诗篇讲道 第65篇

TREASURY OF DAVID

PSALM 65

C.H. Spurgeon

Psalms 65:1 (PSALMS)

PSALM 65

TITLE. This title is very similar to many we have before studied.

To the

Chief

Musician.

It

is

consigned

to

the

care

of

the

usual

overseer

of

song.

When a man does his work well, there is no use in calling in others for

novelty's

sake.

A

Psalm

and

song

of

David.

The

Hebrew

calls

it

a

Shur

and

Mizmor

, a combination of psalm and song, which may be best described by

the term,

and be equally suitable. We have had two such Psalms before, Psalms 30

and 48, and we have now the first of a little series of four following

each other. It was meant that Psalms of pleading and longing should be

followed by hymns of praise.

SUBJECT

AND

DIVISIONS.

David

sings

of

the

glory

of

God

in

his

church,

and

in the fields of nature: here is the song both of grace and providence.

It may be that he intended hereby to commemorate a remarkably plentiful

harvest, or to compose a harvest hymn for all ages. It appears to have

been written after a violent rebellion had been quelled, Ps 65:7, and

foreign enemies had been subdued by signal victory, Ps 65:8. It is one

of the most delightful hymns in any language. We shall view in Ps 65:1-4

the way of approach to God, then from Ps 65:5-8 we shall see the Lord in

answer

to

prayer

performing

wonders

for

which

he

is

praised,

and

then

from

Ps 65:9-13 we shall sing the special harvest song.

EXPOSITION

Ver. 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion. Though Babylon adores

Antichrist, Zion remains faithful to her King; to him, and to him only,

she

brings

her

perpetual

oblation

of

worship.

Those

who

have

seen

in

Zion

the blood of sprinkling, and know themselves to belong to the church of

the firstborn, can never think of her without presenting humble praise

to

Zion's

God;

his

mercies

are

too

numerous

and

precious

to

be

forgotten.

The

praises

of

the

saints

wait

for

a

signal

from

the

divine

Lord,

and

when

he shows his face they burst forth at once. Like a company of musicians

gathered to welcome and honour a prince, who wait till he makes his

appearance,

so

do

we

reserve

our

best

praises

till

the

Lord

reveals

himself

in the assembly of his saints; and, indeed, till he shall descend from

heaven in the day of his appearing. Praise also waits like a servant or

courtier in the royal halls--gratitude is humble and obedient. Praise

attends

the

Lord's

pleasure,

and

continues

to

bless

him,

whether

he

shows

tokens of present favour or no; she is not soon wearied, but all through

the night she sings on in sure hope that the morning cometh. We shall

continue

to

wait

on,

tuning

our

harps,

amid

the

tears

of

earth;

but

O

what

harmonies will those be which we

will pour

forth, when the

home bringing

is

come,

and

the

King

shall

appear

in

his

glory.

The

passage

may

be

rendered

is

silent

for

thee;

is

calm,

peaceful,

and

ready

to

adore

thee

in quietness. Or, it may mean, our praise is but silence compared with

thy

deservings,

O

God.

Or,

in

solemn

silence

we

worship

thee,

because

our

praise cannot be uttered; accept, therefore, our silence as praise. Or,

we are so engrossed in thy praise, that to all other things we are dumb;

we have no tongue

for anything

but

thee. Perhaps the poet best expressed

the thought of the psalmist when he said--

And praise sits silent on our tongues.

Certainly, when the soul is most filled with adoring awe, she is least

content with her own expressions, and feels most deeply how inadequate

are all mortal songs to

proclaim

the divine

goodness. A church,

bowed in

silent adoration by a profound sense of divine mercy, would certainly

offer

more

real

praise

than

the

sweetest

voices

aided

by

pipes

and

strings;

yet, vocal music is not to be neglected, for this sacred hymn was meant

to

be

sung.

It

is

well

before

singing

to

have

the

soul

placed

in

a

waiting

attitude, and to be

humbly conscious

that our

best praise is

but silence

compared with Jehovah's glory.

And

unto

thee

shall

the

vow

be

performed.

Perhaps

a

special

vow

made

during

a season of drought and political danger. Nations and churches must be

honest and prompt in redeeming

their

promises to

the Lord, who

cannot be

mocked

with

impunity.

So,

too,

must

individuals.

We

are

not

to

forget

our

vows, or to redeem them to be seen of men--

unto God

alone must they be

performed, with a single eye to his acceptance. Believers are all under

covenant, which they made at conversion, and have renewed upon being

baptised, joining the church, and coming to the table, and some of them

are under special pledges which they entered into under peculiar

circumstances;

these

are

to

be

piously

and

punctually

fulfilled.

We

ought

to be very deliberate in promising, and very punctilious in performing.

A vow unkept will burn the conscience like a hot iron. Vows of service,

of donation, of praise, or whatever the may be, are no trifles; and in

the

day

of

grateful

praise

they

should,

without

fail,

be

fulfilled

to

the

utmost of our power.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

From

Psalm

65

onwards

we

find

ourselves

in

the

midst

of

a

series

of

Psalms

which,

with

a

varying

arrangement

of

the

words,

are

inscribed

both

kwmzm

and

wyv

(65-68.) The two words signify a

Psalm song.

This series, as is

universally

the

case,

is

arranged

according

to

the

community

of

prominent

watch

words.

In

Ps

65:2

we

read:

To

thee

is

the

vow

paid;

and

in

Ps

66:13:

I will pay thee my vows; in Ps 66:20: Blessed be Elohim; and in Ps 67:8:

Elohim

shall

bless

us.

