The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  42:5 Why are you cast down…and…disquieted…? In this active introspection the psalmist rebukes himself for his despondency.

  42:6 the land of the Jordan…the heights of Hermon…the Hill Mizar. The Mt. Hermon and the Jordan notations refer to a location in northern Palestine, an area of head-waters which flow southward. These locations signal that a sharp contrast in the word pictures describing the psalmist’s change in condition is imminent. He is about to move from drought to drowning (cf. vv. 7ff.). The location and significance of Mt. Mizar is not known.

  42:7 Deep…Your waterfalls…Your waves and billows. He alleges that God is ultimately responsible for the oceans of trial in which he seems to be drowning.

  42:8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness. This statement of confidence interrupts his laments (cf. their continuance in vv. 9, 10), providing a few gracious gulps of divine “air” under the cascading inundations of his trials and tormentors.

  Psalm 43

  43:1–5 Psalm 43 might be conceived of as an epilogue to Ps. 42. The psalmist moves away from introspection toward invocation. However, as v. 5 will indicate, the psalmist’s problems had not ended, at least not fully and finally. Nevertheless, spiritual progress is evident. By interrelating the psalmist’s two modes of communication in Ps. 43 and then by comparing them with the laments of Ps. 42, one observes indications of that progress as he continued to deal with his despondency.

  I. Prayers to God (43:1-4)

  A. Righting Wrongs (43:1, 2)

  B. Restoring “Rights” (i.e., proper or appropriate things) (43:3, 4)

  II. “Pep-talks” to Oneself (43:5)

  A. Exhortation (43:5a-b)

  B. Encouragement (43:5c-d)

  43:1 Vindicate me…plead my cause. Lit. “Judge me, O God, and argue my case.” This combination of legal terms demonstrates respectively that the psalmist was requesting God to be both his Divine Judge (cf. Judg. 11:27; 1 Sam. 24:12; Pss. 7:8; 26:1) and Defense Attorney (cf. Ps. 119:154; Prov. 22:23; 23:11; Jer. 50:34; Lam. 3:58). On both concepts together, as here, cf. 1 Sam. 24:15; Ps. 35:1, 24; Mic. 7:9.

  43:2 Why…? Why…? Since God was his refuge of strength, the psalmist questioned why this divine rejection and why his dejection?

  43:3 Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me. These are bold personifications for divine guidance. He desired that these “messenger-attributes” divinely direct (cf. such “leading” and “guiding” in Gen. 24:48; Pss. 78:14, 53, 72; 107:30; Is. 57:18) so as to bring him successfully to his destination, i.e., Israel’s designated place for worship.

  43:5 Why…why…Hope. Cf. Ps. 42:5, 11.

  Ps. 43:5

  Anointing of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

  Old Testament Israel had mediators who stood between God and His people. To empower the OT mediators, the Holy Spirit gave special administrative ability to carry out the management of the nation and military skills which enabled them to defeat the theocracy’s enemies. The Lord first anointed Moses with this ministry of the Spirit, and then in a truly dramatic scene, took some of this ministry of the Spirit and shared it with the 70 elders. Thus they were enabled to help Moses administer Israel (Num. 11:17–25).

  Also Joshua (Deut. 34:9), the judges (Judg. 3:10; 6:34), and the kings of united Israel and the southern kingdom were anointed with this special ministry of the Spirit. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon King Saul, for example, he was in effect given “another heart” (1 Sam. 10:6-10). This does not mean that he was regenerated at this point in his life, but that he was given skills to be a king. Later the theocratic anointing was taken from Saul and given to David (1 Sam. 16:1-14). Saul, from that time on, became a totally incapable leader.

  King David no doubt had this special ministry of the Spirit in mind in his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51. He was not afraid of losing his salvation when he prayed, “do not take your Holy Spirit from me” (Ps. 51:11), but rather was concerned that God would remove this spiritual wisdom and administrative skill from him. David had earlier seen such a tragedy in the life of Saul when that king of Israel lost the anointing of the Holy Spirit. David was thus pleading with God not to remove His hand of guidance.

  King Solomon also perceived his youthful inabilities at the beginning of his reign and requested God to give him special wisdom in administering Israel. God was greatly pleased with this request and granted an extra measure to the young man (1 Kin. 3:7-12, 28; 4:29-34). Although the OT is silent in this regard about the kings who succeeded Solomon, the theocratic anointing of the Spirit likely came on all of the descendants of David in connection with the Davidic Covenant.

