Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Himself. All agree that David wrote this psalm as a model of resignation. The occasion is not known. Bert.—It may express the sentiments of the captives, ( Calmet.) or of converts to Christianity, (Euseb.) and is written with inimitable sweetness.
Verse 3. Diseases. He had described captivity as an illness. Psalms 101. Calmet.—God graciously forgives sin, and removes bad habits. He preserves us from falling, and grants us the victory, with all our reasonable requests. Worthington.
Verse 5. Eagle’s. Which get fresh feathers every year, like other birds. Isaiah 40:31. Calmet.—The eagle retains its vigour for a long time, ( Bible.) though many fabulous accounts have been given of its renovation. Bert.—The new birth in baptism, (Theod.) or by faith, (Euseb.) or the resurrection of Christ are thus insinuated, (S. Leo, ser. i.) as well as ( Bible.) our resurrection and state of grace. The one is necessarily connected with the other, and both senses are good. Worthington.
Verse 6. Mercies. Hebrew “Justice” in protecting the innocent.
Verse 9. Ever. He executes his threats, but soon pardons us. Calmet.—Hebrew “he will not plead always, nor watch to surprise us for ever;” ( Calmet.) or “retain” his anger. Bert.—He is inclined to pity us, and only inflicts a temporal punishment on the penitent, as Christ has paid their ransom. Worthington.
Verse 10. Iniquities. Which deserved eternal reprobation.
Verse 11. Earth. There is no proportion between God’s mercy and our crimes. Calmet.—Sins are perfectly washed away, ( Worthington.) and not barely covered, as the east cannot be the west. Bert.—Sin remitted “sets for ever.” Saint Augustine
Verse 14. He remembereth. Rom. Septuagint and psalter, and so forth “Remember.” Other copies agree with us. Calmet.—God compassionates the frailty of those who fear him. Origen falsely inferred from verse 9 that the devils and the damned would one day be saved. But this is contrary to Scripture. verse 17. Matthew 25. Revelation 20. and so forth Worthington.
Verse 16. In him. Or “over it;” the flower. Or the spirit of God’s indignation will overwhelm him. The soul of man departs, and cannot naturally be reunited with the body, though it greatly desire that union. Calmet.—The longest life is but like the duration of a flower, (Isaiah 40:6. Bible.) and the splendour of the noblest families is not better in the sight of God. Saint Augustine
Verse 17. Justice. In protecting the oppressed, ( Calmet.) and rendering to every one according to his deserts abundantly. Bible.—God never punishes more than a person’s crimes have merited. Exodus 20:5 and 34:6. Calmet.
Verse 19. All. When Christ shall sit in judgment, (Bert.) and the wicked be suffered no longer to disturb the order of things, and the joy of the elect. Bible.
Verse 20. His angels. You who have executed the orders of God for our delivery, help us to return him thanks. Calmet.—Hearkening. Lit. “to hear,” ( Bible.) or that all may learn to obey God’s mandates when they perceive how carefully the angels put them in execution. Bert.
Verse 21. Hosts. Sun, and so forth which never deviate from their regular course.
Verse 22. Soul. In vain should we behold all nature praising God, if we neglected that duty. Bert.—All the works of the Most High praise him, being under his dominion. Worthington.
LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
Hebrew: יה Yah