Besides

Psalm

66

and

67

have

this

feature

in

common,

that

tugml

, which occurs fifty- five times in the Psalter, is accompanied

by the name of the poet in every instance, with the exception of these

two anonymous Psalms. The frequently occurring

Sela

of both Psalms also

indicates

that

they

were

intended

to

have

a

musical

accompaniment.

Franz

Delitzsch.

Title.

A Psalm of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The Psalm is assigned to them,

not as being its authors, but because it is supposed that it was often

rehearsed

by

them

at

the

beginning

of

the

return

from

captivity,

to

teach

us that those things ought especially to be sung concerning that happy

restoration which these prophets were wont to sing about. But this

inscription

is

not

in

the

Hebrew

text,

nor

in

some

translations,

but

only

in certain versions. Jeremiah was not carried away to Babylon; see Jer

39:11,

etc.

Moreover,

both

he

and

Ezekiel

died

before

the

return.

Poole's

Synopsis.

Whole Psalm.

The author of the Psalm is mentioned, but not the date of

its composition; but from an examination of its contents, it would seem

to have been intended as a song for the

of

tabernacles,

followed

immediately

after.

Nu

29:7,12.

The

sins of the year were then

of the sanctuary was made

by

a special

service of expiation. The labours

of the year were all by that time concluded, and its fruits secured; and

Israel

could

look

on

the

goodness

of

God

towards

them,

through

its

entire

extent;

and

this

Psalm

was

penned

to

serve

as

a

fitting

expression

of

their

feelings. It opens

with

a reference

to the

in the

sanctuary; to the profound, unbroken, solemn stillness that reigned

within

it;

while,

in deep

abasement,

the

people

without

waited in

hushed

expectation the return of their high priest from the immediate presence

of God, Le 16:17. It goes on to a statement of the blessedness of those

who

are

accepted

of

God,

and

admitted

to

fellowship

with

One

so

unspeakably

great;

and

concludes

with

a

description

of

the

various

processes

by

which

the

Almighty

had

fitted

the

earth

to

yield

a

year's

supplies

for

his

people.

Dalman Hapstone, in

with

Notes.

1867.

Whole

Psalm.

We

have

here

a

psalm

of

thanksgiving

to

be

sung

in

the

Temple

during

a

public

festivity,

at

which

the

sacrifices

were

to

be

offered

which

had been vowed during a long and protracted drought (Ps 65:1-2). To the

thanksgiving, however, for a gracious rain, and the hope of an abundant

harvest

(Ps

65:9-14),

is

added

gratitude

for

a

signal

deliverance

during

a time of distress and commotion affecting all the nations around (Ps

65:7-8). Thus the Psalm becomes a song of praise to Jehovah as the God

of

history

and

the

God

of

nature,

alike.

From

the

Chronologically

Arranged. By Four Friends.

1867.

Whole

Psalm.

This

is

a

charming

psalm.

Coming

after

the

previous

sad

ones,

it seems like the morning after the darkness of night. There is a dewy

freshness about it, and from the ninth verse to the end there is a sweet

succession of landscape pictures that remind one of the loveliness of

spring; and truly it is

a

description, in natural figures, of

that happy

state

of

men's

minds

which

will

be

the

result

of

the

spring's

visiting

us from on high.

O. Prescott Hiller.

Ver. 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion. The believer sometimes

seems to want words to exalt God, and stops, as it were, in the middle;

his thoughts want words. Thus praise waits, or is silent for God; it is

silent to other things, and it waits to be employed about him. The soul

is often put to a nonplus in crying up the grace of God, and wants words

to express its greatness; yea, to answer the elevation of the thoughts;

the heart indites a song of praise, but it cannot tune it. The psalmist

is stopped, as it were, through admiration (which is

silentium

intellectus

),

for

when

the

mind

can

rise

no

higher,

it

falls

admiringly;

hence some say, God is most exalted with fewest words.

Alexander

Carmichael.

Ver. 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God. Mercy is not yet come, we expect

it; whilst thou art preparing the mercy, we are preparing the praise.

Edward Leigh in

Testament,

1657.

Ver.

1.

Praise

waiteth

on

thee.

As

a

servant,

whose

duty

it

is

to

do

what

thou commandest; or,

for thee;

is ready to be offered in thy courts for

special

favours.

I

think

there

is

an

allusion

to

the

daily

service

in

which

God was praised.

Benjamin Boothroyd.

Ver. 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God.

Te decet hymnus,

so the vulgar

edition reads this place.

To thee, O

Lord, belong our hymns, our

psalms,

our praises, our cheerful acclamations, and conformable to that, we

translate

it,

Praise

waiteth

for

thee,

O

God.

But

if

we

take

it

according

to

the

original,

it

must

be

tibi,

silentium

laus

est,

Thy

praise,

O

Lord,

consists in silence. That man praises God best that says least of him;

of his mysterious essence, of his unrevealed will and secret purposes.

Abraham Wright.

Ver. 1.

Piscator.

Ver. 1. The Hebrew may be rendered, Praise is silent for thee. As if the

holy man had said,

soul

is

not

in

an

uproar

because

you

stay.

I

am

not

murmuring,

but

rather

stringing my harp and tuning my instrument with much patience and

confidence, that I may be ready to strike up when the joyful news of my

deliverance come.

William Gurnall.

Ver. 1. To thee belongeth silence praise. Praise without any tumult.

(Alexander.)

It

has

been

said,

most

intense

feeling

is

the

most

calm,

being condensed by repression.

silence which our unworthiness putteth us unto doth itself make request

for us, and that in the confidence of his grace. Looking inward, we are

stricken

dumb;

looking

upward,

we

speak

and

prevail.

