Chú giải chương
Psalms Chương 118
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It is probable that David penned this psalm when he had, after many a story, weathered his point at last, and gained a full possession of the kingdom to which he had been anointed. He then invites and stirs up his friends to join with him, not only in a cheerful acknowledgment of God's goodness and a cheerful dependence upon that goodness for the future, but in a believing expectation of the promised Messiah, of whose kingdom and his exaltation to it his were typical. To him, it is certain, the prophet here bears witness, in the latter part of the psalm. Christ himself applies it to himself (Mt 21:42), and the former part of the psalm may fairly, and without forcing, be accommodated to him and his undertaking. Some think it was first calculated for the solemnity of the bringing of the ark to the city of David, and was afterwards sung at the feast of tabernacles. In it, I. David calls upon all about him to give to God the glory of his goodness, Ps 118:1-4. II. He encourages himself and others to trust in God, from the experience he had had of God's power and pity in the great and kind things he had done for him, Ps 118:5-8. III. He gives thanks for his advancement to the throne, as it was a figure of the exaltation of Christ, Ps 118:19-23. IV. The people, the priests, and the psalmist himself, triumph in the prospect of the Redeemer's kingdom, Ps 118:24-29. In singing this psalm we must glorify God for his goodness, his goodness to us, and especially his goodness to us in Jesus Christ.
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Goodness of God Celebrated; Grateful Acknowledgments
繁體中文
頌讚神的良善；感恩的稱謝
¹ 你們要稱謝耶和華，因祂本為善；祂的慈愛永遠長存。
² 願以色列說：祂的慈愛永遠長存。
³ 願亞倫的家說：祂的慈愛永遠長存。
⁴ 願敬畏耶和華的說：祂的慈愛永遠長存。
⁵ 我在急難中求告耶和華；耶和華就應允我，把我安置在寬闊之地。
⁶ 有耶和華幫助我，我必不懼怕；人能把我怎麼樣呢？
⁷ 那幫助我的耶和華與我同在；所以我必看見那恨我的人遭報。
⁸ 投靠耶和華，強似倚賴人。
⁹ 投靠耶和華，強似倚賴王子。
¹⁰ 萬民圍繞我；我靠耶和華的名，必剿滅他們。
¹¹ 他們圍繞我，圍繞我；我靠耶和華的名，必剿滅他們。
¹² 他們如同蜂子圍繞我；他們將要熄滅，如同荊棘的火；我靠耶和華的名，必剿滅他們。
¹³ 祢極力推我，要叫我跌倒；但耶和華幫助了我。
¹⁴ 耶和華是我的力量，是我的詩歌；祂也成了我的拯救。
¹⁵ 在義人的帳棚裡，有歡呼拯救的聲音；耶和華的右手施展大能。
¹⁶ 耶和華的右手高舉；耶和華的右手施展大能。
¹⁷ 我必不致死，仍要存活，並要傳揚耶和華的作為。
¹⁸ 耶和華雖嚴嚴地懲治我，卻未曾將我交於死亡。
此處正如別處常常那樣，顯出大衛心中滿了神的良善。他愛慕默想這良善，愛慕談論這良善，又極其關切神因此得著讚美、別人因此得著安慰。我們的心越深印著神良善的意識，便越能在各樣順服上更加寬廣。在這些經文中，
一、他稱頌神普遍的慈愛，並呼召別人從自己的經歷中承認這慈愛（詩118:1）：你們要稱謝耶和華，因祂本為善——不僅在祂自己裡面為善，更是向你們為善；祂的慈愛永遠長存——不僅在那永遠的源頭、神自己裡面，更在那永不止息的慈愛溪流之中，這溪流要與永恆最長的線同奔，也在那蒙揀選的憐憫之器皿裡面——他們要作這慈愛永遠的記念。以色列、亞倫的家，以及一切敬畏神的人，先前被召去信靠神（詩115:9-11）；此處他們被召去承認祂的慈愛永遠長存，藉此激勵自己信靠祂，詩118:2-4。祭司和百姓、猶太人和歸信者，都當承認神的良善，都當同唱這感恩之歌；他們若說不出更多的話，就當為祂說這句——祂的慈愛永遠長存——他們一生都曾經歷這慈愛，並信靠它得著那永遠長存的美物。一切真心敬畏耶和華之人的讚美和感恩，必如以色列家或亞倫家的讚美一樣，蒙祂喜悅。
二、他保存了神特別恩待他的記錄，又將之傳與別人，使他們從中既可得著讚美之歌，又可得著信心的扶持；兩樣都使神得榮耀。大衛在世時經歷了許多艱難，這使他對神的良善有極豐富的經歷。讓我們在此注意，
1. 他曾陷入的極大困苦和危險，他回想這些，為要更加顯大神在他現今高升中所施的良善。許多人一旦被高舉，就不願聽、也不願提從前的卑微；大衛卻抓住一切機會記念自己的卑微。他曾在急難之中（詩118:5），大大被困、無所適從；有許多人恨他（詩118:7），這對一個力求博得眾人好感、心胸坦蕩的人來說，不能不是極大的痛苦。萬民圍繞我，詩118:10。以色列周圍的萬民——非利士人、摩押人、亞蘭人、亞捫人等——趁大衛剛登基之時，齊起來攪擾他。我們讀到他的仇敵四圍；他們結盟反對他，要切斷他一切的救援。仇敵這種企圖圍困他的事，被重複記述（詩118:11）：他們圍繞我，圍繞我——這暗示他們在其攻擊上又狠又猛，且一度得勢，被擾亂之後又重新集結，繼續推進其計謀。他們如同蜂子圍繞我——人數如此之多、如此喧嘩、如此煩擾；他們成群飛撲而來，以惡毒的刺攻擊他；但這卻成了他們自己的毀滅，正如人所說的，蜜蜂把刺一失，也失了性命——將性命喪於傷處。耶和華啊，逼迫我的何其加增！大衛兩方面受困：(1) 因人所加的傷害（詩118:13）：祢（仇敵啊！）極力推我——屢次狠狠地推，要叫我跌倒——跌入罪中和滅亡中。原文是「推了又推」，以致我幾乎跌倒。撒但是那以試探極力推我們的大仇敵，要把我們從尊貴中推下，使我們離棄我們的神、失去在神裡面的安慰；若不是神的恩典扶持我們，他的推逼必已致命。(2) 因神加在他身上的責打（詩118:18）：耶和華雖嚴嚴地懲治我。人為毀滅而推他；神為教訓而責打他。人以仇敵的惡意推他；神以父親的慈愛和溫柔責打他。或許他所指的是同一次苦難——神作為其作者，定意使之叫他得益處，使他「在祂的聖潔上有分」（來12:10）；然而作為器皿的人卻不是這樣想，心裡也不這樣打算，心裡倒想「剪除和毀滅」，賽10:7。人所打算的最大惡事，神卻定意為最大的善事；誰的籌算必立定，不難判斷。神要使這苦難作祂百姓的責打而加以潔淨，以確保祂所定的美意；又要使這苦難作仇敵的推逼而加以護衛，保守他們脫離仇敵所謀的惡——如此，我們便無所懼怕。
大衛對自己苦難的這番記述，正可應用在我們主耶穌身上。恨祂的人很多，是無故地恨祂。他們圍繞祂；猶太人和羅馬人將祂包圍。他們極力推祂；魔鬼在試探祂時如此，逼迫者在辱罵祂時如此；不，主自己嚴嚴地懲治祂——將祂壓傷，使祂受痛苦，好叫我們因祂受的鞭傷得醫治。
2. 神在他患難中所賜的恩惠。(1) 神聽了他的禱告（詩118:5）：祂應允我，使我寬廣；祂為我做的，超過我所求；祂在禱告中使我心寬廣，所賜的卻比我心所願的更豐厚。「祂應允我，把我安置在寬闊之地」（這是我們的讀法），在那裡我有活動的餘地，有享受的餘地，也有興旺的餘地；這寬闊之地更覺甘美，因為他是從急難中被領到那裡的，詩4:1。(2) 神挫敗了仇敵對付他的計謀：他們將要熄滅，如同荊棘的火（詩118:12）——荊棘的火燒得猛烈，響聲和火焰都大，卻轉眼熄滅，不能造成所威脅的禍患。大衛仇敵的狂怒正是如此；愚頑人的笑聲也是如此，如同鍋下荊棘的爆聲（傳7:6），愚頑人的怒氣也是如此——因此不必懼怕，正如他的笑聲不必羨慕，兩者都當可憐。他們極力推他，但耶和華幫助了他（詩118:13），幫助他站穩腳步、守住陣地。我們屬靈的仇敵若不是神作了我們的幫助，早已在此以先將我們毀滅了。(3) 神在他與死亡僅一步之遙時保全了他的性命（詩118:18）：祂懲治我，卻未曾將我交於死亡——因為祂沒有把我交在仇敵的手中（任憑他們的意願）。保羅似乎正是引用此節於林後6:9：似乎是必死的，卻是活著的；受責罰，卻是不至於死。因此，當我們受嚴嚴責打時，不當立刻對性命絕望，因為神有時表面上「使人歸於毀滅」，卻又說：回轉吧；對他們說：活過來吧。
