서론
无标题
简体中文
英文原文
This and divers of the psalms that follow it seem to have been penned by David for the service of the church in their solemn feasts, and not upon any particular occasion. This is a psalm of praise. The title of it is "Hallelujah—Praise you the Lord," intimating that we must address ourselves to the use of this psalm with hearts disposed to praise God. It is composed alphabetically, each sentence beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order exactly, two sentences to each verse, and three a piece to the last two. The psalmist, exhorting to praise God, I. Sets himself for an example, Ps 111:1. II. Furnishes us with matter for praise from the works of God. 1. The greatness of his works and the glory of them. 2. The righteousness of them. 3. The goodness of them. 4. The power of them. 5. The conformity of them to his word of promise. 6. The perpetuity of them. These observations are intermixed, Ps 111:2-9. III. He recommends the holy fear of God, and conscientious obedience to his commands, as the most acceptable way of praising God, Ps 111:10.
1-5
The Excellence of the Divine Works
简体中文
神作为的卓越
¹ 你们要赞美耶和华。我要在正直人的大会中，并在大会里，一心称谢耶和华。
² 耶和华的作为本为大，凡喜爱的都必考究。
³ 他所行的是尊荣和威严，他的公义存到永远。
⁴ 他行了奇事，使人记念；耶和华有恩惠，有怜悯。
⁵ 他赐粮食给敬畏他的人，他必永远记念他的约。
本篇题为「哈利路亚」，因此诗人（正如每位作者所当做的）紧贴题目，不离本题。
一、他决意自己要赞美神（诗111:1）。我们号召别人去尽的本分，也当责成自己、激励自己去尽；不仅如此，无论别人如何——愿不愿赞美神——我们和我们的一家都当定意如此行，我们和我们的心都当如此；因为诗人此处所立的志向正是：「我要一心称谢耶和华。」我的心、我的全心既已奉献归于他的尊荣，就当用以从事这一事工；并且要在「正直人的秘密」之中、在以色列的「大会」之中如此行。注意，我们当在私下和公开、在较小的和较大的聚会中、在自己的家中和在耶和华殿的院内，都赞美神；但在两处之中，与那甘心乐意同心的正直人一同赞美，最为舒适。敬虔的私下聚会当与更公开、人数更杂的聚会一同维持。
二、他将「耶和华的作为」推荐给我们，作为我们赞美他时默想的合宜题目——他向世人、向教会、向各人所施的护理作为。1. 神的作为极其宏伟，与他自己一样大；其中毫无卑微琐碎之处：它们是无限智慧与大能的产物，我们当在尚未进一步查究之先，便在初见之下如此断言：「耶和华的作为本为大」（诗111:2）。其中有所令人惊奇之处，使我们肃然起敬。「耶和华一切的作为」被作为一件来论（诗111:3）：「他所行的」——护理的美与和谐如此美好，其一切作为都奇妙地归于一旨；曾有人向轮子呼喊：「轮中套轮！」（结10:13）。综而观之，它是「尊荣和威严」的，与他相称。2. 它们使好问之人既得娱乐又得操练——「凡喜爱的都必考究」。注意，（1）凡真心爱神的人，都喜悦他的作为，凡他所行的都以为善；他们心思所乐意停留的题目，莫过于神的作为，并且这些作为越深思，越叫人得着可喜的惊奇。（2）凡以神作为为乐的人，不会满足于浮浅一瞥，必殷勤查究、细心观察。研读自然史与政治史时，我们都当以此为念，要发现神作为的伟大与荣耀。（3）这些神的作为，凡谦卑殷勤寻求的，必「被寻见」——「寻求的就必寻见」（有人如此读）；「凡喜爱的都寻得见」，或说在一切部分、设计、旨意和各样的相关之事上都寻得见（哈蒙德博士所言），因为「耶和华与敬畏他的人亲密」（诗25:14）。3. 