Psalm 144

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:13

Verse 13 13.Our recesses full, etc. Some read storehouses, (272) and I would not reject this meaning. But as the word comes from the same root with זוה, zavah, which is rendered corner in the previous verse, it seems more agreeable to the etymology to translate the words as I have done — “that the recesses or corners were full.” The participle מפיקים, mephikim, some take transitively, and read producing, but the meaning comes to the same thing, that abundance of every blessing flowed from all... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:14

Verse 14 14.Our oxen, etc. The Hebrew word סבל, sabal, is properly to carry. Accordingly some understand מסובלים, mesubbalim, to mean robust, (274) as unless they were strong oxen they would not be fit for carriage, or bearing burdens. Others think they are spoken of as laden with fat. There is no need for insisting upon this point, as it does not affect the main scope of the passage. It may be more important to notice, that God’s fatherly care of his people is celebrated on the account that he... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:15

Verse 15 15.Happy the people, etc. He thus concludes that the divine favor had been sufficiently shown and manifested to his people. Should any object that it breathed altogether a gross and worldly spirit to estimate man’s happiness by benefits of a transitory description, I would say in reply that we must read the two things in connection, that those are happy who recognize the favor of God in the abundance they enjoy, and have such a sense of it from these transitory blessings as leads them... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144

1. From the title. 2. From the style. 3. From the way in which David is mentioned in Psalms 144:10 (comp. Psalms 61:6 ; Psalms 63:11 ; and especially Psalms 18:50 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1

Blessed be the Lord my strength ; or, "my rock" (comp. Psalms 18:2 , Psalms 18:46 ; Psalms 31:3 ; Psalms 62:7 , etc.). Which teacheth my hands to war, dud my fingers to fight (comp. Psalms 18:34 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-2

War-figures of God's relations. "The psalmist recounts glorious victories in the past; complains that the nation is now beset by strange, i . e . barbarous, enemies, so false and treacherous that no covenant can be kept with them; prays for deliverance from them by an interposition great and glorious as had been vouchsafed of old; and anticipates the return of a golden age of peace and plenty" (Perowne). If it ever has been right , the manifest duty of the hour, for a man to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-15

National piety and prosperity. The latter part of this psalm seems hardly to belong to the former; but looking at it in the light of the last verses, we regard it as an utterance which has in view, from first to last, the well-being of the nation. Thus considered, we have— I. THE ONE TRUE SOURCE OF NATIONAL SECURITY . ( Psalms 144:1 , Psalms 144:2 , Psalms 144:10 .) The writer is presumably David. He takes the position of a leader, of a warrior-king. And though we ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-15

What the goodness of God does for me and in me. This psalm is a string of quotations, mostly from Psalms 18:1-50 ; as any reference Bible will show; and as that psalm is almost undisputedly one of David's composition, therefore this, which owes so much to it, may be called his likewise. It is also one of the war-psalms, breathing the fierce and sometimes the truculent spirit, the presence of which in these psalms has so often perplexed the Christian reader. In order to understand such... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:2

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust . The general resemblance to Psalms 18:2 is striking, but there are peculiar and original touches which indicate the author, not the copyist. For instance, the expression, "my goodness," occurs nowhere else. Who subdueth my people under me. Another reading gives, "Who subdueth peoples under me." Either reading suits the circumstances of David, who had to subdue a great portion of his own... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:3

Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him ! (comp. Job 7:17 , Job 7:18 ; Psalms 8:4 ). Or the sea of man, that thou makest account of him! It enhances our estimate of God's goodness to consider the insignificance and unworthiness of the creatures on whom he bestows it. read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-2

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:3

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