這話也可應用在耶穌基督身上。神應允了祂，把祂安置在寬闊之地。祂熄滅了仇敵怒火的勢頭——那火不過燒燬了他們自己；因為祂「特要藉著死，敗壞那掌死權的」。祂在所成就的事上幫助了祂；在這意義上，祂沒有把祂交於死亡——祂沒有將祂撇在墳墓裡，也沒有容祂見朽壞。死亡不能再作祂的主。
3. 他對這恩惠的運用。(1) 這鼓勵他信靠神；他從自己的經歷中能說：投靠耶和華，強似倚賴人——更智慧、更舒適、更穩妥，更有道理，也更奏效——是的，即使是倚賴王子（詩118:8,9）。那將自己獻於神的引導和治理、完全仰賴神的智慧、大能和良善的人，比世上一切君王和掌權者都來保護他，有更穩妥的保障叫他安心。[2] 這使他在這信靠中誇勝。[1] 他因神，並自己與神的關係和在其中所得的分而誇勝（詩118:6）：耶和華幫助我——祂是公義的神，因此抱我的義事，必為我辯護。我們若站在神的一邊，祂就站在我們這邊；我們若為祂、與祂同在，祂也必為我們、與我們同在（詩118:7）：耶和華與那些幫助我的人同在，幫助我——祂在我那些幫助者之中作我的幫助，而且是如此的一位，以致對他們、對我祂都樣樣全備；若沒有祂，我既不能自救，世上任何朋友也不能救我。因此（詩118:14）：耶和華是我的力量，是我的詩歌——就是說，我以祂為此（沒有祂我便軟弱憂愁，但我以祂為我的力量，無論行事或受苦都倚靠祂；我又以祂為我的詩歌，藉以表達喜樂、紓解憂愁）；既以祂為此，我便發現祂確實如此——祂以祂的恩典堅固我的心，又以祂的安慰使我的心喜樂。神若是我們的力量，就必作我們的詩歌；祂若在我們裡面成就我們一切的工作，就必從我們得著一切的讚美和榮耀。神有時作祂百姓的力量，卻不作他們的詩歌；他們有屬靈的扶持，卻缺少屬靈的喜樂。但祂若對我們兩者都是，我們便有充足的理由在祂裡面誇勝；因為祂既作我們的力量，又作我們的詩歌，便不僅成了我們的救主，更成了我們的拯救——祂作我們的力量，是我們得拯救的保護；祂作我們的詩歌，是我們得拯救的憑據和預嘗。[2] 他向仇敵誇勝。如今他的頭必在他們之上高舉；因為，第一，他確信他們不能害他：「神既幫助我，我便不懼怕人能向我做甚麼」，詩118:6。他能向他們全體挑戰，一點不被他們的嘗試所驚擾。「他們對我所能做的，無非神所允許的；他們不能造成真正的損害，因為他們不能使我與神隔絕；他們所做的任何事，神都能使之為我的益處效力。仇敵不過是人，是倚靠的受造之物，權柄有限，且服在更高的權柄之下，因此我不懼怕他。」那必死的人，你竟怕他？賽51:12。使徒引用此話，應用在一切基督徒身上，來13:6。他們可以放膽說，正如大衛自己那樣放膽：主是幫助我的，我必不懼怕，人能把我怎麼樣呢——任憑他盡其所能。第二，他確信自己至終必勝過他們：「我必看見那恨我的人遭報（詩118:7）；我必看見他們對付我的計謀失敗；不，我靠耶和華的名必剿滅他們（詩118:10-12）——我信靠耶和華的名，必剿滅他們，又要奉祂的名出去攻擊他們，倚靠祂的力量，憑祂的授權，並為祂的榮耀，既不自恃，也不為自己報仇。」他從前就是這樣出去攻擊歌利亞——奉以色列神的名，撒上17:45。大衛說這話，作為基督的預表——基督勝過了黑暗的權勢，剿滅了他們，並「將他們明明示眾」。[3] 他在自己得著安慰、得勝和性命持續的確據中誇勝。第一，他的安慰（詩118:15）：在義人的帳棚裡，有歡呼拯救的聲音——在我家中尤其如此。義人在今世的居所不過是帳棚，簡陋而可移動；我們在這裡沒有城邑，沒有常存的城。但這些帳棚對他們而言，比惡人的宮殿對惡人更為舒適；因為在宗教掌權的家中：1. 有拯救——有免受災禍的安全，有永遠拯救的憑據，這拯救已經臨到這一家，路19:9。2. 既有拯救，便有歡喜的緣由，有持續在神裡面的喜樂。聖潔的喜樂被稱為拯救的喜樂，因為其中有豐富的喜樂緣由。3. 既有歡喜，就當有歡呼的聲音，那就是讚美和感恩。當以歡喜快樂的心事奉神，並讓這歡呼的聲音每日在我們家中聽見，歸榮耀與神，並勉勵別人。第二，他的得勝：耶和華的右手施展大能（詩118:15），並且被高舉；因為（如有人所讀）它已高舉了我。神權能的右手為祂百姓效力，為他們踴躍行事，因此也得勝而行。因為有何困難能站立在神聖的英勇之前？我們軟弱，為自己所行的不過怯懦；神卻大能，為我們踴躍行事，帶著忌邪和決心，賽63:5,6。神為祂百姓的一切作為中，既有力量，也有心志。當神的右手為我們的拯救踴躍行事時，就當在我們的讚美中被高舉。第三，他的性命（詩118:17）：我必不致死——不致死在那些尋索我命的仇敵手中，仍要存活，並要傳揚耶和華的作為；我要活著作神憐憫和大能的記念；神的作為要在我身上傳揚，我也要以一生讚美、尊大神為業，以此為蒙保守的目的。請注意，除了為傳揚神的作為——為祂的榮耀並勉勵別人事奉祂、信靠祂——而活，為任何其他目的活著都不值得。大衛的子孫正是如此誇勝，因為祂確信自己所成就的事必能成功，主的喜悅必在祂手中亨通。
bản gốc tiếng anh
Goodness of God Celebrated; Grateful Acknowledgments
¹ O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
² Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
³ Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
⁴ Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
⁵ I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
⁶ The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
⁷ The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
⁸ It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
⁹ It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
¹⁰ All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.
¹¹ They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
¹² They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
¹³ Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
¹⁴ The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
¹⁵ The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
¹⁶ The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
¹⁷ I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
¹⁸ The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
It appears here, as often as elsewhere, that David had his heart full of the goodness of God. He loved to think of it, loved to speak of it, and was very solicitous that God might have the praise of it and others the comfort of it. The more our hearts are impressed with a sense of God's goodness the more they will be enlarged in all manner of obedience. In these verses,