Horsley

renders

it,

Andrew A. Bonar.

Ver. 1. Praise is silent for thee. The Chaldee interpretation is, that

our

praise

is

not

sufficiently

worthy

that

we

should

praise

God.

The

very

praises

of

angels

are

esteemed

as

nothing

before

him.

For

so

its

rendering

is:

thee,

O

God,

whose

Majesty

dwells

in

Zion,

the

praise

of

angels

is regarded as silence.

... Jerome's version here is,

is

praise,

O

God,

in

Zion.

Atheneus

says,

silence

is

a

divine

thing;

and

Thomas

a

Kempis

calls

silence

the

nutriment

of

devotion.

Thomas

Le

Blanc.

Ver. 1. To thee belong submission, praise, O God, in Sion. (Version of

the American Bible Union.) Thou hast a claim for submission in times of

sorrow,

for

praise

in

seasons

of

joy.

Thomas

J.

Conant,

in

Psalms...

with occasional notes.

1871.

Ver. 1. Vow. A vow is a voluntary and deliberate promise made unto God

in an extraordinary case.

holy manner:

modern writer

defines

it. (Szegedinus.)

It is a

and religious promise, advisedly and freely made unto God, concerning

something

which

to

do

or

to

omit

appeareth

to

be

grateful

and

well

pleasing

unto him:

I forbear Aquinas's

definition of a

vow. If these

which

I

have

given

satisfy

not,

then

view

it

in

the

words

of

Peter

Martyr,

a man of repute, and well known to our own nation in the days of Edward

VI., of ever blessed memory:

ourselves to offer somewhat

unto God.

is one more who defines

it,

and he is a man whose

judgment,

learning, and holiness hath perfumed his

name;

it

is

learned

Perkins,

in

his

of

Conscience.

vow,

saith

he,

Henry

Hurst(--1690), in

Ver.

1.

(

last

clause

).

The

reference

here

is

to

the

vows

or

promises

which

the people had made in view of the manifested judgments of God, and the

proofs of his goodness. Those vows they were now ready to carry out in

expressions of praise.

Albert Barnes.

HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Ver. 1. The fitness, place, use, and power of silence in worship.

Ver. 1. The limitations, advantages, and obligations of vows.

Psalms 65:2 (PSALMS)

EXPOSITION

Ver.

2.

O

thou

that

hearest

prayer.

This

is

thy

name,

thy

nature,

thy

glory.

God not only has heard, but is now hearing prayer, and always must hear

prayer,

since

he

is

an

immutable

being

and

never

changes

in

his

attributes.

What a delightful title for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Every right and sincere prayer is as surely heard as it is offered. Here

the psalmist brings in the personal pronoun thou, and we beg the reader

to notice how often

this hymn; David

evidently believed in a personal God, and did not adore a mere idea or

abstraction.

Unto thee shall all flesh come. This shall encourage men of all nations

to become suppliants to the one and only God, who proves his Deity by

answering those who seek his face. Flesh they are, and therefore weak;

frail

and

sinful,

they

need

to

pray;

and

thou

art

such

a

God

as

they

need,

for

thou

art

touched

with

compassion,

and

dost

condescend

to

hear

the

cries

of poor flesh and blood. Many come to thee now in humble faith, and are

filled with good, but more shall be drawn to thee by the attractiveness

of

thy

love,

and

at

length

the

whole

earth

shall

bow

at

thy

feet.

To

come

to

God

is

the

life

of

true

religion;

we

come

weeping

in

conversion,

hoping

in supplication, rejoicing in praise, and delighting in service. False

gods

must

in

due

time

lose

their

deluded

votaries,

for

man

when

enlightened

will not be longer be fooled; but each one who tries the true God is

encouraged

by

his

own

success

to

persuade

others

also,

and

so

the

kingdom

of God comes to men, and men come to it.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Ver.

2.

O

thou

that

hearest

prayer,

etc.

This

is

one

of

his

titles

of

honour,

he

is

a

God

that

hears

prayer;

and

it

is

as

truly

ascribed

to

him

as

mercy

or

justice.

He

hears

all

prayer,

therefore,

unto

thee

shall

all

flesh

come.

He never rejects any that deserves the name of prayer, how weak, how

unworthy

soever

the

petitioner

be.

All

flesh!

And

will

he

(may

faith

say)

reject mine only? Ro 10:12,

Ps 86:5,

11:6,

rewarder

of

them

that

diligently

seek

him.

This

must

be

believed

as certainly as we believe that God is. As sure as God is the true God,

so

sure

is

it

that

none

who

sought

him

diligently

departed

from

him

without

a reward. He rewards all seekers, for

indefinita in materia necessaria

aequipollet

universali.

And

if

all,

why

not

me?

You

may

as

well

doubt

that

he

is

God,

as

doubt

that

he

will

not

reward,

not

hear

prayer;

so

Jas

1:5,

liberally,

and

upbraideth

not;

and

it

shall

be

given

him.

David

Clarkson.

Ver. 2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. What

avails

prayer,

if

it

be

not

heard?

But

God's

people

need

not

lay

it

aside

on that score. Our text bears two things with respect to that matter.

1. A comfortable title ascribed to God, with the

unanimous

consent

of

all

the

sons

of

Zion,

who

are

all

praying

persons:

O

thou

that

hearest

prayer.

He

speaks

to

God

in

Zion,

or

Zion's

God,

that

is

in

New

Testament

language,

to

God

in

Christ.

