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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 118:1-18

It appears here, as often as elsewhere, that David had his heart full of the goodness of God. He loved to think of it, loved to speak of it, and was very solicitous that God might have the praise of it and others the comfort of it. The more our hearts are impressed with a sense of God's goodness the more they will be enlarged in all manner of obedience. In these verses, I. He celebrates God's mercy in general, and calls upon others to acknowledge it, from their own experience of it (Ps.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:1

O give thanks unto the Lord ,.... For all his mercies, temporal and spiritual; as all should, who are partakers of them: this should be done always, and for all things, in the name of Christ; it is but reasonable service; for he is good ; in himself, and to others: is essentially and diffusively good; the fountain of all goodness, and the author of all good things; because his mercy endureth for ever ; in his own heart, and in his covenant; his grace and lovingkindness displayed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:2

Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let such who have had an experience of it acknowledge and declare it to others; not only believe in it with their hearts, and privately give thanks for it, but with the mouth make confession of it to the glory of divine grace; not only literal Israel, whom the Lord brought out of Egypt, led and fed in the wilderness, and settled in the land of Canaan; and to whom the law and the services of God, the covenants and promises, word and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:3

Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. The priests and Levites that blessed the people, and taught them the knowledge of divine things; but not these literally, at least not only these, since the priesthood of Aaron is changed, and the law of it abrogated, and all believers are now priests unto God, and offer up spiritual sacrifices to him; and particularly the sacrifice of praise for his grace and mercy, the perpetuity of which they should publish and proclaim... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:4

Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Not the proselytes to the Jewish religion only, but all that feared the Lord among all people, as Aben Ezra observes; such as fear the Lord and his goodness, and have had an experience of his grace and mercy, which has caused them to fear him; and to whom the mercy of God is great, and on whom it is from everlasting to everlasting; and therefore should speak well of it, and set their seal to it, that it abides for ever;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:5

I called upon the Lord in distress ,.... Or "out of that strait" F17 מן המצר "ex ipso angore", Junius & Tremellius; "ex illa angustia", Michaelis. ; when David was encompassed by Saul and his men, or when at the court of Achish, or when his own people talked of stoning him. As this may respect the Messiah, it may design his distresses in the garden, when surrounded with sorrow, and being in an agony prayed the more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:6

The Lord is on my side ,.... Or "for me" F19 לי "pro me", Musculus, Michaelis. ; he was on the side of David, hence all his prosperity and victories, the wonderful things done by him, his exaltation to the throne, and the establishment of it; and so he was on the side of Christ, he was near unto him, at his right hand, to guide, direct, and assist him as man; and he is likewise on the side of his people, to fight their battles for them, to support them under all their afflictions,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:7

The Lord taketh my part with them that help me ,.... With the four hundred men that were with David, and stood by him in his troubles, 1 Samuel 22:2 ; see Psalm 54:4 ; and with those who ministered unto Christ as man, Luke 8:3 . Or, "the Lord is for me, with" or "among my helpers" F20 לי בעזרי "pro me est cum iis qui auxiliantur mihi", Vatablus; so Cocceius, Gejerus. ; he is the principal helper, he is one for all; he is in the room and stead of other helpers; having him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:8

It is better to trust in the Lord ,.... This, with what follows in Psalm 118:9 , is the conclusion from the above premises and experience; it is good to trust in the Lord; such enjoy peace, are in safety, shall not want any good thing, nor ever be ashamed and confounded: the Targum is, "it is better to trust in the Word of the Lord;' than to put confidence in man ; it is not good to put confidence in man at all; it is trusting to a broken staff, to a mere shadow, which can yield no... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 118:2

Let Israel now say - Seeing the hand of the Lord so visibly, and the deliverance gained, that God's mercy endureth for ever. read more

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