III. Invincible Praise (138:6-8)
138:1 the gods. This can refer to either pagan royalty (cf. Ps. 82:1) and/or to the idols they worship.
138:2 holy temple. Refers to the tabernacle since Solomon’s temple has not yet been built. Your word above…Your name. Most likely this means that God’s latest revelation (“Your word”) exceeded all previous revelation about God. This would be in concert with David’s prayer (2 Sam. 7:18–29) after he received the Davidic promise (2 Sam. 7:12–14, 16).
138:4 All the kings. In contrast to Ps. 2:1–3, cf. Pss. 68:32; 72:11, 12; 96:1, 3, 7, 8; 97:1; 98:4; 100:1; 102:15; 148:11.
138:6, 7 David sees himself as “the lowly” and his enemies as “the proud.”
138:8 perfect. Refers to God’s work in David’s life, especially the Davidic Covenant (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–14, 16).
Psalm 139
139:1–24 This intensely personal Davidic psalm expresses the psalmist’s awe that God knew him, even to the minutest detail. David might have remembered the Lord’s words, “…the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The exact occasion is unknown.
I. God’s Omniscience (139:1-6)
II. God’s Omnipresence (139:7-12)
III. God’s Omnipotence (139:13-18)
IV. David’s Obeisance (139:19-24)
139:1–6 God knows everything about David.
139:1 searched me. As it has been in David’s life, he prays later that it will continue to be (cf. vv. 23, 24). David understands that nothing inside of him can be hidden from God.
139:5 hedged me. God used circumstances to limit David’s actions.
139:6 too wonderful. Cf. Ps. 131:1; Rom. 11:33–36.
139:7–12 God was always watching over David and thus it was impossible to do anything over which God is not a spectator.
139:7 Your Spirit. A reference to the Holy Spirit (cf. Pss. 51:11; 143:10). See “The Anointing of the Holy Spirit in the OT” at Ps. 51.
139:9 the wings of the morning. In conjunction with “the uttermost parts of the sea,” David uses this literary figure to express distance.
139:13–18 God’s power is magnified in the development of human life before birth.
139:13 formed…covered. By virtue of the divinely designed period of pregnancy, God providentially watches over the development of the child while yet in the mother’s womb.
139:15 secret…lowest parts. Used figuratively of the womb.
139:16 Your book. This figure of speech likens God’s mind to a book of remembrance. none of them. God sovereignly ordained David’s life before he was conceived.
139:17, 18 David expresses his amazement at the infinite mind of God compared to the limited mind of man, especially as it relates to the physiology of human life (cf. vv. 13–16).
139:22 perfect hatred. David has no other response to God’s enemies than that of hatred, i.e., he is not neutral toward them nor will he ever ally himself with them.
139:23, 24 In light of vv. 19–22, David invites God to continue searching his heart to root out any unrighteousness, even when it is expressed against God’s enemies.
139:24 the way everlasting. David expresses his desire/expectation of eternal life (see notes on Phil. 1:6).
Psalm 140
140:1–13 Davidic authorship is stated here, but the circumstances are unknown. It is like the psalms earlier in the Psalter that feature the usual complaint, prayer, and confident hope of relief.
I. Concerning David (140:1-5)
A. “Deliver Me” (140:1-3)
B. “Protect Me” (140:4, 5)
II. Concerning David’s Enemies (140:6-11)
A. “Thwart Them” (140:6-8)
B. “Punish Them” (140:9-11)
III. Concerning the Lord (140:12, 13)
140:1–3 The emphasis here is deliverance from evil plans.
140:3 asps. A type of snake (cf. Rom. 3:13), signifying cunning and venom.
140:4, 5 The emphasis here is protection from being captured.
140:6–8 The emphasis here is upon God’s thwarting the plans of David’s enemy.
140:7 covered my head. God has figuratively been David’s helmet in battle.
140:9–11 The emphasis here is upon God’s turning their evil plans back on them in judgment.
140:12, 13 David expresses unshakeable confidence in the character of God and the outcome for the righteous (cf. Pss. 10:17, 18; 74:21; 82:3, 4).
Psalm 141
141:1–10 Another psalm of lament by David whose occasion is unknown. This psalm is comprised of 4 prayers that have been combined into one.