它们全然公义圣洁：「他的公义存到永远。」凡他所行的，他从未、也永远不会向他所造的任何受造物行不义；正因其中的公义长存，所以他的作为「存到永远」（传3:14）。4. 它们可钦可记，当记在册上、留为档案。我们所行的许多事，琐碎得不值一提、不值再述；最大的恩待就是把它忘掉。但神的作为却当留意，当为之留记（诗111:4）。「他行了奇事，使人记念」——他行了那配得记念之事、不能不令人记念之事，并设立了方式方法，使其中一些得以永志不忘，如他以逾越节使以色列人出埃及之事永被记念。「他以奇事为自己设立记念」（有人如此读）；见赛63:10。「他用荣耀的膀臂所行的，为自己得了永远的名。」5. 它们满有恩慈。在其中主显明他「有恩惠，有怜悯」。论到创造的作为、论到护理的作为，我们都当说：它们不仅都极其伟大，更都极其美好。哈蒙德博士认为，这正是神借奇事为自己所作的名，与他在西奈向摩西所宣告的相同：「主神是有恩惠、有怜悯的」（出34:6）。神赦免罪，是他一切作为中最奇妙的一件，当记念以归荣耀给他。他「赐粮食给敬畏他的人」（诗111:5），这是他恩惠与怜悯进一步的明证。他赐给他们日用的饮食、合宜的食物；他借着寻常的护理赐给别人也是如此，但赐给敬畏他的人，却是照着约、照着应许而赐，因为下文说：「他必永远记念他的约」；因此他们能在寻常的怜悯中尝到约的爱。有人将此归于神在旷野中以吗哪喂养以色列民之事，有人归于他们出埃及时从埃及人所得的掠物——按着应许他们带着许多财物出来（创15:14）。神「打碎了利维坦的头」时，就把他「给旷野的民为食物」（诗74:14）。「他赐给敬畏他的人掳物」（旁注如此译），不仅喂养他们，更使他们富足，使他们的仇敌成为他们的掳物。6. 它们是他将按应许而行的凭据：「他必永远记念他的约」，因为他向来如此；正如他从未，也永不使约的一笔一画落空。虽然神的百姓有他们的软弱，常常忘记他的诫命，他「却必永远记念他的约」。
英文原文
The Excellence of the Divine Works
¹ Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
² The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
³ His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
⁴ He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
⁵ He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
The title of the psalm being Hallelujah, the psalmist (as every author ought to have) has an eye to his title, and keeps to his text.
I. He resolves to praise God himself, Ps 111:1. What duty we call others to we must oblige and excite ourselves to; nay, whatever others do, whether they will praise God or no, we and our houses must determine to do it, we and our hearts; for such is the psalmist's resolution here: I will praise the Lord with my whole heart. My heart, my whole heart, being devoted to his honour, shall be employed in this work; and this in the assembly, or secret, of the upright, in the cabinet-council, and in the congregation of Israelites. Note, We must praise God both in private and in public, in less and greater assemblies, in our own families and in the courts of the Lord's house; but in both it is most comfortable to do it in concert with the upright, who will heartily join in it. Private meetings for devotion should be kept up as well as more public and promiscuous assemblies.
