--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 700 of 914 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/700/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 700. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/700/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2. ## 700. Psalms · 154 of 159 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/700/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/700/#p-N ### Verse 5 [¶1] Bow thy heavens - See the note on [Psa 18:9]. ### Verse 6 [¶3] Cast forth lightning - See the note [Psa 18:13-14] (note). ### Verse 7 [¶5] Deliver me out of great waters - See the note [Psa 18:16]. ### Verse 9 [¶7] I will sing a new song - A song of peculiar excellence. I will pour forth all my gratitude, and all my skill, on its composition. See on [Psa 33:2] (note), and [Psa 33:3] (note). ### Verse 10 [¶9] He that giveth salvation unto kings - Monarchy, in the principle, is from God: it is that form of government which, in the course of the Divine providence, has principally prevailed; and that which, on the whole, has been most beneficial to mankind. God, therefore, has it under his peculiar protection. It is by him that kings reign; and by his special providence they are protected. ### Verse 12 [¶11] That our sons may be as plants - God had promised to his people, being faithful, Three descriptions of Blessings, [Deu 28:4]. [¶12] 1. The fruit of the body - sons and daughters. [¶13] 2. The fruits of the ground - grass and corn in sufficient plenty. [¶14] 3. Fruit of the cattle-"the increase of kine, and flocks of sheep." [¶15] These are the blessings to wnich the psalmist refers here, as those in which he might at present exult and triumph: blessings actually enjoyed by his people at large; proofs of his mild and paternal government, and of the especial blessing of the Almighty. The people who there in such a state, and revolted, had no excuse: they were doubly guilty, as ungrateful both to God and man. ### Verse 13 [¶17] That our garners, etc. - Our garners are full. These are not prayers put up by David for such blessings: but assertions, that such blessings were actually in possession. All these expressions should be understood in the present tense. [¶18] Ten thousands in our streets - בחצתינו bechutsotheynu should be translated in our pens or sheep-walks; for sheep bringing forth in the streets of cities or towns is absurd. ### Verse 14 [¶20] Our oxen may be strong to labor - We have not only an abundance of cattle; but they are of the most strong and vigorous breed. [¶21] No breaking in - So well ordered is the police of the kingdom, that there are no depredations, no robbers, house-breakers, or marauding parties, in the land; no sudden incursions of neighboring tribes or banditti breaking into fields or houses, carrying away property, and taking with them the people to sell them into captivity: there is no such breaking in, and no such going out, in the nation. My enemies are either become friends, and are united with me in political interests; or are, through fear, obliged to stand aloof. ### Verse 15 [¶23] Happy is that people - "O how happy are the people!" Such were his people; and they had not only all this secular happiness, but they had Jehovah for their God; and in him had a ceaseless fountain of strength, protection, earthly blessings, and eternal mercies! A people in such a case to rebel, must have the curse of God and man. ### Introduction [¶25] God is praised for his unsearchable greatness, [Psa 145:1], [Psa 145:2]; for his majesty and terrible acts, [Psa 145:3], [Psa 145:6]; for his goodness and tender mercies to all, [Psa 145:7-9]; for his power and kingdom, [Psa 145:10-13]; for his kindness to the distressed, [Psa 145:14]; for his providence, [Psa 145:15-17]. He hears and answers prayer, [Psa 145:18-20]. All should praise him, [Psa 145:21]. [¶26] This Psalm is attributed to David by the Hebrew and all the Versions. It is the last of the acrostic Psalms; and should contain twenty-two verses, as answering to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet; but the verse between the thirteenth and fourteenth, beginning with the letter נ nun, is lost out of the present Hebrew copies; but a translation of it is found in the Syriac, Septuagint, Vulgate, Ethiopic, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon. See below. It is an incomparable Psalm of praise; and the rabbins have it in such high estimation, that they assert, if a man with sincerity of heart repeat it three times a-day, he shall infallibly enjoy the blessings of the world to come. It does not appear on what particular occasion it was composed; or, indeed, whether there was any occasion but gratitude to God for his ineffable favors to mankind. ### Verse 1 [¶28] I will extol thee - I will raise thee on high, I will lift thee up. [¶29] I will bless thy name - לעולם ועד leolam vaed, for ever and onward, in this and the coming world. This sort of expressions, which are very difficult to be translated, are on the whole well expressed by those words, in a hymn of Mr. Addison: - [¶30] Through all eternity to theeA joyful song I'll raise [¶31] But O, eternity's too shortTo utter all thy praise! [¶32] This contains a strong hyperbole; but allowable in such cases. ### Verse 3 [¶34] His greatness is unsearchable - Literally, To his mightinesses there is no investigation. All in God is unlimited and eternal. ### Verse 4 [¶36] One generation - Thy creating and redeeming acts are recorded in thy word; but thy wondrous providential dealings with mankind must be handed down by tradition, from generation to generation; for they are in continual occurrence, and consequently innumerable. ### Verse 8 [¶38] The Lord is gracious - His holy nature is ever disposed to show favor. [¶39] Full of compassion - Wherever he sees misery, his eye affects his heart. [¶40] Slow to anger - When there is even the greatest provocation. [¶41] Of great mercy - Great in his abundant mercy. These four things give us a wonderful display of the goodness of the Divine nature. ### Verse 9 [¶43] The Lord is good to all - There is not a soul out of hell that is not continually under his most merciful regards; so far is he from willing or decreeing before their creation the damnation of any man. [¶44] His tender mercies - His bowels of compassion are over all his works; he feels for his intelligent offspring, as the most affectionate mother does for the child of her own bosom. And through this matchless mercy, these bowels of compassion, his son Jesus tasted death for every man. How far is all that is here spoken of the nature of God opposed to the Molochian doctrine of the eternal decree of reprobation! "His grace for every soul is free: [¶45] For his, who forged the dire decree;