Ver. 1. 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.
Ver. 2. 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.
Ver. 3. 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!
Ver. 4. 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 Lu 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.
Ver. 5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders] Heb. thy miracle, viz. in their circumgyration (which showeth a first mover), in their embroidery, influences, &c., 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.
Ver. 6. For who in the heaven can be compared? &c] 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?
Ver. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly, &c.] 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.
Ver. 8. 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.
Ver. 9. Thou rulest the raging of the sea] That it overwhelm not the earth: this work of God’s power is often celebrated, as well it may, all things considered.
Ver. 10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces] i.e. Egypt, which is called Rahab for its strength and pride. As one that is slain] Or, as one deadly wounded; as such a one is soon despatched, so here, Vox Halal vulneratum lethaliter designat. Thou hast scattered, &c.] See Isaiah 25:11, [See Trapp on “Isa 25:11”]
Ver. 11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine] Thou madest them by thy power, and thou maintainest them by thy providence; thou doest whatsoever thou wilt in both, Psalms 115:3. As for the world, &c.] See Psalms 24:1 50:12.
Ver. 12. Tabor and Hermon] That is, the west and east of Judaea, but put here for the west and east of the world. Judaea was the world of the world, as Athens the Greece of Greece, as Solon the epitome of Athens.
Ver. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm] Men should, therefore, both tremble before God, and trust in him, 1 Peter 2:6. Strong is thy hand] Even thy left hand, q.d. tu polles utraque manu, thou hast both hands alike powerful.
Ver. 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation (or basis) of thy throne] These are the supporters and pillars. Mercy and truth, &c.] These are the forerunners, or satellites; I should much fear justice and judgment, saith Austin, were it not that mercy and truth comfort me: “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,” John 1:17.