I. He celebrates God's mercy in general, and calls upon others to acknowledge it, from their own experience of it (Ps 118:1): O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is not only good in himself, but good to you, and his mercy endures for ever, not only in the everlasting fountain, God himself, but in the never-failing streams of that mercy, which shall run parallel with the longest line of eternity, and in the chosen vessels of mercy, who will be everlasting monuments of it. Israel, and the house of Aaron, and all that fear God, were called upon to trust in God (Ps 115:9-11); here they are called upon to confess that his mercy endures for ever, and so to encourage themselves to trust in him, Ps 118:2-4. Priests and people, Jews and proselytes, must all own God's goodness, and all join in the same thankful song; if they can say no more, let them say this for him, that his mercy endures for ever, that they have had experience of it all their days, and confide in it for good things that shall last for ever. The praises and thanksgivings of all that truly fear the Lord shall be as pleasing to him as those of the house of Israel or the house of Aaron.
II. He preserves an account of God's gracious dealings with him in particular, which he communicates to others, that they might thence fetch both songs of praise and supports of faith, and both ways God would have the glory. David had, in his time, waded through a great deal of difficulty, which gave him great experience of God's goodness. Let us therefore observe here,
1. The great distress and danger that he had been in, which he reflects upon for the magnifying of God's goodness to him in his present advancement. There are many who, when they are lifted up, care not for hearing or speaking of their former depressions; but David takes all occasions to remember his own low estate. He was in distress (Ps 118:5), greatly straitened and at a loss; there were many that hated him (Ps 118:7), and this could not but be a great grief to one of an ingenuous spirit, that strove to gain the good affections of all. All nations compassed me about, Ps 118:10. All the nations adjacent to Israel set themselves to give disturbance to David, when he had newly come to the throne, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Ammonites, etc. We read of his enemies round about; they were confederate against him, and thought to cut off all succours from him. This endeavour of his enemies to surround him is repeated (Ps 118:11): They compassed me about, yea, they compassed me about, which intimates that they were virulent and violent, and, for a time, prevalent, in their attempts against him, and when put into disorder they rallied again and pushed on their design. They compassed me about like bees, so numerous were they, so noisy, so vexatious; they came flying upon him, came upon him in swarms, set upon him with their malignant stings; but it was to their own destruction, as the bee, they say, loses her life with her sting, Animamque in vulnere ponit—She lays down her life in the wound. Lord, how are those increased that trouble me! Two ways David was brought into trouble:—(1.) By the injuries that men did him (Ps 118:13): Thou (O enemy!) hast thrust sore at me, with many a desperate push, that I might fall into sin and into ruin. Thrusting thou hast thrust at me (so the word is), so that I was ready to fall. Satan is the great enemy that thrusts sorely at us by his temptations, to cast us down from our excellency, that we may fall from our God and from our comfort in him; and, if Go had not upheld us by his grace, his thrusts would have been fatal to us. (2.) By the afflictions which God laid upon him (Ps 118:18): The Lord has chastened me sore. Men thrust at him for his destruction; God chastened him for his instruction. They thrust at him with the malice of enemies; God chastened him with the love and tenderness of a Father. Perhaps he refers to the same trouble which God, the author of it, designed for his profit, that by it he might partake of his holiness (Heb 12:10); howbeit, men, who were the instruments of it, meant not so, neither did their heart think so, but it was in their heart to cut off and destroy, Isa 10:7. What men intend for the greatest mischief God intends for the greatest good, and it is easy to say whose counsel shall stand. God will sanctify the trouble to his people, as it is his chastening, and secure the good he designs; and he will guard them against the trouble, as it is the enemies' thrusting, and secure them from the evil they design, and then we need not fear.