  When the theocracy went out of existence as Judah was carried away into captivity, and the last Davidic king was disempowered, the theocratic anointing was no longer given (Ezek. 8-11). The kings of the northern tribes, on the other hand, being essentially apostate and not in the Davidic line, never had the benefit of this special ministry of the Spirit.

  Psalm 44

  44:1–26 Psalm 44 is a national lament following some great but historically unidentifiable defeat in battle. Throughout this psalm there are subtle shifts between speakers of the first person plural (i.e., “We” and “us”; cf. vv. 1–3, 5, 7, 8, 9–14, 17–22) and the first person singular (i.e., “I” or “my”; cf. vv. 4, 6, 15–16). This may indicate that the psalm was originally sung antiphonally with alterations coming from both the beaten king-general and his defeated nation. The prayers of vv. 23–26 may have been offered in unison as a climax. By employing 3 historical centers in Ps. 44, the psalmist tries to understand and deal with a national tragedy.

  I. Focus on Past History: The Shock of This National Tragedy (44:1-8)

  II. Focus on Current History: The Inscrutability of This National Tragedy (44:9-22)

  III. Focus on Future History: A Prayer for an End to This National Tragedy (44:23-26)

  44:Title The words of this title are the same as those in the title of Ps. 42; however, in the Hebrew text their order is slightly different.

  44:1 We have heard. There was a rich tradition about God’s great acts which the nation’s fathers had passed on. Indeed the rehearsal of holy history was commanded (cf. Ex. 10:1, 2; 12:26ff.; 13:14ff.; Deut. 6:20ff.; Josh. 4:6ff.; Ps. 78:3).

  44:2 You planted. On the imagery of God’s planting His people, cf. 2 Sam. 7:10; Is. 5:1ff.; Jer. 12:2; also cf. their being planted and taking root in Ps. 80:8–11.

  44:3 For they did not…But it was Your right hand. This is a brief historical summary of the theology of divine grace, intervention, and enablement (cf. Josh. 24:17, 18).

  44:4 Command victories for Jacob. If the division of the Heb. consonants is taken at a different point (as it is in some early versions) this line would better fit into the immediate context, reading: “You are my King, my God, who commands (or, orders) victories for Jacob.” “Jacob,” the original name of the ancient patriarch, is often used to designate the nation of Israel, especially in poetry.

  44:5–8 Through You…For I will not trust in my bow…But You have saved us. The defeated king-general picks up the theology of v. 3 and adds his personal commitment to it.

  44:9 But You…do not go out with our armies. The LORD God is viewed here as having resigned His commission as the nation’s Divine Warrior.

  44:11–16 You have given…You sell. These are graphic descriptions of God superintending the defeat and utter humiliation of the nation.

  44:17–21 But we have not forgotten You…If we had forgotten the name of our God. The nation’s recent defeat was painfully perplexing in view of their basic loyalty to God.

  44:22 Yet for Your sake. They had no specific answers; only this inescapable conclusion that, by God’s sovereign will, they were allowed to be destroyed by their enemies. Cf. Paul’s quote of this verse in Rom. 8:36 and its general principle in Matt. 5:10–12; 1 Pet. 3:13–17; 4:12–16.

  44:23 Awake!…Arise! Cf. Ps. 35:23. God does not actually sleep. This is only in appearance to man’s p
erception.

  44:26 Arise. Cf. Num. 10:35; Pss. 3:7; 7:6. And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake. The psalm therefore comes full circle from the history of God’s gracious redemption (vv. 1–3) to the hope for the same in the near future (v. 26).

  Psalm 45

  45:1–17 Some portions of Ps. 45 convey a secular emphasis, while others suggest a sacred extension. Upon the occasion of a royal wedding, the psalmist offers a 3-part song of celebration.

  I. Poetic Preface (45:1)

  II. Song of Celebration (45:2-16)

  A. The King-Groom (45:2-9)

  1. Endowments of the king-groom (45:2)

  2. Exploits of the king-groom (45:3–5)

  3. Elevation of the king-groom (45:6, 7)

  4. Eminence of the king-groom (45:8, 9)

  B. The Princess-Bride (45:10-15)

  1. A challenge to the princess-bride (45:10–12)

  2. The procession of the princess-bride (45:13–15)

  C. Future Children from This Union (45:16)

  III. Poetic Postscript (45:17)

  45:Title Two new notations are found, “Set to The Lilies” and “A Song of Love.” The first most likely had to do with the tune used in accompaniment with its words. The second notation referring to its content probably indicated that this psalm was a wedding song, and even more specifically, a royal wedding composition.