II. He recommends to us the works of the Lord as the proper subject of our meditations when we are praising him—the dispensations of his providence towards the world, towards the church, and towards particular persons. 1. God's works are very magnificent, great like himself; there is nothing in them that is mean or trifling: they are the products of infinite wisdom and power, and we must say this upon the first view of them, before we come to enquire more particularly into them, that the works of the Lord are great, Ps 111:2. There is something in them surprising, and that strikes an awe upon us. All the works of the Lord are spoken of as one (Ps 111:3); it is his work, such is the beauty and harmony of Providence and so admirably do all its dispensations centre in one design; it was cried to the wheels, O wheel! Eze 10:13. Take all together, and it is honourable and glorious, and such as becomes him. 2. They are entertaining and exercising to the inquisitive—sought out of all those that have pleasure therein. Note, (1.) All that truly love God have pleasure in his works, and reckon all well that he does; nor do their thoughts dwell upon any subject with more delight than on the works of God, which the more they are looked into the more they give us of a pleasing surprise. (2.) Those that have pleasure in the works of God will not take up with a superficial transient view of them, but will diligently search into them and observe them. In studying both natural and political history we should have this in our eye, to discover the greatness and glory of God's works. (3.) These works of God, that are humbly and diligently sought into, shall be sought out; those that seek shall find (so some read); they are found of all those that have pleasure in them, or found in all their parts, designs, purposes, and several concernments (so Dr. Hammond), for the secret of the Lord is with those that fear him, Ps 25:14. 3. They are all justly and holy; His righteousness endures for ever. Whatever he does, he never did, nor ever will do, any wrong to any of his creatures; and therefore his works endure for ever (Ec 3:14) because the righteousness of them endures. 4. They are admirable and memorable, fit to be registered and kept on record. Much that we do is so trifling that it is not fit to be spoken of or told again; the greatest kindness is to forget it. But notice is to be taken of God's works, and an account to be kept of them (Ps 111:4). He has made his wonderful works to be remembered; he has done that which is worthy to be remembered, which cannot but be remembered, and he has instituted ways and means for the keeping of some of them in remembrance, as the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by the passover. He has made himself a memorial by his wonderful works (so some read it); see Isa 63:10. By that which God did with his glorious arm he made himself an everlasting name. 5. They are very kind. In them the Lord shows that he is gracious and full of compassion. As of the works of creation, so of the works of providence, we must say, They are not only all very great, but all very good. Dr. Hammond takes this to be the name which God has made to himself by his wonderful works, the same with that which he proclaimed to Moses, The Lord God is gracious and merciful, Ex 24:6. God's pardoning sin is the most wonderful of all his works and which ought to be remembered to his glory. It is a further instance of his grace and compassion that he has given meat to those that fear him, Ps 111:5. He gives them their daily bread, food convenient for them; so he does to others by common providence, but to those that fear him he gives it by covenant and in pursuance of the