John Wesley

He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.

“His strength - The ark, called God's strength, 1 Chron. xvi, 11, because it was the sign and pledge of his strength put forth on his people's behalf. Glory - So the ark is called, as being the monument and seat of God's glorious presence.”

before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Rally Your mighty power and come to save us.

“The name of Joseph, the most eminent of the patriarchs, is elsewhere put for all the tribes. Cherubim - Which were by the mercy seat above the ark.”

Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.

“Be - To protect and strengthen him. Right-hand - Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, a dearly beloved son, as Benjamin was to Jacob.”

They do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

“Walk on - They persist: it is their constant course. In darkness - In their sinful courses. The foundations - This corruption of the supreme rulers, flows from them to their inferior officers and members.”

With cunning they scheme against Your people and conspire against those You cherish,

“Hidden ones - Thy people of Israel, who are called God's hidden or secret ones, to intimate the respect which God has to them, as to his peculiar treasure.”

the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,

“The tabernacles - The people dwelling in them. Ishmaelites - Some of the posterity of Ishmael, called by their father's name, as others of them are supposed to be called Hagarens from their grandmother Hagar.”

How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah

“They-That constantly abide in thy house; the priests and Levites, or other devout Jews who were there perpetually, as Anna, Luke ii, 36-37. They will - They are continually employed in that blessed work.”

I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints; He will not let them return to folly.

“Will speak - What answer God will give to my prayers. Peace - He will give an answer of peace. Saints - Not to all that are called God's people, but only to those who are truly such.”

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.

“And the psalmist might well say this salvation was nigh, because the seventy weeks determined by Daniel were begun. Glory - The glorious presence of God, and the God of glory himself, even Christ, who is the brightness of his father's glory.”

The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

“Zion - That is, Zion itself, or Jerusalem, which was built upon and near Mount Zion. He saith Zion rather than Jerusalem, to intimate that he loved Jerusalem for Zion's sake, or for the temple, which he chose for his peculiar dwelling place.”

The LORD will record in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.” Selah

“When - When God, the maker and governor of this city shall take a survey of all his citizens. It is an allusion to princes or governors of cities that use to write and keep a register of all their people.”

Singers and pipers will proclaim, “All my springs of joy are in You.”

“In thee - In Zion or the church. These words may be here added as the burden of the song, which these singers are supposed to have sung, in the name of all the people of God.”

I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

“Sing - He prefaces this, lest the following complainers of present miseries should argue ingratitude for former mercies. Faithfulness - Whatsoever hath befallen us, it proceeded not from thy unfaithfulness.”

‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’” Selah

“Build up - I will perpetuate the kingdom to thy posterity; which was promised upon condition, and was literally accomplished in Christ.”

Blessed are those who know the joyful sound, who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.

“Know - Who enjoy the presence of God and his ordinances, to which they are called by the sound of trumpets. Walk - Under the comfortable influences of thy favour.”

I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand upon the rivers.

“The sea - The mid- land sea. The rivers - Euphrates, called rivers, in regard of divers branches of it, and rivers which flow into it. So here is a description of the uttermost bounds of the promised land.”

I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

“My first-born - As he calls me father, ver. 26, so I will make him my son, yea my first-born; who had divers privileges above other sons. This and the following passage in some sort agree to David, but are properly accomplished in Christ.”

like the moon, established forever, a faithful witness in the sky.” Selah

“A witness - The rainbow, which is God's faithful witness, a token of God's everlasting covenant between God and every living creature for perpetual generations, Gen. ix, 12, 16.”

Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and amen.

“Blessed - Let thine enemies reproach thee and thy promises concerning the sending of the Messiah, I will heartily bless and praise thee for them, and encourage myself with them.”

Who knows the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear You are due.

“Thy fear - According to the fear of thee; according to that fear which sinful men have of a just God. So - It bears full proportion to it, nay indeed doth far exceed it.”

You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

“By night - When evil accidents are most terrible and least avoidable. Arrow - The pestilence, or any such destructive calamity; such are frequently called God's arrows.”

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

“Testimonies-Thy promises, which no less than the precepts are God's testimonies, or the witnesses, or declarations of his will to mankind. He seems here to speak of those precious promises concerning the erection of his kingdom in the world by the Messiah.”

They pour out arrogant words; all workers of iniquity boast.

“Utter - Or pour forth freely, constantly, abundantly, as a fountain doth waters (so this Hebrew word signifies.) Hard things - Insolent, and intolerable words against thee and thy people.”

He who affixed the ear, can He not hear? He who formed the eye, can He not see?

“Planted - The word is emphatical, signifying the excellent structure of the ear, or the several organs belonging to the sense of hearing. Formed - By which word he intimates the accurate and curious workmanship of the eye.”

Surely judgment will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

“But - God will declare himself to be a righteous judge, and will again establish justice in the earth. Follow - They will all approve of it, and imitate this justice of God in all their actions.”