An

absolute

God

thundereth

on sinners from Sinai, there can be no comfortable

intercourse betwixt God and them, by the law: but in

Zion, from the mercyseat, in Christ, he is the hearer

of prayer; they give in their supplications, and he

graciously

hears

them.

Such

faith

of

it

they

have,

that

praise waits there for the prayer hearing God.

2.

The

effect

of

the

savour

of

this

title

of

God,

spread

abroad in the world: Unto thee shall all flesh come:

not

only

Jews,

but

Gentiles.

The

poor

Gentiles

who

have

long in vain implored the aid of their idols, hearing

and believing that God is the hearer of prayer, will

flock to him, and present their petitions. They will

throng in about his door, where by the gospel they

understand beggars are so well served. They will come

in even unto thee, Hebrew. They will come in even to

thy seat, thy throne of grace, even unto thyself

through the Mediator... That God is the hearer of

prayer, and will hear the prayers of his people, is

evident from these considerations:

First.

The

supernatural

instinct

of

praying

that

is

found

in

all

that

are

born of God, Ga

4:6. It

is

as natural for them to fall

a praying when

the

grace

of

God

has

touched

their

hearts,

as

for

children

when

they

are

born

into

the

world

to

cry,

or

to

desire

the

breasts.

Zec

12:10,

compared

with

Ac 9:11, where in the account that is given of Paul, at his conversion,

it

is

particularly

noticed,

he

prayeth.

Hence

the

whole

saving

change on a soul

comes under

the

character of this

instinct. Jer 3:4,19.

Secondly. The intercession of Christ, Ro 8:34. It is a great part of the

work

of

Christ's

intercession

to

present

the

prayers

of

his

people

before

his Father, Re 8:4, to take their causes in hand, contained in their

supplications. 1Jo 2:1.

Thirdly. The promises of the covenant, whereby God's faithfulness is

impawned for the hearing of prayer, as Mt 7:7: see also Isa 65:24.

Fourthly.

The

many

encouragements

given

in

the

Word

to

the

people

of

God,

to come with their cases unto the Lord by prayer. He invites them to his

throne of grace with their

petitions

for supply

of their needs.

So 2:14.

He

sends

afflictions

to

press

them

to

come.

Ho

5:15.

He

gives

them

ground

of hope of success, Ps 50:15, whatever extremity their case is brought

to. Isa 41:17. He shows them that however long he may delay their trial,

yet praying and not fainting shall be successful at length. Lu 18:8.

Fifthly. The gracious nature of God, with the endearing relations he

stands

in

to

his

people.

Ex

22:27.

He

wants

not

power

and

ability

to

fulfil

the

holy

desires

of

his

people;

he

is

gracious,

and

will

withhold

no

good

from them that they really need. He has the bowels of a father to pity

them, the bowels of a mother to her sucking child. He has a most tender

sympathy with them in all their afflictions, the touches on them are as

on

the

apple

of

his

eye;

and

he

never

refuses

them

a

request,

but

for

their

good. Ro 8:28.

Sixthly. The experiences which the saints of all ages have had of the

answer of prayer. The faith of it brings them to God at conversion, as

the

text

intimates:

and

they

that

believe

cannot

be

disappointed.

Lastly.

The present ease and relief that prayer sometimes gives to the saints,

while yet the full answer of prayer is not come. Ps 138:3.

Thomas Boston

(1676-1732).

Ver. 2. O thou that hearest prayer. Observe

1. That God is called the hearer of prayers, since he

hears,

without

distinction

of

persons,

the

prayers

of

every

one

poured

forth

with

piety,

not

only

of

the

Jews,

but also of the Gentiles; as in Ac 10:34-35... It

follows, therefore, as a necessary consequence,

that

all flesh should come to him.

2.

To come to God,

is not indeed simply tantamount to

saying,

to draw near to God,

to adore, call upon, and

worship him, but to come

to Zion

for the purpose of

adoring God; for it was just now said, that God must

be

praised

in

Zion,

and

to

this

the

phrase,

to

come

to

God,

must be referred. On this account also

la

is not

used, but

de

, whose proper force is

right up to God,

or to the place of the habitation of God to render

adoration to God.

Hermann Venema.

Ver. 2. To thee shall all flesh come. To Christ

comes,

that

is

(1.) every sinner and carnal man. He himself says, Mt 9:13

The Grecian priest in olden times, when approaching to

receive the sacrifice, used to exclaim,

Who comes

there?

and the reply was,

Many and good.

But

God received publicans and sinners, and invites them

to his banquet, and eateth with them; but for the

purpose of delivering them from sin.

shall

see

the

salvation

of

God.

(2.)

All flesh

may

be

taken

for the whole flesh, the

whole body; all the senses and members of the body

shall come to God that they may pay him tribute as

their King.

Thomas Le Blanc.

Ver. 2. All flesh. By

flesh

is meant man in his weakness and need.

J. J.

Stewart Perowne.

HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Ver. 2.

(

first clause

).

The hearing and

granting of prayer

is the Lord's

property, his usual practice, his pleasure, his nature, and his glory.

David Dickson.

Psalms 65:3 (PSALMS)

EXPOSITION

Ver.

3.

Iniquities

prevail

against

me.

Others

accuse

and

slander

me,

and

in addition to my own sins rise up and would beset me to my confusion,

were it not for the remembrance of the atonement which covers every one

of my iniquities. Our sins would, but for grace, prevail against us in

the

court

of

divine

justice,

in

the

court

of

conscience,

and

in

the

battle

of life. Unhappy is the man who despises these enemies, and worse still

is he who counts them his friends! He is best instructed who knows their

deadly power, and flees for refuge to him who pardons iniquity.