promise, for it follows, He will be ever mindful of his covenant; so that they can taste covenant-love even in common mercies. Some refer this to the manna with which God fed his people Israel in the wilderness, others to the spoil they got from the Egyptians when they came out with great substance, according to the promise, Ge 15:14. When God broke the heads of leviathan he gave him to be meat to his people, Ps 74:14. He has given prey to those that fear him (so the margin has it), not only fed them, but enriched them, and given their enemies to be a prey to them. 6. They are earnests of what he will do, according to his promise: He will ever be mindful of his covenant, for he has ever been so; and, as he never did, so he never will, let one jot or tittle of it fall to the ground. Though God's people have their infirmities, and are often unmindful of his commands, yet he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6-10
The Happiness of the Righteous
简体中文
义人的福乐
⁶ 他向百姓显出他作为的权能，为要将列国的产业赐给他们。
⁷ 他手所行的，是诚实公平；他的一切训词都是确实的，
⁸ 是永永远远坚定的，是按真实正直设立的。
⁹ 他向百姓施行救赎；他命定他的约，直到永远；他的名圣而可畏。
¹⁰ 敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端；凡遵行他命令的是聪明人。耶和华是永远当赞美的。
我们在此受教当归荣耀与神：
一、为他向他的百姓——他的百姓以色列——无论古时近来所成就的大事：他向百姓显出他作为的权能（诗 111:6）——在他为他们所行的事上显出；他屡次证明了他的无所不能，向他们显明了他所能作的，并证明在他没有难成的事。这里特别提到两件，以表明他作为的权能：1. 神把迦南地赐给以色列为业，为要将列国的产业赐给他们——或说在将列国的产业赐给他们之时。这在约书亚的时代行了，那时七族被制伏；在大卫的时代也行了，那时四围列国许多都臣服于以色列，向大卫进贡。神在此显出他的主权——随意处置列国；又显出他的大能——成就他的处置。神若要使列国的产业成为以色列的产业，谁能控告他的谋略，或阻挡他的手呢？2. 他为百姓所行的许多拯救——当他们因自己的罪孽将自己卖于仇敌之手时（诗 111:9）：他向百姓施行救赎——不但起初救他们出埃及，后来也屡次如此；这些救赎都是那在时候满足时由主耶稣所成全之伟大救赎的预表，就是那在耶路撒冷许多人所等候的救赎。
二、为他话语和他作为二者之稳固，使我们确信他必为他们成就大事。1. 神所作过的，永不被废。他自己不废，人与魔鬼也不能废（诗 111:7）：他手所行的，是诚实公平（诗 111:8），就是说，它们是按真实正直设立的；他所行的，无不与公义永恒的法则与理据相合，无不照着他智慧的谋略与他旨意的定规而行，无不妥善，因此无可改无可改无可增减；他的作为是稳固而不变的。我们从他作为的开头，便可信靠他必将之完全；合宜而作的工作必能长存，既不至于衰残，也不在加于其上的压力之下塌陷。2. 神所说过的，永不收回：他的一切训词都是确实的——都是正直的，所以都是稳固的。他的旨意——他行动的法则——都必得着成就：他岂说过而不成全吗？他必成全；他无论命光或命暗，都照他所命而成。他的诫命——我们行动的法则——毫无疑问是公正良善的，因此是不变不可废的；他的应许和警诫都是确实的，都必应验；人的不信不能使二者归于无效。它们既已立定，就永永远远坚定，圣经也不能废弃。智慧的神从不会被引出新的计谋，也不必在律法或护理上另采新的措施。一切都如一切所行的，是在真实正直之中说出来的，所以是不变的。人的愚妄与虚谎使他们在他们一切所行的道上都不稳定；但无限的智慧与真实，永远排除了反悔与撤回：*他命定他的约，直到永远。*神的约是命定的，因为他立约之时，是以无可争辩的权柄命定我们当尽的本分，又命定我们所当期望的；他也以无可置疑的能力，成就他在约的福分中所应许的，以及他在约的咒诅中所警诫的（诗 105:8）。
三、为他在世人中设立并建立信仰。因他的名圣而可畏，敬畏他 是智慧的开端，所以他的赞美存到永远——就是说，他当受永远的赞美。1. 因为信仰的启示如此大大地归荣耀于他。请回顾他在他话语和他作为中所启示自己的一切，你就必看见，也必说：神是大的，是大可敬畏的；因为他的名是圣的，他无限的纯洁与正直显于他借以启示自己的一切之中；正因其为圣，所以是可畏的，当以圣洁的敬畏来思想并提说。请注意：凡圣的，便是可畏的；天使们在神面前以手遮脸，正是着眼于神的圣；而人之最大的尊荣，莫过于他的成圣。神在他圣所之中显为最可畏（诗 68:35；利 10:3）。2. 因为信仰的吩咐如此大大地有助于人的福乐。我们大有理由赞美神——这事安排得如此妥善：我们对他的敬畏和顺服，既是我们的本分，也是我们的益处。（1）我们对他敬畏是如此：敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端。我们理当敬畏神，因为他的名可畏，他的本性圣洁；这不仅合理，更是对我们有益的。它是智慧；它必指教我们如何按着合宜的方式说话行事——与自己相一致，又为着自己的益处。它是智慧之首——就是说（如我们所读的），它是智慧的开端。人不到开始敬畏神之时，便不能开始有智慧；一切真实的智慧都发源于真实的信仰，并以之为根基。或如有人所理解的，它是首要的智慧，是最卓越的，在尊贵上居首。敬拜神，并以他为我们的父和主归荣耀与他，这是首要的智慧，也是智慧之首。那些常在神圣洁敬畏的治理之下而行事的人，必处事得当。（2）我们对他的顺服是如此：凡遵行他命令的是聪明人。凡心中有耶和华敬畏之心治理之处，必对守他诫命存着恒久而谨严的心——不是谈论诫命，而是遵行诫命；这样的人便是聪明人——就是：〔1〕他们被人所了解得好；他们的顺服蒙恩悦纳，作为他们诚心敬畏神的明证。参箴 3:4：你便在神和世人眼前蒙恩宠，有聪明。凡谨守本分的人，纵然有错失，神与人也都看他们为存心善良，并加以赞许。凡诚心所谋的，必蒙悦纳。〔2〕他们自己所了解得好。第一，这是他们了解得好的记号。最顺服的人被看作是最聪明的人；那些以神的律为法则、凡事受其治理的人，最了解自己、最了解自己的益处。知道神的诫命并能博学地加以论述的人，大有聪明；但遵行诫命、照着而行的人，才有好的聪明。第二，这是进一步了解的途径：凡遵行的人便成为聪明人；敬畏耶和华与其中律法，给人好的聪明，能使人有得救的智慧。人若立志遵着他的旨意行，就必越来越清楚地知道基督的教训（约 7:17）。凡遵行的人尽都顺利（边注如此），正如约书亚若谨守遵行律法上一切所写的，所应许于他的。书 1:8：*这样，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事顺利。*我们大有理由赞美神——赞美他直到永远——因他已把人放在通向福乐这样美好的路上。有人将末后的话不是应用于善良的神，而是应用于那敬畏耶和华的善人：他的赞美存到永远。这赞美不是出于人，而是出于神（罗 2:29）；那出于神的赞美，在人的赞美枯萎消逝之后，仍存到永远。
英文原文
The Happiness of the Righteous
⁶ He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
⁷ The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
⁸ They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
