Psalm 144:5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 144:1-8

Here, I. David acknowledges his dependence upon God and his obligations to him, Ps. 144:1, 2. A prayer for further mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for former mercy; and when we are waiting upon God to bless us we should stir up ourselves to bless him. He gives to God the glory of two things:? 1. What he was to him: Blessed be the Lord my rock (Ps. 144:1), my goodness, my fortress, Ps. 144:2. He has in the covenant engaged himself to be so, and encouraged us, accordingly, to depend... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 144:5

Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down ,.... The heavens, which the Lord has made, and where he dwells; and which are under his influence, and he can cause to incline or bow at his pleasure: and which literally may be said to bow, particularly the airy heavens, when these are filled with clouds heavy with rain, and hang low, ready to fall upon the earth, and being rent, let down showers on it: and mystically may design storms of wrath gathering over the heads of ungodly men, and revealed... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:5

Bow thy heavens - See the note on Psalm 18:9 . read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:5

Verse 5 5.O Jehovah! bow thy heavens. After extolling, as was due, the great goodness of God, he requests him to furnish such help for the preservation of the kingdom as was necessary in the present exigency. As formerly we saw that he had gloried in God with a heroical courage, so here he makes use of the same lofty terms in his prayers, That he would bow the heavens — that he would make the mountains to smoke — disturb the air with thunderings — and shoot forth arrows; forms of speech by... 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 144:5

Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down . The strain changes. From praise of God's loving-kindness and might, the psalmist proceeds to invoke his aid. Taking his metaphors from Psalms 18:9 . "Bow thy heavens, O Lord," he says, "and come down" to earth—appear in thy might, to the discomfiture of thy enemies and the relief of thy faithful ones. Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke . Do as thou wert pleased to do at Sinai, when thou showedst thyself—"Touch the mountains, and let a smoke... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:5

God's intervention is his condescension. "Bow thy heavens, and come down." This prayer follows on the acknowledgment of man's frailty and transitoriness. His sphere is altogether below God, who must stoop down to help him. God's intervention involving his condescension may be illustrated in several spheres. To create material things; to remedy the disturbance of things; to provide for the wants of things; to recover self-ruined things;—all involve the Divine condescension. I. TO ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 144:5

Bow thy heavens, O Lord ... - Come to my aid “as if” the heavens were bent down; come down with all thy majesty and glory. See the notes at Psalms 18:9 : “He bowed down the heavens also, and came down.” What it is there declared that the Lord “had” done, he is here implored to do again.Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke - See the notes at Psalms 104:32 : “He toucheth the hills, and they smoke.” It is there affirmed as a characteristic of God that he “does” this; here the psalmist prays... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 144:5-8

Psalms 144:5-8. Bow thy heavens and come down To help me before it be too late, remembering what a frail and perishing creature I am. “David having celebrated his victories over some of his enemies, and extolled the mercy and goodness of God, to whom he ascribed the achievement of them, now proceeds to request a further manifestation of the omnipotent arm in his favour against other hostile forces, which still threatened his country upon his accession to the throne.” Touch the mountains... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 144:1-8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 144:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 144:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 144:5

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 144:5

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 144:5-8

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