督的受苦被称为「杯」(太20:22;约18:11)。 神对罪人的审判是「耶和华右手的杯」(哈2:16)。「其中的酒起沫」,表明 神的烈怒,这烈怒注入那加于罪人身上的审判之中,是苦难与灾祸中的苦艾与胆汁。它红如烈火、红如血,因为它焚烧、它杀戮。它「满了调和物」,在智慧中调配,足以达成目的。当苦杯递在 神自己百姓手中之时,其中有怜悯和恩典的调和;当它递在恶人手中之时,其中有咒诅的调和;那是「调着胆汁的酒」。这些瓶:(1)倾倒在众人身上;见启15:7,16:1,那里我们读到天使将 神烈怒的瓶倒在地上。这烈怒的几滴可能落在善人身上;当 神的审判盛行之时,他们在普遍的灾祸中有自己的份;但(2)杯的渣滓是为恶人保留的。灾祸本身不过是注入烈怒与咒诅的器皿,其上面很少带有这注入;但其沉淀乃纯全的烈怒,那要归给罪人为份;他们如今在良心的恐惧中饮这渣滓,将来在地狱的折磨中也要饮。他们要「拧出渣滓」,叫一滴烈怒也不留,「并且喝尽」,因为咒诅要「如水进入他的五脏,如同油入他的骨头」。耶和华烈怒的杯,对他们乃是战栗之杯,是永远战栗之杯(启14:10)。恶人在世上亨通之时,杯中满了调和物,但最坏的在杯底。恶人被保留到审判的日子。

二、此处从这些大真理引出两个善美的实行推论,并且与他开始本诗时所有的本分立志相同。这事既如此:1. 他要赞美 神,并将荣耀归给他,因为他被高升到这权柄(诗75:9):「我要永远传扬」——「你的奇事传扬的」(诗75:1)。他不仅起初怜悯新鲜之时要赞美 神,乃要永远赞美,只要他活着。大卫之子的升高,是圣徒永远赞美的题目。他要把荣耀归给 神,不仅以他为他的 神,更以他为「雅各的 神」,知道他作王治理他们,是「为他仆人雅各的缘故」,因为他爱他的百姓以色列。2. 他要使用所托付的权柄,成就交付他手中的大目的(诗75:10),正如先前(诗75:2、4)所言。照着在上掌权者的本分:(1)他立志作恶人的畏惧,使他们骄傲自卑,破坏其势力:「恶人一切的角我也必砍断」——他们借以抵触穷困邻舍的角;我要使他们无能为恶。如此 神应许要兴起木匠,来「威吓那分散犹大和以色列的外邦列国之角」(亚1:18-21)。(2)他立志作行善之人的保护和称赞:「义人的角必被高举」;他们要被高升,被置于有权柄的位置;那些良善、有心行善的人,必不缺能力和机会。这与大卫的立志相符(诗101:3等)。在此大卫是基督的预表:基督要「以口中的气」杀灭恶人,却要「以尊荣高举义人的角」(诗112:9)。

英語原文

God's Government of the World

⁶ For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
⁷ But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
⁸ For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.
⁹ But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
¹⁰ All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

In these verses we have two great doctrines laid down and two good inferences drawn from them, for the confirmation of what he had before said.

I. Here are two great truths laid down concerning God's government of the world, which we ought to mix faith with, both pertinent to the occasion:—