This account which David gives of his troubles is very applicable to our Lord Jesus. Many there were that hated him, hated him without a cause. They compassed him about; Jews and Romans surrounded him. They thrust sorely at him; the devil did so when he tempted him; his persecutors did so when they reviled him; nay, the Lord himself chastened him sorely, bruised him, and put him to grief, that by his stripes we might be healed.
2. The favour God vouchsafed to him in his distress. (1.) God heard his prayer (Ps 118:5): "He answered me with enlargements; he did more for me than I was able to ask; he enlarged my heart in prayer and yet gave more largely than I desired." He answered me, and set me in a large place (so we read it), where I had room to bestir myself, room to enjoy myself, and room to thrive; and the large place was the more comfortable because he was brought to it out of distress, Ps 4:1. (2.) God baffled the designs of his enemies against him: They are quenched as the fire of thorns (Ps 118:12), which burns furiously for a while, makes a great noise and a great blaze, but is presently out, and cannot do the mischief that it threatened. Such was the fury of David's enemies; such is the laughter of the fool, like the crackling of thorns under a pot (Ec 7:6), and such is the anger of the fool, which therefore is not to be feared, any more than his laughter is to be envied, but both to be pitied. They thrust sorely at him, but the Lord helped him (Ps 118:13), helped him to keep his feet and maintain his ground. Our spiritual enemies would, long before this, have been our ruin if God had not been our helper. (3.) God preserved his life when there was but a step between him and death (Ps 118:18): "He has chastened me, but he has not given me over unto death, for he has not given me over to the will of my enemies." To this St. Paul seems to refer in 2Co 6:9. As dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed. We ought not therefore, when we are chastened sorely, immediately to despair of life, for God sometimes, in appearance, turns men to destruction, and yet says, Return; says unto them, Live.
This also is applicable to Jesus Christ. God answered him, and set him in a large place. He quenched the fire of his enemies; rage, which did but consume themselves; for through death he destroyed him that had the power of death. He helped him through his undertaking; and thus far he did not give him over unto death that he did not leave him in the grave, nor suffer him to see corruption. Death had no dominion over him.
3. The improvement he made of this favour. (1.) It encouraged him to trust in God; from his own experience he can say, It is better, more wise, more comfortable, and more safe, there is more reason for it, and it will speed better, to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man, yea, though it be in princes, Ps 118:8,9. He that devotes himself to God's guidance and government, with an entire dependence upon God's wisdom, power, and goodness, has a better security to make him easy than if all the kings and potentates of the earth should undertake to protect him. (2.) It enabled him to triumph in that trust. [1.] He triumphs in God, and in his relation to him and interest in him (Ps 118:6): "The Lord is on my side. He is a righteous God, and therefore espouses my righteous cause and will plead it." If we are on God's side, he is on ours; if we be for him and with him, he will be for us and with us (Ps 118:7): "The Lord takes my part, and stands up for me, with those that help me. He is to me among my helpers, and so one of them that he is all in all both to them and me, and without him I could not help myself nor could any friend I have in the world help me." Thus (Ps 118:14), "The Lord is my strength and my song; that is, I make him so (without him I am weak and sad, but on him I stay myself as my strength, both for doing and suffering, and in him I solace myself as my song, by which I both express my joy and ease my grief), and, making him so, I find him so: he strengthens my heart with his graces and gladdens my heart with his comforts." If God be our strength, he must be our song; if he work all our works in us, he must have all praise and glory from us. God is sometimes the strength of his people when he is not their song; they have spiritual supports when they want spiritual delights. But, if he be both to us, we have abundant reason to triumph in him; for, he be our strength and our song, he has become not only our Saviour, but our salvation; for his being our strength is our protection to the salvation, and his being our song is an earnest and foretaste of the salvation. [2.] He triumphs over his enemies. Now shall his head be lifted up above them; for, First, He is sure they cannot hurt him: "God is for me, and then I will not fear what man can do against me," Ps 118:6. He can set them all at defiance, and is not disturbed at any of their attempts. "They can do nothing to me but what God permits them to do; they can do no real damage, for they cannot separate between me and God; they cannot do any thing but what God can make to work for my good. The enemy is a man, a depending creature, whose power is limited, and subordinate to a higher power, and therefore I will not fear him." Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die? Isa 51:12. The apostle quotes this, with application to all Christians, Heb 13:6. They may boldly say, as boldly as David himself, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me; let him do his worst. Secondly, He is sure that he shall be too hard for them at last: "I shall see my desire upon those that hate me (Ps 118:7); I shall see them defeated in their designs against me; nay, In the name of the Lord I will destroy them (Ps 118:10-12); I trust in the name of the Lord that I shall destroy them, and in his name I will go forth against them, depending on his strength, by warrant from him, and with an eye to his glory, not confiding in myself nor taking vengeance for myself." Thus he went forth against Goliath, in the name of the God of Israel, 1Sa 17:45. David says this as a type of Christ, who triumphed over the powers of darkness, destroyed them, and made a show of them openly. [3.] He triumphs in an assurance of the continuance of his comfort, his victory, and his life. First, Of his comfort (Ps 118:15): The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous, and in mine particularly, in my family. The dwellings of the righteous in this world are but tabernacles, mean and movable; here we have no city, no continuing city. But these tabernacles are more comfortable to them than the palaces of the wicked are to them; for in the house where religion rules, 1. There is salvation; safety from evil, earnests of eternal salvation, which has come to this house, Lu 19:9. 2. Where there is salvation there is cause for rejoicing, for continual joy in God. Holy joy is called the joy of salvation, for in that there is abundant matter for joy. 3. Where there is rejoicing there ought to be the voice of rejoicing, that is, praise and thanksgiving. Let God be served with joyfulness and gladness of heart, and let the voice of that rejoicing be heard daily in our families, to the glory of God and encouragement of others. Secondly, Of his victory: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly (Ps 118:15) and is exalted; for (as some read it) it has exalted me. The right hand of God's power is engaged for his people, and it acts vigorously for them and therefore victoriously. For what difficulty can stand before the divine valour? We are weak, and act but cowardly for ourselves; but God is mighty, and acts valiantly for us, with jealousy and resolution, Isa 63:5,6. There is spirit, as well as strength, in all God's operations for his people. And, when God's right hand does valiantly for our salvation, it ought to be exalted in our praises. Thirdly, Of his life (Ps 118:17): "I shall not die by the hands of my enemies that seek my life, but live and declare the works of the Lord; I shall live a monument of God's mercy and power; his works shall be declared in me, and I will make it the business of my life to praise and magnify God, looking upon that as the end of my preservation." Note, It is not worth while to live for any other purpose than to declare the works of God, for his honour and the encouragement of others to serve him and trust in him. Such as these were the triumphs of the Son of David in the assurance he had of the success of his undertaking and that the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand.
