Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 114
Overview:
Glory to be ascribed to
God.
(1-8) By trusting in him and
praising him.
(9-18)
1-8 Let
No opinion of our own merits have any place in our
prayers or in our praises. All the good we do, is done
By the
power of his
Grace; and all the good we have, is the
Gift of his
mere
Mercy, and he must have all the praise. Are we in pursuit
of any
Mercy, and wrestling with
God for it, we must take
encouragement in
Prayer from
God only.
Lord, do
So for us; not
that we may have the credit and comfort of it, but that thy
Mercy and
Truth may have the
Glory of it. The
Heathen gods are
senseless things. They are the
Works of men's hands: the
painter, the carver, the statuary, can
Put No Life into them,
therefore
No sense. The psalmist hence shows the folly of the
worshippers of idols.
9-18 It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is
Wisdom to
trust in the living
God, for he is a help and a
Shield to those
that trust in him. Wherever there is right fear of
God, there
may be cheerful
Faith in him; those who reverence his
Word, may
rely upon it. He is ever found
Faithful. The greatest need his
blessing, and it shall not be denied to the meanest that fear
him.
God's blessing gives an increase, especially in spiritual
blessings. And the
Lord is to be praised: his
Goodness is large,
for he has given the
Earth to the children of men for their use.
The souls of the
Faithful, after they are delivered from the
burdens of the
Flesh, are still praising him; but the dead body
cannot praise
God:
Death puts an
End to our glorifying him in
this world of trial and conflict. Others are dead, and an
End is
thereby
Put to their service, therefore we will seek to do the
more for
God. We will not only do it ourselves, but will engage
others to do it; to praise him when we are gone.
Lord, thou art
the only object for
Faith and
Love. Help us to praise thee while
living and when dying, that thy name may be the first and last
upon our lips: and let the sweet savour of thy name refresh our
souls for ever.