1. That from God alone kings receive their power (Ps 75:6,7), and therefore to God alone David would give the praise of his advancement; having his power from God he would use it for him, and therefore those were fools that lifted up the horn against him. We see strange revolutions in states and kingdoms, and are surprised at the sudden disgrace of some and elevation of others; we are all full of such changes, when they happen; but here we are directed to look at the author of them, and are taught where the original of power is, and whence promotion comes. Whence comes preferment to kingdoms, to the sovereignty of them? And whence come preferments in kingdoms, to places of power and trust in them? The former depends not upon the will of the people, nor the latter on the will of the prince, but both on the will of God, who has all hearts in his hands; to him therefore those must look who are in pursuit of preferment, and then they begin aright. We are here told, (1.) Negatively, which way we are not to look for the fountain of power: Promotion comes not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert, that is, neither from the desert on the north of Jerusalem nor from that on the south; so that the fair gale of preferment is not to be expected to blow from any point of the compass, but only from above, directly thence. Men cannot gain promotion either by the wisdom or wealth of the children of the east, nor by the numerous forces of the isles of the Gentiles, that lay westward, nor those of Egypt or Arabia, that lay south; no concurring smiles of second causes will raise men to preferment without the first cause. The learned bishop Lloyd (Serm. in loc.) gives this gloss upon it: "All men took the original of power to be from heaven, but from whom there many knew not; the eastern nations, who were generally given to astrology, took it to come from their stars, especially the sun, their god. No, says David, it comes neither from the east nor from the west, neither from the rising nor from the setting of such a planet, or such a constellation, nor from the south, nor from the exaltation of the sun or any star in the mid-heaven." He mentions not the north, because none supposed it to come thence; or because the same word that signifies the north signifies the secret place, and from the secret of God's counsel it does come, or from the oracle in Zion, which lay on the north side of Jerusalem. Note, No wind is so good as to blow promotion, but as he directs who has the winds in his fists. (2.) Positively: God is the judge, the governor or umpire. When parties contend for the prize, he puts down one and sets up another as he sees fit, so as to serve his own purposes and bring to pass his own counsels. Herein he acts by prerogative, and is not accountable to us for any of these matters; nor is it any damage, danger, or disgrace that he, who is infinitely wise, holy, and good, has an arbitrary and despotic power to set up and put down whom, and when, and how he pleases. This is a good reason why magistrates should rule for God as those that must give account to him, because it is by him that kings reign.

2. That from God alone all must receive their doom (Ps 75:8): In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, which he puts into the hands of the children of men, a cup of providence, mixed up (as he thinks fit) of many ingredients, a cup of affliction. The sufferings of Christ are called a cup, Mt 20:22, Joh 18:11. The judgments of God upon sinners are the cup of the Lord's right hand, Hab 2:16. The wine is red, denoting the wrath of God, which is infused into the judgments executed on sinners, and is the wormwood and the gall in the affliction and the misery. It is read as fire, red as blood, for it burns, it kills. It is full of mixture, prepared in wisdom, so as to answer the end. There are mixtures of mercy and grace in the cup of affliction when it is put into the hands of God's own people, mixtures of the curse when it is put into the hands of the wicked; it is wine mingled with gall. These vials, (1.) Are poured out upon all; see Re 15:7,16:1; where we read of the angels pouring out the vials of God's wrath upon the earth. Some drops of this wrath may light on good people; when God's judgments are abroad, they have their share in common calamities; but, (2.) The dregs of the cup are reserved for the wicked. The calamity itself is but the vehicle into which the wrath and curse is infused, the top of which has little of the infusion; but the sediment is pure wrath, and that shall fall to the share of sinners; they have the dregs of the cup now in the terrors of conscience, and hereafter in the torments of hell. They shall wring them out, that not a drop of the wrath may be left behind, and they shall drink them, for the curse shall enter into their bowels like water and like oil into their bones. The cup of the Lord's indignation will be to them a cup of trembling, everlasting trembling, Re 14:10. The wicked man's cup, while he prospers in the world, is full of mixture, but the worst is at the bottom. The wicked are reserved unto the day of judgment.

II. Here are two good practical inferences drawn from these great truths, and they are the same purposes of duty that he began the psalm with. This being so, 1. He will praise God, and give him glory, for the power to which he has advanced him (Ps 75:9): I will declare for ever that which thy wondrous works declare, Ps 75:1. He will praise God for his elevation, not only at first, while the mercy was fresh, but for ever, so long as he lives. The exaltation of the Son of David will be the subject of the saints' everlasting praises. He will give glory to God, not only as his God, but as the God of Jacob, knowing it was for Jacob his servant's sake, and because he loved his people Israel, that he made him king over them. 2. He will use the power with which he is entrusted for the great ends for which it was put into his hands, Ps 75:10, as before, Ps 75:2,4. According to the duty of the higher powers, (1.) He resolves to be a terror to evildoers, to humble their pride and break their power: "Though not all the heads, yet all the horns, of the wicked will I cut off, with which they push their poor neighbours; I will disable them to do mischief." Thus God promises to raise up carpenters who should fray the horns of the Gentiles that had scattered Judah and Israel, Zec 1:18-21. (2.) He resolves to be a protection and praise to those that do well: The horns of the righteous shall be exalted; they shall be preferred and be put into places of power; and those that are good, and have hearts to do good, shall not want ability and opportunity for it. This agrees with David's resolutions, Ps 101:3, etc. Herein David was a type of Christ, who with the breath of his mouth shall slay the wicked, but shall exalt with honour the horn of the righteous, Ps 112:9.