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David Triumphs in God; The Humiliation and Exaltation of the Messiah
繁體中文
大衛因神誇勝；彌賽亞的降卑與高舉
¹⁹ 給我敞開義門；我要進去，並要稱謝耶和華。 ²⁰ 這是耶和華的門，義人要進入。 ²¹ 我要稱謝你，因為你已經聽允我，又成了我的拯救。 ²² 匠人所棄的石頭，已成了房角的頭塊石頭。 ²³ 這是耶和華所作的，在我們眼中看為希奇。 ²⁴ 這是耶和華所定的日子；我們要在其中歡喜快樂。 ²⁵ 耶和華啊，求你拯救；耶和華啊，求你使我們亨通。 ²⁶ 奉耶和華名來的是應當稱頌的；我們從耶和華的殿中為你們祝福。 ²⁷ 耶和華是神，祂光照了我們；理當用繩索把祭牲拴住，牽到壇角那裏。 ²⁸ 你是我的神，我要稱謝你；你是我的神，我要尊崇你。 ²⁹ 你們要稱謝耶和華，因祂本為善；祂的慈愛永遠長存。
我們在這裏看到關乎我們主耶穌降卑與高舉、祂的受苦和隨後的榮耀的一個光輝的預言。彼得把它直接應用於祭司長和文士，他們中沒有一個人能指控他誤用了這經文（徒 4:11）。如今請在此觀察，
一、這寶貴預言前面的引言（詩 118:19-21）。1. 詩人渴望進入神的聖所，在那裏慶祝那奉主名而來之者的榮耀：「給我敞開義門。」殿門所以這樣被稱呼，因為它們對未受割禮的人是關閉的，又禁止外人就近，正如那裏所獻的祭被稱為義祭（申 33:19）一樣。那些要在聖潔的典章中與神相交的人，必須謙卑地向神求准許進入。而當義門向我們敞開之時，我們必須進去——必須進入至聖所，進到我們所蒙准許的地步，並稱謝耶和華。我們在神門內的職事就是讚美神；所以我們當渴望天門向我們敞開，好叫我們得以進去，住在上面的神的殿中，在那裏我們要不斷讚美祂。2. 他看見准許已經賜給他（詩 118:20）：「這是耶和華的門」——祂所指定的門——「義人要進入」；他彷彿說：「你所叩的那門已經開了，你是受歡迎的。叩門，就給你們開門。」（太 7:7）有人把這門領會為基督，我們藉著祂得以與神相交，我們的讚美也藉著祂蒙悅納；祂就是道路；若不藉著祂，沒有人能到父那裏去（約 14:6）；祂是羊的門（約 10:9）；祂是殿門，義人——也只有義人——藉著祂，並且唯獨藉著祂，才得以進入，並進入神的義之中，正如詩 69:27 所說的那樣。詩人因發現那久已關閉、久已叩過的義門如今終於開了而歡欣。3. 他應許要為這恩惠稱謝神（詩 118:21）：*「我要稱謝你。」*那些在如此遙遠的距離看見基督之日的人，都看見了理由為這前景稱謝神；因為在祂裏面，他們看見神已經聽允了他們——聽允了舊約聖徒為彌賽亞來臨所作的禱告——並且要成為他們的拯救。
二、這預言本身（詩 118:22-23）。這或許可指大衛的高升；他是掃羅和他臣僕所棄的石頭，卻因神奇妙的護理被升為建築的房角石。但它主要是指基督；這裏我們看到，1. 祂的降卑。祂就是*「匠人所棄的石頭」；祂就是那塊「非人手鑿出來的石頭」（但 2:34）。祂是石頭——不僅為著力量、堅固、和持久，更為著生命，是在屬靈的殿宇建造之中；而且是寶石*（彼前 2:6），因為福音教會的根基必須是藍寶石（賽 54:11）。這石頭被匠人——猶太的官長和百姓（徒 4:8-11）——所棄；他們不肯認祂為那石頭，就是所應許的彌賽亞；他們不肯把信心建造在祂上面，也不肯與祂聯合；他們不肯利用祂，卻繼續在他們的建造中不要祂而前行；他們在彼拉多面前棄絕了祂（徒 3:13），說：「除了凱撒，我們沒有王。」（約 19:15）他們踐踏了這石頭，把它扔在城外的垃圾之中；不但如此，他們還絆跌在它上面。這對基督是羞辱，卻證明了那些如此輕看祂之人的毀滅。棄絕基督的人，必被神棄絕。2. 祂的高舉。祂*「已成了房角的頭塊石頭」——被升到尊榮和功用的最高程度，在一切之上，又在一切之中。祂是根基中的房角石，猶太人和外邦人在祂裏面聯合，好被建造成為一個聖潔的殿（弗 2:20）。祂是頂角石頭，建築在祂裏面得以完成，而祂必在凡事上居首位，正如「我們信心的創始者和成終者」（來 12:2）。神「這樣高地舉起了祂，因為祂自己卑微」（腓 2:8-9）；我們既照神的計謀而行，就當以祂為我們盼望的根基、我們合一的中心、和我們生活的目標。「我活著就是基督。」（腓 1:21）3. 神在這一切之中的手：「這是耶和華所作的」——這是出於主的，是憑著主的，是祂謀略的產品，是祂的計謀。主耶穌的降卑和高舉都是祂的工作（徒 2:23，4:27-28）。祂差遣了祂，印證了祂；祂的手在祂整個事業中與祂同去，從頭到尾祂都行了父的旨意；而這當在我們眼中看為希奇*。基督的名為奇妙（賽 9:6）；而祂所成就的救贖是神一切奇事之工中最令人驚奇的；這是天使願意詳細察看的事（彼前 1:12），且要永遠驚奇；我們更當驚奇，因為我們的一切都歸功於它。「大哉，敬虔的奧祕」（提前 3:16）。
三、這預言所引起的喜樂，並伴隨它的歡呼。
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願這日子以極大的喜樂分別為聖歸給神的尊榮（詩 118:24）：「這是耶和華所定的日子。」整個福音施行的時期——那悅納的時候、那拯救的日子（林後 6:2）——是主所定的；這是一個持續的節期，當以喜樂來守。或者它很可領會為基督徒的安息日——我們為記念基督復活而守為聖的，那時被棄的石頭開始被高舉；這樣，（1）這裏有基督徒安息日的道理：「這是耶和華所定的日子」——祂使之為可記念的、使之為聖的、使之與別的日子有別；祂是為人設立的（可 2:27）：所以稱為主日，因為它帶著祂的形象和名號。（2）安息日的本分，就是當在祂的日子所當作的那日的工作：「我們要在其中歡喜快樂」——不僅為日子的設立而歡喜——竟有這樣的日子被指定——更為它的緣故而歡喜，就是基督成了房角的頭塊石頭。我們當以這兩者為祂的尊榮和我們的益處而歡喜。安息日當是喜樂的日子，這樣它對我們就如同天上的日子。請看我們所事奉的是何等良善的主人，祂既設立了一日為祂的事奉，就指定這日要在聖潔的喜樂中度過。
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願那被高舉的救贖主蒙人迎接，並以喜樂的和散那伴隨（詩 118:25-26）。（1）願祂得著百姓的歡呼，正如君王登基時常有的那樣。願祂每一個忠心的臣民都歡呼喜樂：「耶和華啊，求你拯救！」這如同Vivat rex——願王萬歲，表達了對祂登基的衷心喜樂、對祂治理的完全滿意，以及對祂的權益和尊榮的熱切愛慕。和散那的意思是：求你如今拯救我。[1.]「主啊，求你拯救我；讓這位救主作我的救主，並為此讓祂作我的主宰；讓我被置於祂的保護之下，並被承認為祂甘心臣民中的一個。祂的仇敵就是我的仇敵；主啊，求你拯救我脫離他們。賜我一分祂的國度帶給一切接受它之人的亨通。願我的靈魂亨通強健，得享祂的統治所帶來的平安和公義（詩 72:3）。願我得勝那些與我靈魂爭戰的私慾，並願神的恩典在我心中不斷征服勝利。」[2.]「主啊，求你保全祂——甚至保全救主自己，並在祂一切事業上賜祂亨通；賜福祂的福音使之亨通，使它藉著神大有能力，拆毀堅固的營壘，並使靈魂歸順於祂。願祂的名為聖，願祂的國降臨，願祂的旨意行在地上如同行在天上。」這樣，「願人常常為祂禱告」（詩 72:15）。在主日，當我們在祂的國中歡喜快樂之時，我們必須為這國度越發增進而禱告，並為其在魔鬼國度的廢墟上得以堅立而禱告。當基督公開進入耶路撒冷之時，祂就是這樣被祂的好意者所迎接（太 21:9）：「和散那歸於大衛的子孫！」——願耶穌王萬歲；願祂永遠作王。（2）願祭司——主的使者——在這大莊嚴的典禮中盡他們的份（詩 118:26）。[1.] 願他們以讚美祝福君王：「奉耶和華名來的是應當稱頌的。」耶穌基督就是那要來者——ho erchomenos——那曾要來、並還要再來的（啟 1:8）。祂奉耶和華的名而來——帶著從祂而來的委任，為祂行事，行祂的旨意，求祂的榮耀；所以我們必須說：「奉主名來的是應當稱頌的」；我們要因祂已來到而歡喜；我們要述說祂的美善、驚奇祂、並極高地尊重祂，當作我們永遠虧欠於祂的那一位，稱祂為有福的耶穌——永遠有福（詩 45:2）。我們必須歡迎祂進入我們的心中，說：「進來罷，你這蒙耶和華賜福的；憑你的恩典和聖靈進來，並為你自己佔有我。」我們必須祝福祂那些奉祂的名而來的忠心使者，並為祂的緣故接待他們（賽 52:7；約 13:20）。我們必須為祂教會的擴展和造就禱告，為祂第二次再來使萬事成熟而禱告，並求那曾說*「是了，我必快來」的主，「就这样來罷」（啟 22:20）。[2.] 願他們以禱告祝福百姓：「我們從耶和華的殿中為你們祝福。」基督的使者不但有權柄，更受託付奉祂的名，向一切愛祂和祂的國度之忠心臣民宣告祝福（弗 6:24）。我們向你們保證，在耶穌基督裏面、並藉著祂，你們是蒙福的；因為祂來是要祝福你們。「你們從耶和華的殿中*蒙福，這就是說，在天上各樣屬靈的福氣裏蒙福（弗 1:3），所以有理由稱頌那這樣賜福你們的主。」