As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. Thou dost cover

them all, for thou hast provided a covering propitiation, a mercyseat

which wholly covers thy law. Note the word our, the faith of the one

penitent who speaks for himself in the first clause, here embraces all

the

faithful

in

Zion;

and

he

is

so

persuaded

of

the

largeness

of

forgiving

love

that

he

leads

all

the

saints

to

sing

of

the

blessing.

What

a

comfort

that

iniquities

that

prevail

against

us,

do

not

prevail

against

God.

They

would keep us away from God, but he sweeps them away from before himself

and

us;

they

are

too

strong

for

us,

but

not

for

our

Redeemer,

who

is

mighty,

yea,

and

almighty

to

save.

It

is

worthy

of

note

that

as

the

priest

washed

in

the

laver

before

he

sacrificed,

so

David

leads

us

to

obtain

purification

from sin before we enter upon the service of song. When we have washed

our

robes

and

made

them

white

in

his

blood,

then

shall

we

acceptably

sing,

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Ver. 3. Iniquities prevail against me. There are two ways in which

iniquities

may

prevail

against

the

Christian--the

first

is

in

the

growing

sense of his guilt, the second is in the power of their acting. This

prevalence cannot be entire, for sin shall not have dominion over them;

but it may be occasional and partial. There are two ways, according to

Scripture, in which God purges our transgressions; and they always go

together.

The

one

is

by

pardoning

mercy.

Thus

David

prays:

me

with

hyssop, and I shall be clean.

us

from

all

sin.

The

other

is

by

sanctifying

grace:

will

sprinkle

clean

water upon you, and ye shall be clean.

God as the former. He subdues our iniquities as well as forgives them.

William Jay.

Ver. 3. Iniquities. Literally,

Words of iniquities,

by some regarded as

a pleonastic phrase for iniquities themselves. More probably, however,

the phrase means the charge or accusation of iniquity.

Joseph Addison

Alexander.

Ver. 3. The deeds of iniquity are said

To prevail against us,

in so far

as

they

are

too

strong

and

powerful

for

us

to

deny

or

refute,

and

to

subject

us

to

a

demand

of

those

penalties

which

the

sin

merits;

hence

there

remains

no

other

refuge

than

the

clemency

and

grace

of

God,

the

Judge.

See

Ps

143:2

130:3-4.

Hermann Venema.

Ver. 3. As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. In the

Hebrew it is, Thou shalt hide them. It alludes to the mercy seat which

was

covered

with

the

wings

of

the

Cherubim;

so

are

the

sins

of

the

godly,

when repented of, covered with the wings of mercy and favour.

Thomas

Watson.

Ver. 3. Thou shalt purge them away; or, Thou coverest them. The pronoun

is emphatic, as though to express the conviction that God and God alone

could do this.

J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Ver. 3. The holy prophets, and penmen of Scripture, have no grounds of

hope

for

pardon

of

sin,

save

those

which

are

common

to

the

meanest

of

God's

people; for David, in his confession, cometh in by himself alone,

aggravating his own sins most: Iniquities prevail against me, saith he.

But in hope of pardon, he joins with the rest of God's people, saying,

As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

David Dickson.

Ver. 3-4.

Now,

soul, thou art molested

with many lusts

that infect thee,

and obstruct thy commerce with heaven; yea, thou hast complained to thy

God,

what

loss

thou

hast

suffered

by

them;

is

it

now

presumption

to

expect

relief

from

him,

that

he

will

rescue

thee

from

them,

that

thou

mayest

serve

him without fear, who is thy liege Lord? You have the saints for your

precedents; who, when they have been in combat with their corruptions,

yea, been foiled by them, have even then exercised their faith on God,

and expected the ruin of those enemies, which, for the present, have

overrun them. Iniquities prevail against me; he means his own sins; but

see his faith; at the same time that they prevailed over him, he beholds

God destroying them, as appears in the very next words, As for our

transgressions,

thou

shalt

purge

them

away.

See

here,

poor

Christian,

who

thinkest that thou shalt never get above deck, holy David has a faith,

not

only

for

himself,

but

also

for

all

believers,

of

whose

number

I

suppose

thee

one.

And

mark

the

ground

he

hath

for

this

his

confidence,

taken

from

God's choosing act: Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest

to

approach

unto

thee,

that

he

may

dwell

in

thy

courts.

As

if

he

had

said,

Surely he will not let them be under the power of sin, or in want of his

gracious succour, whom he sets so near himself. This is Christ's own

argument against Satan,

in

the behalf of his people.

Satan, the Lord rebuke thee.

Zec 3:2.

William Gurnall.

HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Ver. 3.

I.

The humble confession.

Sins prevail against us.

1.

When

we

are

not

alert,

or

go

into

temptation,

and even after most sacred engagements.

2.

How.

Through our inbred corruption, natural

constitution,

suddenness

of

temptation,

neglect

of means of grace, and want of fellowship.

3. In

whom.

In the best of men: David says,

against

me.

Let

us

take

home

the

caution.

II.

The

reassuring confidence.

Sin is forgiven.

1. By God: Thou.

2. By atonement: covering all.

3. Effectually: purge away.

4. Comprehensively: our transgressions.

Ver. 3.

I.

A cry of distress.

Man soul besieged: Iniquities

prevail against me.

II.

A shout of delight.

Man soul relieved: Thou shalt

purge them away.

