Psalms 92:1

PSALM 92

PRAISING THE GREATNESS OF GOD

The superscription refers to this psalm as, "A song for the sabbath day," meaning, no doubt, that it was used by the Jews as part of their worship on each sabbath day.

In this connection, we were intrigued by a comment of Albert Barnes. "The Chaldee Paraphrase has this for the title, `A song which the first man spoke for the sabbath day.'... We have no proof of what would be so interesting a fact of our having a genuine poetic composition of Adam."[1] Such a thing is an absolute impossibility, because God did not reveal the sabbath day to Adam, there being no evidence whatever that Adam ever heard of it. God revealed the sabbath day to Moses, not Adam. Furthermore, it was never given to "all mankind" but only to the Jews. (For further information on this subject see our extended comments on this matter in Vol. 2, of our Series on the Pentateuch (Exodus), pp. 223-226,277-279.) The first mention of a sabbath day is not in Genesis, but in Exodus 16:23; and the words, `Remember the sabbath day' in the Decalogue are not a reference to Genesis, but to Exodus 16:23.

Regarding the paragraphing of Psalms 92, there are nearly as many opinions as there are scholars. The psalm has 15 verses, and a convenient way of dividing is the method adopted by Delitzsch and Maclaren, in five divisions of three verses each.[2]

The Rabbinical tradition that Moses wrote the psalm is declared to be "untenable" by most modern writers, despite the fact of there being absolutely nothing in the psalm that supports such a dogmatic view. Of course, we cannot know who wrote it, or upon what occasion he did so. An exception is the mention of instruments of music, which, if authentic, would mean that Moses did not write this, but the liturgical use of the psalm during the period of later Judaism might well have led to the addition of this feature.

The same human conceit that added mechanical musical instruments to the temple services would not have hesitated to add them to a psalm. See comment on Psalms 92:3, below.

Psalms 92:1-3

INTRODUCTION

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah,

And to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High;

To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning,

And thy faithfulness every night.

With an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery;

With a solemn sound upon the harp."

These three verses are generally recognized as an introduction to the whole psalm.

It is of interest that "Most High" is here used as a synonym for Jehovah. The extensive use of this title in Psalms has not received the attention from scholars that it deserves. The Hebrew people never allowed this title to any pagan deity, although it was sometimes so applied by pagans.

"In the morning ... every night" (Psalms 92:2). The most appropriate times for worshipping God are morning and evening. Every morning, when men arise from sleep, refreshed and strengthened from a night of rest, the blessing of God in the gift of a new day and a new beginning for human activity should inspire every man to `thank God' and worship the Most High. Likewise in the evenings, as one remembers the achievements of the day and God's protection from danger and failure, it is also appropriate to worship God.

Under the Law of Moses, the principle of morning and evening worship were established in the institution of "the morning and evening sacrifices" (Exodus 29:38-42). In the Christian faith, through the tradition of offering thanks for meals, the Lord is actually worshipped "three times daily."

"Instrument of ten strings ... solemn sound upon the harp" (Psalms 92:3). If this is an authentic rendition of the sacred text, it is impossible to suppose that Moses is the author, because such instruments of music were never used in God's worship till the times of David and subsequently. We are not sure, however that the translation here is accurate. Adam Clarke, a very able scholar, objected to it strenuously, declaring that it should be translated: "`Upon the [~'asur], upon the [~nebel], upon the [~higgayon],' with the [~kinnor]. Thus it stands in the Hebrew."[3] None of these words is a reference to any kind of a musical instrument. They appear to be instructions to the singers. Of course, there is no doubt that David did indeed introduce the extensive use of mechanical instruments of music into God's worship; and the only question here is whether or not this psalm mentions it.