I. Prayer for God’s Haste (141:1, 2)
II. Prayer for Personal Righteousness (141:3-5)
III. Prayer for Justice (141:6, 7)
IV. Prayer for Deliverance (141:8-10)
141:2 incense…evening sacrifice. David desired that his prayers and stretching forth for God’s help (Pss. 68:31; 77:2) be as disciplined and regular as the offering of incense (Ex. 30:7, 8) and burnt offerings (Ex. 29:38, 39) in the tabernacle.
141:3, 4 David prayed that God would protect him from the kind of evil that characterized his own enemy.
141:5 David acknowledged that God would use other righteous men to answer his prayer in vv. 3, 4 (cf. Prov. 9:8; 19:25; 27:6; 27:17).
141:6 judges…overthrown. That the leaders of the wicked would be punished by being thrown over a cliff (cf. Luke 4:28, 29) is at the heart of David’s prayer (cf. v. 5). my words…sweet. In the sense that David’s words were true.
141:7 Our bones. The basis on which the judges were thrown over the cliff—they had first done this to the righteous (cf. v. 10).
141:10 fall into their own nets. David prays that the wicked will be destroyed by their own devices.
Psalm 142
142:1–7 Under the same circumstances as Ps. 57 (according to the superscription), David recounted his desperate days hiding in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1) while Saul sought him to take his life (1 Sam. 18–24). It appears that David’s situation, for the moment at least, seems hopeless without God’s intervention. Psalm 91 provides the truths that bring the solution.
I. Cry of David (142:1, 2)
II. Circumstances of David (142:3, 4)
III. Confidence of David (142:5-7)
142:4 no one. It appears to David that he has been totally abandoned.
142:5 You are my refuge. A frequent claim in the psalms (cf. Pss. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 18:2; 25:20; 31:1; 46:1; 57:1; 61:3; 62:7; 91:2; 94:22; 141:8; 143:9; 144:2).
142:7 prison. The cave in which David was hidden.
Psalm 143
143:1–12 No specific background is known for this Davidic psalm which is the final penitential psalm (cf. Pss. 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130).
I. David’s Passion (143:1, 2)
II. David’s Predicament (143:3-6)
III. David’s Plea (143:7-12)
143:1 faithfulness…righteousness. David fervently appeals to God’s character.
143:2 no one living is righteous. David admits his own unrighteousness and realizes that if he is to be delivered for righteousness’ sake (cf. 143:11), it will be because of God’s righteousness, not his own.
143:6 a thirsty land. As a drought-struck land yearns for life-giving water, so persecuted David longs for his life-giving Deliverer.
143:7 Your face. An anthropomorphism picturing God’s attention to the psalmist’s plight.
143:10 Your Spirit. Refers to the Holy Spirit (cf. Pss. 51:11; 139:7). See note on Ps. 51:11.
143:11 Your name’s sake. David appeals to God’s benefit and honor, not his own (cf. Pss. 23:3; 31:3; 79:9).
143:12 Your servant. To attack God’s servant is to attack God, thus bringing God to the rescue.
Psalm 144
144:1–15 This Davidic psalm, in part (144:1–8), is very similar to Ps. 18:1–15. It could be that this psalm was written under the same kind of circumstances as the former, i.e., on the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies an
d from the hand of Saul (cf. 2 Sam. 22:1–18).
I. God’s Greatness (144:1, 2)
II. Man’s Insignificance (144:3, 4)
III. God’s Power (144:5-8)
IV. Man’s Praise (144:9, 10)
V. God’s Blessing (144:11-15)
144:1 my Rock. David’s foundation is God—solid and unshakeable (cf. Pss. 19:14; 31:3; 42:9; 62:2; 71:3; 89:26; 92:15; 95:1). trains my hands for war. David lived in the days of Israel’s theocracy, not the NT church. God empowered the king to subdue His enemies.
144:2 God provided 6 benefits: 1) lovingkindness, 2) a fortress, 3) a high tower, 4) a deliverer, 5) a shield, and 6) a refuge.
144:3, 4 Eternal God is contrasted with short-lived man (cf. Ps. 8:4).