E. G. Gange.

Psalms 65:4 (PSALMS)

EXPOSITION

Ver. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach

unto thee. After cleansing comes benediction, and truly this is a very

rich one. It comprehends both election, effectual calling, access,

acceptance, and sonship. First, we are chosen of God, according to the

good pleasure of his will,

and

this alone is blessedness. Then, since we

cannot and will not come to God of ourselves, he works graciously in us,

and

attracts

us

powerfully;

he

subdues

our

unwillingness,

and

removes

our

inability by the almighty workings of his transforming grace. This also

is no slight blessedness. Furthermore, we, by his divine drawings, are

made nigh by the blood of his Son, and brought near by his spirit, into

intimate fellowship; so that we have access with boldness, and are no

longer

as

those

who

are

afar

off

by

wicked

works:

here

also

is

unrivalled

blessedness.

To

crown

all,

we

do

not

come

nigh

in

peril

of

dire

destruction,

as Nadab and Abihu did, but we approach as chosen and accepted ones, to

become dwellers in the divine household: this is heaped up blessedness,

vast

beyond

conception.

But

dwelling

in

the

house

we

are

treated

as

sons,

for the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth

ever.

Behold

what

manner

of

love

and

blessedness

the

Father

has

bestowed

upon

us

that

we

may

dwell

in

his

house,

and

go

no

more

out

for

ever.

Happy

men who dwell at home with God. May both writer and reader be such men.

That he may dwell in thy courts. Acceptance leads to abiding: God does

not make a temporary choice, or give and take; his gifts and calling are

without

repentance.

He

who

is

once

admitted

to

God's

courts

shall

inhabit

them for ever; he shall be

But like a child at home.

Permanence gives preciousness. Terminating blessings are but half

blessings. To dwell in the courts of the Great King is to be ennobled;

to dwell there for ever is to be emparadised: yet such is the portion of

every

man

whom

God

has

chosen

and

caused

to

approach

unto

him,

though

once

his iniquities prevailed against him.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Ver. 3-4. Now,

soul, thou art molested

with many lusts

that infect thee,

and obstruct thy commerce with heaven; yea, thou hast complained to thy

God,

what

loss

thou

hast

suffered

by

them;

is

it

now

presumption

to

expect

relief

from

him,

that

he

will

rescue

thee

from

them,

that

thou

mayest

serve

him without fear, who is thy liege Lord? You have the saints for your

precedents; who, when they have been in combat with their corruptions,

yea, been foiled by them, have even then exercised their faith on God,

and expected the ruin of those enemies, which, for the present, have

overrun them. Iniquities prevail against me; he means his own sins; but

see his faith; at the same time that they prevailed over him, he beholds

God destroying them, as appears in the very next words, As for our

transgressions,

thou

shalt

purge

them

away.

See

here,

poor

Christian,

who

thinkest that thou shalt never get above deck, holy David has a faith,

not

only

for

himself,

but

also

for

all

believers,

of

whose

number

I

suppose

thee

one.

And

mark

the

ground

he

hath

for

this

his

confidence,

taken

from

God's choosing act: Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest

to

approach

unto

thee,

that

he

may

dwell

in

thy

courts.

As

if

he

had

said,

Surely he will not let them be under the power of sin, or in want of his

gracious succour, whom he sets so near himself. This is Christ's own

argument against Satan,

in

the behalf

of his

people.

Satan, the Lord rebuke thee.

Zec 3:2.

William Gurnall.

Ver. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest. The benedictions of the

Psalter

advance

in

spirituality

and

indicate

a

growth.

The

first

blessed

the godly reader of the word. Ps 1:1. The second described the pardoned

child.

Ps

32:1.

The

third

pronounced

a

blessing

upon

faith.

Ps

34:8

40:4.

The

fourth

commended

the

active

and

generous

believer,

abundant

in

deeds

of charity (Ps 41:1); and this last mounting to the fountain head of all

benediction, blesses the elect of God.

C. H. S.

Ver. 4. The man whom thou choosest. Christ, whom God chose, and of whom

he

said,

is

my beloved

Son

in

whom

I

am

well

pleased,

is,

indeed,

For his sake, not for our own, are we chosen; in him, not in ourselves,

are we received by God, being accepted in the Beloved; and, therefore,

in him are we blessed: he is our blessing. With that High Priest who has

ascended into the holy place and entered within the vail, we enter into

the house of God; we learn to dwell therein; we are filled with its

spiritual

joys;

we

partake

of

its

holy

mysteries

and

sacraments

of

grace

and love.

From

1859.

Ver.

4.

We

shall

be

satisfied

with

the

goodness

of

thy

house,

even

of

thy

holy

temple.

We

shall

be

so

filled,

that

nothing

can

be

said

to

be

wanting,

we

shall

have

nothing

to

look

for

outside.

What

can

be

wanting

in

the

house

of him who made everything, who is the master of everything, who will be

all

unto

all,

in

whom

is

an

inexhaustible

treasure

of

good.

Of

him

is

said

in Psalm 103,

Robert

Bellarmine

(1542-1621).

Ver. 4. Satisfied with the goodness of thy house. There is an allusion

here to the oblations which were devoted to God, of which, also, sacred

persons partook.

Hermann Venema.

HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Ver.

4.

Nearness

to

God

is

the

foundation

of

a

creature's

happiness.

This

doctrine appears in full evidence, while we consider the three chief

ingredients of true felicity,

viz.,

the contemplation of the noblest

object, to satisfy all the powers of the understanding; the love of the

supreme

good,

to

answer

the

utmost

propensities

of

the

will,

and

the

sweet

and

everlasting

sensation

and

assurance

of

the

love

of

an

Almighty

Friend,

who

will

free

us

from

all

the

evils

which

our

nature

can

fear,

and

confer

upon us all the good which a wise and innocent creature can desire. Thus

all the capacities of man are employed in their highest and sweetest

exercises and enjoyments.

