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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 89:1-4

The psalmist has a very sad complaint to make of the deplorable condition of the family of David at this time, and yet he begins the psalm with songs of praise; for we must, in every thing, in every state, give thanks; thus we must glorify the Lord in the fire. We think, when we are in trouble, that we get ease by complaining; but we do more?we get joy, by praising. Let our complaints therefore be turned into thanksgivings; and in these verses we find that which will be matter of praise and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 89:5-14

These verses are full of the praises of God. Observe, I. Where, and by whom, God is to be praised. 1. God is praised by the angels above: The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord! Ps. 89:5; that is, ?the glorious inhabitants of the upper world continually celebrate thy praises.? Bless the Lord, you his angels, Ps. 103:20. The works of God are wonders even to those that are best acquainted and most intimately conversant with them; the more God's works are known the more they are admired and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 89:15-18

The psalmist, having largely shown the blessedness of the God of Israel, here shows the blessedness of the Israel of God. As there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, so, happy art thou, O Israel! there is none like unto thee, O people! especially as a type of the gospel-Israel, consisting of all true believers, whose happiness is here described. I. Glorious discoveries are made to them, and glad tidings of good brought to them; they hear, they know, the joyful sound, Ps. 89:15. This may... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 89:19-37

The covenant God made with David and his seed was mentioned before (Ps. 89:3, 4); but in these verses it is enlarged upon, and pleaded with God, for favour to the royal family, now almost sunk and ruined; yet certainly it looks at Christ, and has its accomplishment in him much more than in David; nay, some passages here are scarcely applicable at all to David, but must be understood of Christ only (who is therefore called David our king, Hos. 3:5), and very great and precious promises they are... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 89:38-52

In these verses we have, I. A very melancholy complaint of the present deplorable state of David's family, which the psalmist thinks hard to be reconciled to the covenant God made with David. ?Thou saidst thou wouldst not take away thy lovingkindness, but thou hast cast off.? Sometimes, it is no easy thing to reconcile God's providences with his promises, and yet we are sure they are reconcilable; for God's works fulfil his word and never contradict it. 1. David's house seemed to have lost its... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:1

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever ,.... Both temporal and spiritual, especially the latter, in which there is a large display of the rich and abundant mercy of God, from whence they are so called; as in the choice of men to everlasting life, who are said to be vessels of mercy; in the covenant of grace made with them, the blessings of which are the sure mercies of David; in the mission of Christ, whose coming, as the dayspring from on high, is owing to the tender mercy of our... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:2

For I have said ,.... That is, in his heart he had said, he had thought of it, was assured of it, strongly concluded it, from the Spirit and word of God; he believed it, and therefore he spoke it; having it from the Lord, it was all one as if he had spoke it: read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:3

I have made a covenant with my chosen ,.... Not with Abraham, as the Targum expresses it: but with David, as in the following clause; not David, literally understood, though he was chosen of the Lord to be his servant, and a covenant was made with him, and a promise made to him of the perpetuity of his throne and kingdom in his family, Psalm 78:70 but mystical David, the Messiah, David's son and antitype; after, on this account, called David in Scripture, Ezekiel 34:23 and who is the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:4

Thy seed will I establish for ever ,.... Meaning not the natural seed of David, at least not only them; whose family was indeed preserved, though in very low circumstances, until the Messiah came, who sprung from thence, Luke 1:27 , but the spiritual seed of Christ, to whom it was promised that he should have a seed, and should see and enjoy it, and which should endure for ever; see Psalm 89:29 , and so he always has had a seed to serve him in all generations, in the worst of times, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:5

And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord ,.... Which, by a prosopopceia, may be understood of the heavens literally, in the same sense as other inanimate creatures praise the Lord, Psalm 148:3 , or mystically of the church, consisting of heaven born souls, and whose doctrines and ordinances are from heaven; or of the apostles, as Jerom, who had their ministry, mission, commission, and gifts, from thence; or rather of the angels, the inhabitants of heaven, who praise the Lord for... read more

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