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願感謝祭獻給那為我們獻上大贖罪祭的主，以歸尊榮給祂（詩 118:27）。這裏有，（1）我們因耶穌基督所得的特權：「耶和華是神，祂光照了我們。」神是耶和華——以那名被人認識——是一位成就祂所應許、成全祂所開始的神（出 6:3）。「祂光照了我們」，這就是說，祂賜了我們認識祂和祂旨意的知識。祂向我們照耀（照有人所說）；祂恩待了我們，向我們仰起祂臉上的光；祂賜了我們喜樂歡欣的緣由——這對靈魂就是光——藉著給我們看見天上永遠之光的指望。「耶和華所定的日子」帶著光來，是真光。（2）這特權所要求的本分：「理當用繩索把祭牲拴住，牽到壇角那裏」——就是宰殺之後，照著律法把它的血灑在壇角上；或者或許這是當時的慣例（雖然我們在別處沒有讀到），就是在預備宰殺之時，用繩索把祭牲拴在壇角上。或者這裏有特別的意義：我們為救贖之愛感恩所要獻給神的祭，是我們自己——不是要在壇上宰殺，而是作活祭（羅 12:1）——拴在壇上，就是禱告和讚美的屬靈祭物，在其中我們的心必須固定而投入，正如祭牲被繩索拴在壇角上，不可退縮。
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詩人以他自己對神恩典感恩的承認來結束，並在其中呼召別人與他一同有分（詩 118:28-29）。（1）他要自己讚美神，並竭力在自己心中和別人心中高舉祂，這是因著他與神立約的關係和在祂裏面的權益：「你是我的神」——我所倚靠的、我所獻身的、那承認我又為我所承認的主——「所以我要稱謝你。」（2）他要叫周圍一切的人都為這關乎萬民大喜的好信息——就是有一位救贖主、就是主基督——向神獻上感謝。在祂裏面，神本為善地對待人，祂的慈愛永遠長存；在祂裏面，恩典之約得以訂立；在祂裏面，這約得以確定、得以兌現、並成為永遠的約。他這樣結束本詩，正如他開始之時那樣（詩 118:1），因為神的榮耀必須是我們一切向祂禱告的阿拉法和俄梅戛——始與終。「願你的名為聖」，「榮耀全是你的。」而這恰好關閉了一個關乎基督的預言。天使為人的救贖獻上感謝：「在至高之處榮耀歸與神」（路 2:14），因為在地上有平安——對此我們必須以我們的和散那來回應，正如他們所行的（路 19:38）。藉著基督，天上有平安歸與我們，所以在至高之處有榮耀。
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David Triumphs in God; The Humiliation and Exaltation of the Messiah
¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
²⁰ This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
²¹ I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
²² The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
²³ This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵ Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
²⁶ Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
²⁷ God is the LORD, which hath showed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
²⁸ Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
²⁹ O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
We have here an illustrious prophecy of the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord Jesus, his sufferings, and the glory that should follow. Peter thus applies it directly to the chief priests and scribes, and none of them could charge him with misapplying it, Ac 4:11. Now observe here,
I. The preface with which this precious prophecy is introduced, Ps 118:19-21. 1. The psalmist desires admission into the sanctuary of God, there to celebrate the glory of him that cometh in the name of the Lord: Open to me the gates of righteousness. So the temple-gates are called, because they were shut against the uncircumcised, and forbade the stranger to come nigh, as the sacrifices there offered are called sacrifices of righteousness. Those that would enter into communion with God in holy ordinances must become humble suitors to God for admission. And when the gates of righteousness are opened to us we must go into them, must enter into the holiest, as far as we have leave, and praise the Lord. Our business within God's gates is to praise God; therefore we should long till the gates of heaven be opened to us, that we may go into them to dwell in God's house above, where we shall be still praising him. 2. He sees admission granted him (Ps 118:20): This is the gate of the Lord, the gate of his appointing, into which the righteous shall enter; as if he had said, "The gate you knocked at is opened, and you are welcome. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Some by this gate understand Christ, by whom we are taken into fellowship with God and our praises are accepted; he is the way; there is no coming to the Father but by him (Joh 14:6), he is the door of the sheep (Joh 10:9); he is the gate of the temple, by whom, and by whom only, the righteous, and they only, shall enter, and come into God's righteousness, as the expression is, Ps 69:27. The psalmist triumphs in the discovery that the gate of righteousness, which had been so long shut, and so long knocked at, was now at length opened. 3. He promises to give thanks to God for this favour (Ps 118:21): I will praise thee. Those that saw Christ's day at so great a distance saw cause to praise God for the prospect; for in him they saw that God had heard them, had heard the prayers of the Old-Testament saints for the coming of the Messiah, and would be their salvation.
