Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

You have broken down all his walls; You have reduced his strongholds to rubble. All who pass by plunder him; he has become a reproach to his neighbors.

“The ruin is depicted under several figures--a vineyard whose broken "hedges," and "strongholds," whose ruins invite spoilers and invaders; a warrior, whose enemies are aided by God, and whose sword's "edge"--literally, "rock" or "strength" (Jos 5:2) is useless; and a youth prematurely old.”

Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!

“These expostulations are excited in view of the identity of the prosperity of this kingdom with the welfare of all mankind (Ge 22:18; 11:1-10); for if such is the fate of this chosen royal line.”

Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old, which You faithfully swore to David?

“The terms of expostulation are used in view of the actual appearance that God had forsaken His people and forgotten His promise, and the plea for aid is urged in view of the reproaches of His and His people's enemies (compare Isa 37:17-35).”

The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

“Moses' life was an exception (De 34:7). it is . . . cut off--or, "driven," as is said of the quails in using the same word (Nu 11:31). In view of this certain and speedy end, life is full of sorrow.”

He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.

“For the first figure compare De 32:11; Mt 23:37. buckler--literally, "surrounding"--that is, a kind of shield covering all over.”

with the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.

“In such a work all proper aid must be used. with a . . . sound--or, on Higgaion (see on Ps 9:16), perhaps an instrument of that name, from its sound resembling the muttered sound of meditation, as expressed also by the word.”

A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,

“A brutish man knoweth not--that is, God's works, so the Psalmist describes himself (Ps 73:22) when amazed by the prosperity of the wicked, now understood and explained.”

The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty; the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength. The world indeed is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

“God is described as a King entering on His reign, and, for robes of royalty, investing Himself with the glorious attributes of His nature. The result of His thus reigning is the durability of the world.”

Your testimonies are fully confirmed; holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, for all the days to come.

“While His power inspires dread, His revealed will should secure our confidence (compare Ps 19:7; 25:10), and thus fear and love combined, producing all holy emotions, should distinguish the worship we offer in His house, both earthly and heavenly.”

He who affixed the ear, can He not hear? He who formed the eye, can He not see? He who admonishes the nations, does He not discipline?

“The evidence of God's providential government is found in His creative power and omniscience, which also assure us that He can punish the wicked in regard to all their vain purposes.”

Light shines on the righteous, gladness on the upright in heart.

“Let gratitude for the blessings of providence and grace incite saints (Ps 4:3) to holy living. Spiritual blessings are in store, represented by light (Ps 27:1) and gladness.”

But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations.

“Contrast with man's frailty (compare Ps 90:1-7). thy remembrance--that by which Thou art remembered, Thy promise. Hence it is here adduced. for--or, "when." the set time, &c.--the time promised, the indication of which is the interest felt for Zion by the people of God.”

For the LORD will rebuild Zion; He has appeared in His glory.

“When the Lord shall build--or better, "Because the Lord hath built," &c., as a reason for the effect on others; for in thus acting and hearing the humble, He is most glorious.”

He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days. I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days!

“God's eternal existence is a pledge of faithfulness to His promises. in the way--of providence. weakened--literally, "afflicted," and made fearful of a premature end, a figure of the apprehensions of the Church, lest God might not perform His promise, drawn from those of a person…”

Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.

“Bless, &c.--when God is the object, praise. my soul--myself (Ps 3:3; 25:1), with allusion to the act, as one of intelligence. all . . . within me-- (De 6:5). his holy name-- (Ps 5:11), His complete moral perfections.”

He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.

“This is quoted by Paul (Heb 1:7) to denote the subordinate position of angels; that is, they are only messengers as other and material agencies. spirits--literally, "winds." flaming fire-- (Ps 105:32) being here so called.”

All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.

“The entire dependence of this immense family on God is set forth. With Him, to kill or make alive is equally easy. To hide His face is to withdraw favor (Ps 13:1).”

May sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!

“Praise ye the Lord--The Psalm closes with an invocation of praise, the translation of a Hebrew phrase, which is used as an English word, "Hallelujah," and may have served the purpose of a chorus, as often in our psalmody, or to give fuller expression to…”

He is the LORD our God; His judgments carry throughout the earth.

“Rather, "He, Jehovah, is our God." His title, "JEHOVAH," implies that He, the unchangeable, self-existing Being, makes things to be, that is, fulfils His promises, and therefore will not forsake His people.”

He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.

“The covenant was often ratified. word--answering to "covenant" [Ps 105:9] in the parallel clause, namely, the word of promise, which, according to Ps 105:10, He set forth for an inviolable law. commanded--or, "ordained" (Ps 68:28). to a thousand generations--perpetually.”

“Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!”

“The patriarch was the prophet, priest, and king of his family. my prophets--in a similar sense, compare Ge 20:7. The "anointed" are those vessels of God, consecrated to His service, "in whom (as Pharaoh said of Joseph, Ge 41:38) the Spirit of God is" [HENGSTENBERG].”

to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.

“The soul that was once bound itself now binds others, even princes. The same moral binding is assigned to the saints (Ps 149:8). teach . . .”

Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes, whose hearts He turned to hate…

“Israel . . . and Jacob--that is, Jacob himself is meant, as Ps 105:24 speaks of "his people." Still, he came with his whole house (Ge 46:6, 7). sojourned-- (Ge 47:4). land of Ham--or, Egypt (Ps 78:51).”

He sent darkness, and it became dark— yet they defied His words. He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.

“Or, rather, the "darkness" here is figurative (Jer 13:16), the literal plague of darkness (Ex 10:22, 23) being only alluded to as the symbol of God's wrath which overhung Egypt as a dark cloud during all the plagues.”

Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.

“Praise, &c.--(See on Ps 104:35), begins and ends the Psalm, intimating the obligations of praise, however we sin and suffer 1Ch 16:34-36 is the source from which the beginning and end of this Psalm are derived.”