  45:1 My heart is overflowing…My tongue. The psalmist is overwhelmed with emotion upon the occasion of the king’s marriage; consequently, he puts his stirred-up mind and feelings into words. In v. 2ff. his tongue is the brush that he uses to paint vivid word pictures.

  45:2 You are fairer. I.e., you are “more beautiful than,” or, “most handsome among” (cf. an ancient prerequisite for kingship; in the Bible note the comments, e.g., in 1 Sam. 9:2; 10:23; 16:12; 2 Sam. 14:25; 1 Kin. 1:6; Song 5:10; Is. 33:17). Grace is poured upon Your lips. The implication is that God has anointed the king’s words (cf. Eccl. 10:12; Luke 4:22).

  45:3–5 Gird Your sword. In these verses the psalmist wishes the king future victories in battle.

  45:6, 7 Your throne, O God. Since this king-groom was likely a member of the Davidic dynasty (e.g., 2 Sam. 7), there was a near and immediate application (cf. 1 Chr. 28:5; 29:23). Through progressive revelation (i.e., Heb. 1:8, 9), we learn of the ultimate application to “a greater than Solomon” who is God—the Lord Jesus Christ.

  45:9 Kings’ daughters…Your honorable women…the queen. This court picture could refer to royal female guests, but also includes the other wives and concubines of the king-groom (cf. the situation with Solomon in 1 Kin. 11:1). Such polygamy of course was prohibited by God’s Word; unfortunately, it was still common among the kings of Israel. gold from Ophir. Although its geographical location is not known, “Ophir” was well known as the location of the purest gold.

  45:10–15 O daughter. The major emphasis of this portion is “Here comes the bride!” However, even in this section the focus still concentrates, according to ancient Near Eastern precedent, upon the royal groom.

  45:16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons. The loyal and joyful poet now speaks of the blessings of anticipated children from this union.

  Psalm 46

  46:1–11 Psalm 46 was the scriptural catalyst for Martin Luther’s great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” This psalm also launches a trilogy of psalms (i.e., 46, 47, 48); they are all songs of triumph. Furthermore, it has also been grouped among the so-called “songs of Zion” (cf. Pss. 48, 76, 84, 87, 122). Psalm 46 extols the adequacy of God in facing threats from nature and the nations. God indeed protects (cf. vv. 1, 7, 11) His people upon the earth (cf. vv. 2, 6, 8, 9, 10). The major burden of Ps. 46 is that God provides stability for His people who live in two exceedingly unstable environments.

  I. The Unstable Environment of Nature (46:1-3)

  A. The Affirmation of His Stability (46:1)

  B. The Application of His Stability (46:2, 3)

  II. The Unstable Environment of the Nations (46:4-11)

  A. The First Chorus (46:4-7)

  B. The Follow-Up Chorus (46:8-11)

  46:Title The new element in this title is “Alamoth.” The early Gr. translation (LXX) interprets this technical term as “hidden things.” However, the Heb. word normally has to do with “girls” or “young maidens.” Consequently, the most likely conjecture about this phrase is that it is a technical musical notation, possibly indicating a song which was to be sung with female voices at a higher range.

  46:2 Even though the earth be removed. I.e., “When earth changes and when mountains move (or) shake (or) totter (or) slip…,” (cf. the language of Is. 24:19, 20; 54:10; Hag. 2:6). These are poetic allusions to earthquakes. Since “the earth” and “mountains” are regarded by men as symbols of stability, when they “dance” great terror normally ensues. But when the most stable becomes unstable, there should be “no fear” because of the transcendent stability of God.

  46:3 Though its waters roar. This is an illustration of powerfully surging and potentially destructive floods of waters. These will not erode God’s protective fortifications.

  46:4 There is a river whose streams. These words about refreshing waters contrast with those about the threatening torrents of v. 3. Cf. the garden of paradise concept often mentioned in ancient Near Eastern literature, but most importantly, cf. the biblical revelation, noting especially the “bookends” of Gen. 2:10 and Rev. 22:1, 2. the city of God. These words in their present setting refer to Jerusalem, God’s chosen earthly residence (cf. Ps. 48:1, 2; Is. 60:14).

  46:5, 6 she shall not be moved. These verses pick up some of the key terms about moving, slipping, tottering, sliding, and roaring from vv. 1–3; however, here, because of the presence of God, the forces of nature and the nations are no longer a threat to the people of God who dwell with Him.