II. The prophecy itself, Ps 118:22,23. This may have some reference to David's preferment; he was the stone which Saul and his courtiers rejected, but was by the wonderful providence of God advanced to be the headstone of the building. But its principal reference is to Christ; and here we have, 1. His humiliation. He is the stone which the builders refused; he is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, Da 2:34. He is a stone, not only for strength, and firmness, and duration, but for life, in the building of the spiritual temple; and yet a precious stone (1Pe 2:6), for the foundation of the gospel-church must be sapphires, Isa 54:11. This stone was rejected by the builders, by the rulers and people of the Jews (Ac 4:8,10,11); they refused to own him as the stone, the Messiah promised; they would not build their faith upon him nor join themselves to him; they would make no use of him, but go on in their building without him; they denied him in the presence of Pilate (Ac 3:13) when they said, We have no king but Cæsar. They trampled upon this stone, threw it among the rubbish out of the city; nay, they stumbled at it. This was a disgrace to Christ, but it proved the ruin of those that thus made light of him. Rejecters of Christ are rejected of God. 2. His exaltation. He has become the headstone of the corner; he is advanced to the highest degree both of honour and usefulness, to be above all, and all in all. He is the chief corner-stone in the foundation, in whom Jew and Gentile are united, that they may be built up one holy house. He is the chief top-stone in the corner, in whom the building is completed, and who must in all things have the pre-eminence, as the author and finisher of our faith. Thus highly has God exalted him, because he humbled himself; and we, in compliance with God's design, must make him the foundation of our hope, the centre of our unity, and the end of our living. To me to live is Christ. 3. The hand of God in all this: This is the Lord's doing; it is from the Lord; it is with the Lord; it is the product of his counsel; it is his contrivance. Both the humiliation and the exaltation of the Lord Jesus were his work, Ac 2:23,4:27,28. He sent him, sealed him; his hand went with him throughout his whole undertaking, and from first to last he did his Father's will; and this ought to be marvellous in our eyes. Christ's name is Wonderful; and the redemption he wrought out is the most amazing of all God's works of wonder; it is what the angels desire to look into, and will be admiring to eternity; much more ought we to admire it, who owe our all to it. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.
III. The joy wherewith it is entertained and the acclamations which attend this prediction.
1. Let the day be solemnized to the honour of God with great joy (Ps 118:24): This is the day the Lord has made. The whole time of the gospel-dispensation, that accepted time, that day of salvation, is what the Lord has made so; it is a continual feast, which ought to be kept with joy. Or it may very fitly be understood of the Christian sabbath, which we sanctify in remembrance of Christ's resurrection, when the rejected stone began to be exalted; and so, (1.) Here is the doctrine of the Christian sabbath: It is the day which the Lord has made, has made remarkable, made holy, has distinguished from other days; he has made it for man: it is therefore called the Lord's day, for it bears his image and superscription. (2.) The duty of the sabbath, the work of the day that is to be done in his day: We will rejoice and be glad in it, not only in the institution of the day, that there is such a day appointed, but in the occasion of it, Christ's becoming the head of the corner. This we ought to rejoice in both as his honour and our advantage. Sabbath days must be rejoicing days, and then they are to us as the days of heaven. See what a good Master we serve, who, having instituted a day for his service, appoints it to be spent in holy joy.