⁹ He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
¹⁰ 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.
We are here taught to give glory to God,
I. For the great things he has done for his people, for his people Israel, of old and of late: He has shown his people the power of his works (Ps 111:6), in what he has wrought for them; many a time he has given proofs of his omnipotence, and shown them what he can do, and that there is nothing too hard for him to do. Two things are specified to show the power of his works:—1. The possession God gave to Israel in the land of Canaan, that he might give them, or in giving them, the heritage of the heathen. This he did in Joshua's time, when the seven nations were subdued, and in David's time, when the neighbouring nations were many of them brought into subjection to Israel and became tributaries to David. Herein God showed his sovereignty, in disposing of kingdoms as he pleases, and his might, in making good his disposals. If God will make the heritage of the heathen to be the heritage of Israel, who can either arraign his counsel or stay his hand? 2. The many deliverances which he wrought for his people when by their iniquities they had sold themselves into the hand of their enemies (Ps 111:9): He sent redemption unto his people, not only out of Egypt at first, but often afterwards; and these redemptions were typical of the great redemption which in the fulness of time was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus, that redemption in Jerusalem which so many waited for.
II. For the stability both of his word and of his works, which assure us of the great things he will do for them. 1. What God has done shall never be undone. He will not undo it himself, and men and devils cannot (Ps 111:7): The works of his hand are verity and judgment (Ps 111:8), that is, they are done in truth and uprightness; all he does is consonant to the eternal rules and reasons of equity, all according to the counsel of his wisdom and the purpose of his will, all well done and therefore there is nothing to be altered or amended, but his works are firm and unchangeable. Upon the beginning of his works we may depend for the perfecting of them; work that is done properly will last, will neither go to decay nor sink under the stress that is laid upon it. 2. What God has said shall never be unsaid: All his commandments are sure, all straight and therefore all steady. His purposes, the rule of his actions, shall all have their accomplishment: Has he spoken, and will he not make it good? No doubt he will; whether he commands light or darkness, it is done as he commands. His precepts, the rule of our actions, are unquestionably just and good, and therefore unchangeable and not to be repealed; his promises and threatenings are all sure, and will be made good; nor shall the unbelief of man make either the one or the other of no effect. They are established, and therefore they stand fast for ever and ever, and the scripture cannot be broken. The wise God is never put upon new counsels, nor obliged to take new measures, either in his laws or in his providences. All is said, as all is done, in truth and uprightness, and therefore it is immutable. Men's folly and falsehood make them unstable in all their ways, but infinite wisdom and truth for ever exclude retraction and revocation: He has commanded his covenant for ever. God's covenant is commanded, for he has made it as one that has an incontestable authority to prescribe both what we must do and what we must expect, and an unquestionable ability to perform both what he has promised in the blessings of the covenant and what he has threatened in the curses of it, Ps 105:8.