Isaac Watts.

Ver.

4.

Election,

effectual

calling,

access,

adoption,

final

perseverance,

satisfaction. This verse is a body of divinity in miniature.

Psalms 65:5 (PSALMS)

EXPOSITION

Ver. 5. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God

of our salvation. God's memorial is that he hears prayer, and his glory

is that he answers it in a manner fitted to inspire awe in the hearts of

his

people.

The

saints,

in

the

commencement

of

the

Psalm,

offered

praise

in reverential silence; and now, in the like awe stricken spirit, they

receive

answers

to

their

prayers.

The

direct

allusion

here

is, no

doubt,

to the Lord's overthrow of the enemies of his people in ways calculated

to strike terror into all beholders; his judgments in their severe

righteousness

were

calculated

to

excite

fear

both

among

friends

and

foes.

Who would not fear a God whose blows are so crushing? We do not always

know what we are asking for when we pray; when the answer comes, the

veritable answer, it is possible that we may be terrified by it. We seek

sanctification, and trial will be the reply: we ask for more faith, and

more affliction is the result: we pray for the spread of the gospel, and

persecution

scatters

us.

Nevertheless,

it

is

good

to

ask

on,

for

nothing

which

the

Lord

grants

in

his

love

can

do

us

any

harm.

Terrible

things

will

turn

out

to

be

blessed

things

after

all,

where

they

come

in

answer

to

prayer.

See

in

this

verse

how

righteousness

and

salvation

are

united,

the

terrible

things

with

the

gracious

answers.

Where

but

in

Jesus

could

they

be

blended?

The

God

who

saves

may

answer

our

prayers

in

a

way

which

puts

unbelief

into

a flutter; but when faith spies the Saviour, she remembers that

are not what they seem,

is also our refuge from terror when we see him in the Well beloved.

Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth. The dwellers in the

far off isles trust in God; those most remote from Zion yet confide in

the ever living Jehovah. Even those who dwell in countries, frozen or

torrid, where nature puts on her

varied terrors,

and those who see dread

wonders on the deep, yet fly from the terrors of God and place their

confidence in the God of terrors. His arm is strong to smite, but also

strong to save.

And

of

them

that

are

afar

off

upon

the

sea.

Both

elements

have

their

elect

band of believers. If the land gave Moses elders, the sea gave Jesus

apostles. Noah, when all was ocean, was as calm with God as Abraham in

his tent. All men are equally dependent upon God: the seafaring man is

usually

most

conscious

of

this,

but

in

reality

he

is

not

more

so

than

the

husbandman,

nor

the

husbandman

than

anyone

else.

There

is

no

room

for

self

confidence on land or sea, since God is the only true confidence of men

on earth or ocean. Faith is a plant of universal growth, it is a tree of

life on shore and a plant of renown at sea; and, blessed be God, those

who

exercise

faith

in

him

anywhere

shall

find

that

he

is

swift

and

strong

to answer their prayers. A remembrance of this should quicken our

devotions when we approach unto the Lord our God.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Ver.

5.

By

terrible

things

in

righteousness

wilt

thou

answer

us.

The

reason

why he answers thus is, because what God doth for his people, take one

thing

with

another,

is

still

in

order

to

the

crucifying

of

the

flesh;

and

what more

terrible

than such a death? We pray for

pleasing

things, as we

imagine, but as we are flesh as well as spirit; so the flesh hath still

a part in every prayer, and what we beg is partly carnal, and upon the

matter,

in

part,

we

beg

we

know

not

what.

Now,

the

answer

as

it

comes

from

God,

take

all

together,

is

spiritual,

which

is

a

crucifying

thing

to

sinful

flesh; hence comes all the terror... You pray for pardon; that is a

pleasing thing, yet rightly understand not pleasing to the flesh; it

mortifies corruption, breaks the heart, engages to a holy life: every

answer

from

our

God

to

us,

one

way

or

the

other,

first

or

last,

shall

tend

that way. God useth so to give good things unto his children, as withal

to give himself, and show to them his heavenly glory in what is done...

Now

God

is

terrible

to

sinful

flesh:

so

far

as

he

appears,

it

dies.

Jacob,

therefore, whilst he conquered God in prayer, himself was overcome,

signified

by

that

touch

upon

his

thigh

put

out

of

joint,

where

the

chiefest

stress in wrestling lies.

When we are

weak, then are

we strong; because,

as God appears, we die unto ourselves and live in him.

William Carter,

in a Fast Sermon entitled,

1648.

Ver. 5. God's judgments are these

terribilia,

terrible, fearful things;

and he is faithful in his covenant; and by terrible judgments he will

answer,

that

is,

satisfy

our

expectation:

and

that

is

a

convenient

sense

of these words. But the word which we translate righteousness here, is

tzadok,

and

tzadok

is

not

faithfulness,

but

holiness;

and

these

terrible

things are reverend things; and so Tremellius translates it, and well.

Per res

reverendas, by reverend things

, things to which there belongs a

reverence--thou shalt answer us. And thus, the sense of this place will

be, that the God of our salvation (that is, God working in the Christian

church) calls us to holiness, to righteousness, by terrible things; not

terrible in the way and nature of revenge, but terrible, that is,

stupendous,

reverend,

mysterious;

so

that

we

should

not

make

religion

too

homely

a

thing,

but

come

always

to

all

acts

and

exercises

of

religion

with

reverence, with fear, and trembling, and make a difference between

religious and civil actions.