2. Let the exalted Redeemer be met, and attended, with joyful hosannas, Ps 118:25,26.
(1.) Let him have the acclamations of the people, as is usual at the inauguration of a prince. Let every one of his loyal subjects shout for joy, Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord! This is like Vivat rex—Long live the king, and expresses a hearty joy for his accession to the crown, an entire satisfaction in his government, and a zealous affection to the interests and honour of it. Hosanna signifies, Save now, I beseech thee. [1.] "Lord, save me, I beseech thee; let this Saviour be my Saviour, and, in order to that, my ruler; let me be taken under his protection and owned as one of his willing subjects. His enemies are my enemies; Lord, I beseech thee, save me from them. Send me an interest in that prosperity which his kingdom brings with it to all those that entertain it. Let my soul prosper and be in health, in that peace and righteousness which his government brings, Ps 72:3. Let me have victory over those lusts that war against my soul, and let divine grace go on in my heart conquering and to conquer." [2.] "Lord, preserve him, I beseech thee, even the Saviour himself, and send him prosperity in all his undertakings; give success to his gospel, and let it be mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strong-holds and reducing souls to their allegiance to him. Let his name be sanctified, his kingdom come, his will be done." Thus let prayer be made for him continually, Ps 72:15. On the Lord's day, when we rejoice and are glad in his kingdom, we must pray for the advancement of it more and more, and its establishment upon the ruins of the devil's kingdom. When Christ made his public entry into Jerusalem he was thus met by his well-wishers (Mt 21:9): Hosanna to the Son of David; long live King Jesus; let him reign for ever.
(2.) Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, do their part in this great solemnity, Ps 118:26. [1.] Let them bless the prince with their praises: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Jesus Christ is he that cometh—ho erchomenos, he that was to come and is yet to come again, Re 1:8. He comes in the name of the Lord, with a commission from him, to act for him, to do his will and to seek his glory; and therefore we must say, Blessed be he that cometh; we must rejoice that he has come; we must speak well of him, admire him, and esteem him highly, as one we are eternally obliged to, call him blessed Jesus, blessed for ever, Ps 45:2. We must bid him welcome into our hearts, saying, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; come in by thy grace and Spirit, and take possession of me for thy own." We must bless his faithful ministers that come in his name, and receive them for his sake, Isa 52:7, Joh 13:20. We must pray for the enlargement and edification of his church, for the ripening of things for his second coming, and then that he who has said, Surely I come quickly, would even so come. [2.] Let them bless the people with their prayers: We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Christ's ministers are not only warranted, but appointed to pronounce a blessing, in his name, upon all his loyal subjects that love him and his government in sincerity, Eph 6:24. We assure you that in and through Jesus Christ you are blessed; for he came to bless you. "You are blessed out of the house of the Lord, that is, with spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph 1:3), and therefore have reason to bless him who has thus blessed you."
3. Let sacrifices of thanksgiving be offered to his honour who offered for us the great atoning sacrifice, Ps 118:27. Here is, (1.) The privilege we enjoy by Jesus Christ: God is the Lord who has shown us light. God is Jehovah, is known by that name, a God performing what he has promised and perfecting what he has begun, Ex 6:3. He has shown us light, that is, he has given us the knowledge of himself and his will. He has shined upon us (so some); he has favoured us, and lifted up upon us the light of his countenance; he has given us occasion for joy and rejoicing, which is light to the soul, by giving us a prospect of everlasting light in heaven. The day which the Lord has made brings light with it, true light. (2.) The duty which this privilege calls for: Bind the sacrifice with cords, that, being killed, the blood of it may be sprinkled upon the horns of the altar, according to the law; or perhaps it was the custom (though we read not of it elsewhere) to bind the sacrifice to the horns of the altar while things were getting ready for the slaying of it. Or this may have a peculiar significancy here; the sacrifice we are to offer to God, in gratitude for redeeming love, is ourselves, not to be slain upon the altar, but living sacrifices (Ro 12:1), to be bound to the altar, spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, in which our hearts must be fixed and engaged, as the sacrifice was bound with cords to the horns of the altar, not to start back.
4. The psalmist concludes with his own thankful acknowledgments of divine grace, in which he calls upon others to join with him, Ps 118:28,29. (1.) He will praise God himself, and endeavour to exalt him in his own heart and in the hearts of others, and this because of his covenant-relation to him and interest in him: "Thou art my God, on whom I depend, and to whom I am devoted, who ownest me and art owned by me; and therefore I will praise thee." (2.) He will have all about him to give thanks to God for these glad tidings of great joy to all people, that there is a Redeemer, even Christ the Lord. In him it is that God is good to man and that his mercy endures for ever; in him the covenant of grace is made, and in him it is made sure, made good, and made an everlasting covenant. He concludes this psalm as he began it (Ps 118:1), for God's glory must be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, of all our addresses to him. Hallowed by thy name, and thine is the glory. And this fitly closes a prophecy of Christ. The angels give thanks for man's redemption. Glory to God in the highest (Lu 2:14), for there is on earth peace, to which we must echo with our hosannas, as they did, Lu 19:38. Peace in heaven to us through Christ, and therefore glory in the highest.
本篇可能是大衛在經過許多波折、終於渡過難關、完全得着那他曾受膏所要得之國度時所寫。他於是邀請並激發他的朋友們與他聯合，不僅喜樂地承認神的良善、並喜樂地為將來信靠那良善，更以信心期望所應許的彌賽亞——他的國度與他被高舉得國，都是彌賽亞的預表。先知在本篇後半，確實是為這位彌賽亞作見證。基督自己也將本篇應用於自己（太二一42），而本篇前半也可恰當而無牽強地應用於祂與祂的工作。有人認為本篇最初是為約櫃運到大衛城之莊嚴典禮而作的，後來在住棚節時歌唱。在其中：一、大衛呼召周圍所有的人，將神良善的榮耀歸給祂（詩一一八1-4）。二、他因自己對神的大能與憐憫的經歷——神為他行了何等大而善的事——而鼓勵自己和別人信靠神（詩一一八5-8）。三、他為自己得以升上寶座而感恩，因那是基督高舉的預表（詩一一八19-23）。四、百姓、祭司與詩人自己，都在救贖主國度的展望中歡呼（詩一一八24-29）。我們唱這詩時，必須因神的良善——祂向我們所施的良善，尤其是祂在耶穌基督裏向我們所施的良善——而榮耀神。