III. For the setting up and establishing of religion among men. Because holy and reverend is his name, and the fear of him is the beginning of wisdom, therefore his praise endureth for ever, that is, he is to be everlastingly praised. 1. Because the discoveries of religion tend so much to his honour. Review what he has made known of himself in his word and in his works, and you will see, and say, that God is great and greatly to be feared; for his name is holy, his infinite purity and rectitude appear in all that whereby he has made himself known, and because it is holy therefore it is reverend, and to be thought of and mentioned with a holy awe. Note, What is holy is reverend; the angels have an eye to God's holiness when they cover their faces before him, and nothing is more man's honour than his sanctification. It is in his holy places that God appears most terrible, Ps 68:35, Le 10:3. 2. Because the dictates of religion tend so much to man's happiness. We have reason to praise God that the matter is so well contrived that our reverence of him and obedience to him are as much our interest as they are our duty. (1.) Our reverence of him is so: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is not only reasonable that we should fear God, because his name is reverend and his nature is holy, but it is advantageous to us. It is wisdom; it will direct us to speak and act as becomes us, in a consistency with ourselves, and for our own benefit. It is the head of wisdom, that is (as we read it), it is the beginning of wisdom. Men can never begin to be wise till they begin to fear God; all true wisdom takes its rise from true religion, and has its foundation in it. Or, as some understand it, it is the chief wisdom, and the most excellent, the first in dignity. It is the principal wisdom, and the principal of wisdom, to worship God and give honour to him as our Father and Master. Those manage well who always act under the government of his holy fear. (2.) Our obedience to him is so: A good understanding have all those that do his commandments. Where the fear of the Lord rules in the heart there will be a constant conscientious care to keep his commandments, not to talk of them, but to do them; and such have a good understanding, that is, [1.] They are well understood; their obedience is graciously accepted as a plain indication of their mind that they do indeed fear God. Compare Pr 3:4, So shalt thou find favour and good understanding. God and man will look upon those as meaning well, and approve of them, who make conscience of their duty, though they have their mistakes. What is honestly intended shall be well taken. [2.] They understand well. First, It is a sign that they do understand well. The most obedient are accepted as the most intelligent; those understand themselves and their interest best that make God's law their rule and are in every thing ruled by it. A great understanding those have that know God's commandments and can discourse learnedly of them, but a good understanding have those that do them and walk according to them. Secondly, It is the way to understand better: A good understanding are they to all that do them; the fear of the Lord and the laws of that give men a good understanding, and are able to make them wise unto salvation. If any man will do his will, he shall know more and more clearly of the doctrine of Christ, Joh 7:17. Good success have all those that do them (so the margin), according to what was promised to Joshua if he would observe to do according to the law. Jos 1:8, Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and shalt have good success. We have reason to praise God, to praise him for ever, for putting man into such a fair way to happiness. Some apply the last words rather to the good man who fears the Lord than to the good God: His praise endures for ever. It is not of men perhaps, but it is of God (Ro 2:29), and that praise which is of God endures for ever when the praise of men is withered and gone.
本篇及其后若干诗篇似乎是大卫为教会严肃节期的事奉而作,并非因任何特别场合而作。本篇是一首赞美诗。其题为「哈利路亚——你们要赞美耶和华」,暗示我们当以预备赞美神的心来使用本诗。它按字母次序编排,每句以希伯来文字母表中不同的字母开头,次序井然——每节两句,末两节每节三句。诗人劝勉赞美神:一、以自己为榜样(诗111:1);二、从神的作为中提供我们赞美的内容——1. 其作为的伟大与其荣耀;2. 其公义;3. 其良善;4. 其大能;5. 其与应许之言的相符;6. 其永存。这些观察交织其间(诗111:2-9);三、他推荐对神的圣洁敬畏与对诫命的良心顺服,作为赞美神最蒙悦纳的方式(诗111:10)。