  46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us. The precious personal presence (cf. “God with us” in Is. 7:14; 8:8, 10) of the Divine Warrior (cf. “LORD of hosts” or “armies,” e.g., Pss. 24:10; 48:8; 59:5) secures the safety of His people.

  46:8 desolations. This word not only characterizes God’s past exploits but it is also employed in various “Day of the LORD” contexts (e.g., Is. 13:9; Hos. 5:9; Zeph. 2:15).

  46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. These twin commands to not panic and to recognize His sovereignty are probably directed to both His nation for comfort and all other nations for warning.

  Psalm 47

  47:1–9 The main concepts of Ps. 47 develop around key words and phrases, e.g., “peoples” and “nations” (vv. 1, 3, 8, 9); “earth” and “all the earth” (vv. 2, 7, 9); and “king” or “reigning (as king)” (vv. 2, 6, 7, 8). The major message of this psalm is that God is the unique Sovereign over all. Structurally, there are two choruses of worship in Ps. 47 which celebrate this universal kingship of the LORD God Most High.

  I. First Chorus: God as the Victorious King-Warrior (47:1-5)

  A. Its Call to Worship (47:1)

  B. Its Causes for Worship (47:2-5)

  II. Second Chorus: God as the Sovereign King-Governor (47:6-9)

  A. Its Call to Worship (47:6)

  B. Its Causes for Worship (47:7-9b)

  C. Its Code of Worship (47:9c)

  47:1 all you peoples. The call to worship is universal.

  47:3 He will subdue. Or, “He subdues,” i.e., an axiomatic truth about the past, present, and future.

  47:4 He will choose. Again, “He chooses,” serves as a timeless truth. Cf. the election of Israel in Deut. 7:6ff.; Ps. 135:4. On the land of promise as “inheritance,” cf. Deut. 32:8, 9; Ps. 105:11. See notes on Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2 for a discussion of the doctrine of divine election. The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. The “excellence” or “pride” of Jacob also refers to the land of Canaan (cf. the term illustratively in Is. 13:19; then in Is. 60:15; Nah. 2:2; etc.). “Whom He loves” is signal terminology for God’s special, elective, covenantal “love” (cf., e.g., Mal. 1:2ff.). This special focus on G
od’s covenant with Israel does not negate the bigger picture involving blessing to all nations sketched out in the original Abrahamic Covenant of Gen. 12:1–3.

  47:5 God has gone up with a shout. The imagery likely refers to God’s presence, after having gone into battle with His people, now ascending victoriously to His immanent “residence” on Mt. Zion and to His transcendent residence in heaven. This procession with the ark of God was accompanied by great shouts and blasts of celebration in vv. 5, 6.

  47:9 the shields of the earth. This imagery stands parallel with “the princes of the people.” Illustratively, there may be a loose analogy to God’s sovereignly appointed human governors (cf. Rom. 13:1–7) as protectors for the masses.

  Psalm 48

  48:1–14 In Ps. 48, it often appears that Zion itself is the object of praise. While referring to Zion, this hymn of confidence (cf. Pss. 46, 47) contains several checks and balances showing that it is ultimately God, who dwells in Zion, who is to be praised. Therefore, this perspective must be kept in mind as the lines of Ps. 48 flow back and forth with respective emphases on the city and the great God of that city. This psalm, sung with orchestral accompaniment, therefore contrasts two different responses to the God of Zion and the Zion of God.

  I. Introduction (48:1-3)

  II. The Panic-Response of the Provokers of God (48:4-7)

  A. The Chronicling of It (48:4-6)

  B. The Cause of It (48:7)

  III. The Praise-Response of the People of God (48:8-14)

  A. Their Celebration (48:8-13)

  B. Their Conclusion (48:14)

  48:2 The joy of the whole earth. Cf. the judgment context of Lam. 2:15. the sides of the north. “North” is an interpretive translation of a word term that occurs as a Semitic place name, i.e., “Zaphon.” In Canaanite mythology Zaphon was an ancient Near Eastern equivalent to Mt. Olympus, the dwelling place of pagan gods. If this was the psalmist’s intention in Ps. 48:2, the reference becomes a polemical description of the LORD; He is not only King of Kings but also is God of all so-called gods. The city of the great King. Cf. Ps. 47:2 and Matt. 5:34, 35. God Himself has always been the King of Kings.