John Donne.

Ver. 5.

God's deliverance of

his

church and people by terrible things is

in righteousness. The meaning of the point is this: God in all the

deliverances

of

his

people

by

terrible

things,

doth

therein

manifest

his

righteousness. He doth therein nothing but what is according to

righteousness

and

justice.

To

clear

this,

consider

that

there

is

a

double

righteousness,

the

righteousness

of

his

word,

which

is

the

righteousness

of

his

faithfulness,

and

the

righteousness

of

his

works,

or

his

just

acts

of

righteousness.

And

God

doth

manifest

both

these

in

his

deliverance

of

his people by terrible things.

John Bewick.

1644.

Ver. 5. But what is the meaning when they say, wilt thou answer us?

Us,

who are inhabitants of Zion, who are constituted thy people, and truly

worship

Thee;

us,

moreover,

in

contact

with

enemies,

who

stirred

up

strife

against

us,

and

wished

us

ill;

us,

lastly,

who

aim

at

and

seek

the

stability

of the Kingdom and Church, and every kind of felicity and safety; with

such things

wilt thou

answer us,

it says, that is, for our advantage and

benefit,

and

according

to

our

vows,

and

therefore

by

pleading our

cause,

and deciding in our favour, and satisfying our desires; and in this way

rendering

us

happy

and

establishing

us,

and

subduing

and

confounding

our

foes.

Hermann Venema.

Ver. 5. Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth. How could

God be the confidence of all the ends of the earth, if he does not reign

and constantly work? The stability of the mountains is ascribed not to

certain physical laws, but to the power of God. The noise of the seas is

stilled not by laws without a powerful agent, but by the immediate

influence of the Almighty Ruler. Human laws also may be the means of

restraining persecution, but they are only means; and it is God who

stilleth the tumult of the people. It is God who maketh the outgoings of

the

morning

and

evening

to

sing.

The

Scriptures,

in

viewing

the

works

which

God does through means, never lose sight of God himself. God visits and

waters

the

earth:

God

prepares

the

corn.

Without

his

own

immediate

power,

the laws of nature could not produce their effect. How consoling and

satisfactory

is

this view

of

Divine

Providence,

compared

with

that

of

an

infidel philosophy, that

forbids us to

go further

back than to

the power

of certain physical laws, which it grants, indeed, were at first

established by God, but which can now perform their office without him.

Alexander Carson.

(1776-1844.)

Ver. 5. All the ends of the earth. God is

in himself potentially, The

confidence of all the ends of the earth.

Hereafter

he will be

recognised

by all to be so (Ps 23:27-28), of which the Queen of Sheba's coming to

Solomon

A.

R. Faussett.

Ver. 5. And of them that are afar off upon the sea. We must beseech God

in

the

words

of

this

Psalm,

that

since

He

stands

upon

the

shore,

and

beholds

our

perils,

he

would

make

us,

who

are

tossed

on

the

turbulent

sea,

secure

for his name's sake, and

enable

us to

hold between Scylla

and Charybdis,

the middle course, and escaping the danger on either hand, with a sound

vessel and safe merchandise, reach the port.

Lorinus (from Augustine).

Ver.

5-8.

The

divine

watering

of

the

earth

is

obviously

symbolical

of

the

descent

of

the

Holy

Spirit

after

Christ's

ascension;

and

when

on

the

great

day

of

Pentecost

the

devout

Jews,

of

every

nation

under

heaven,

the

apostle

speaking

in

their

several

tongues

the

wonderful

works

of

God,

it

was

a

testimony

that

God

was

beginning

spiritually

to

make

the

outgoings

of the morning and evening to rejoice. To God, which stilleth the noise

of

the

waves

and

the

tumult

of

the

people,

the

apostles

betook

themselves

in prayer after their first conflict with Jewish authorities, the first

conflict

of

the

infant

Christian

community

with

the

powers

of

this

world:

the language of the Psalm (Ps 65:5), O God of our salvation; who art the

confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off

upon the sea, is reflected in the opening words of their prayer on that

occasion

(Ac

4:24),

thou

art

God,

which

hast

made

heaven,

and

earth,

and

the

sea,

and

all

that

in

them

is;

if,

when

they

prayed,

place

was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled

with the Holy Ghost,

righteousness were they being answered by the God of their salvation.

These

are,

of

course,

mere

illustrations

of

the

inner

harmony

of

Scripture;

but,

as

such,

they

may

not

be

without

their

value.

Joseph

Francis

Thrupp.

HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Ver. 5. Treat the first clause experimentally, and show how prayers for

our own sanctification are answered by trial; for God's glory, by our

persecution; for our babes' salvation, by their death; for the good of

others, by their sickness, etc.

Psalms 65:6 (PSALMS)

EXPOSITION

Ver.

6.

Which

by

his

strength

setteth

fast

the

mountains.

He,

as

it

were,

fixed

them

in

their

sockets,

and

preserved

them

from

falling

by

earthquake

or storm. The firmest owe their stability to him. Philosophers of the

forget God school are too much engrossed with their laws of upheaval to

think of the Upheaver. Their theories of volcanic action and glacier

action,

etc.,

etc.,

are

frequently

used

as

bolts

and

bars

to

shut

the

Lord

out of his own world. Our poet is of another mind, and sees God's hand

settling Alps and Andes on their bases, and therefore he sings in his

praise.

Let

me

for

ever

be

just

such

an

unphilosophical

simpleton

as

David

was, for he was nearer akin to Solomon than any of our modern theorists.