144:5–8 Highly figurative language is used to portray God as the heavenly warrior who comes to fight on earth on behalf of David against God’s enemies.
144:9 a new song. A song of victory that celebrates deliverance/salvation (cf. Pss. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Rev. 5:9; 14:3).
144:11 Cf. vv. 7, 8.
144:12 sons…daughters. God’s rescue of David’s kingdom from foreigners would bring blessing on families.
144:13, 14 barns…sheep…oxen. Blessing would also come to the agricultural efforts.
144:14 no breaking in…going out…outcry. Peace, not strife, would characterize the land.
Psalm 145
145:1–21 David penned this most exquisite conclusion to his 75 psalms in the Psalter. Here, the king of Israel extols and celebrates the King of Eternity for who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised. Not only rich in content, this psalm also duplicates a majestic acrostic design using the 22 letters of the Heb. alphabet. Psalm 145 begins the great crescendo of praise that completes the psalter and might be called “The Final Hallel” (Pss. 145–150).
I. Commitment to Praise (145:1, 2)
II. God’s Awesome Greatness (145:3-7)
III. God’s Great Grace (145:8-13)
IV. God’s Unfailing Faithfulness (145:14-16)
V. God’s Unblemished Righteousness (145:17-20)
VI. Recommitment/Exhortation to Praise (145:21)
145:1 my God, O King. David, king of Israel, recognized God as his sovereign (cf. Pss. 5:2; 84:3).
145:11–13 kingdom. David refers here to the broadest use of kingdom in Scripture—i.e., God the eternal king ruling over all from before creation and eternally thereafter (cf. Ps. 10:16; Dan. 4:3; 7:27).
145:14–16 The emphasis is on God’s common grace to all of humanity (cf. Matt. 5:45; Luke 6:35; Acts 14:17; 17:25).
145:20 the wicked…destroy. The wicked await an eternity of living forever, away from the presence of God in the lake of fire (cf. 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 20:11–15).
Psalm 146
146:1–10 From this psalm to the conclusion of the Psalter, each psalm begins and ends with “Praise the LORD” (Pss. 146–150). Neither the composer nor the occasions are known. Psalm 146 appears similar in content to Pss. 113, 145.
I. Commitment to Praise (146:1, 2)
II. Misplaced Trust (146:3, 4)
III. Blessed Hope (146:5-10)
146:1 O my soul. Cf. the beginnings and ends of Pss. 103, 104.
146:3, 4 Do not put…trust. This could be 1) a general principle, 2) a reference to the people wanting a human king like the nations (1 Sam. 8:5), or 3) Judah’s later dependence on foreign kings for protection (2 Kin. 16:7–9).
146:5 the God of Jacob. Also the God of Abraham and Isaac, thus the recipients of God’s blessing through the Abrahamic Covenant (cf. Gen. 12:1–3; Ps. 144:15).
146:6 Man’s trust is best placed in the Creator of heaven and earth and the Revealer of all truth.
146:7–9b God righteously and mercifully reaches out to those in need.
146:9c the way of the wicked. Cf. Pss. 1:4–6; 145:20.
146:10 shall reign forever. In contrast to man who perishes (cf. v. 4), the truths of vv. 5–9 are not faddish or temporal but rather eternal (cf. Rev. 22:5).
Psalm 147
147:1–20 See note on Ps. 146:1–10. This seems to be a post-Exilic psalm (cf. vv. 2, 3) which might have been used to celebrate the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem (cf. vv. 2, 13; Neh. 12:27, 43). The hard questions that God posed to Job (Job 38–41) and Israel (Is. 40), the psalmist here turns into declarations worthy of praise. Verses 1, 7, 12 each introduce a stanza of praise in this 3-part hymn. Verses 2, 3, 19, 20 specifically speak of God’s involvement with Israel.
I. Praise the LORD—Part 1 (147:1–6)
II. Praise the LORD—Part 2 (147:7–11)
III. Praise the LORD—Part 3 (147:12–20)
147:2 builds up Jerusalem. Ezra and Nehemiah chronicle this portion of Israel’s history.
147:3 heals the brokenhearted. Cf. Ps. 137 (brokenhearted) with Ps. 126 (healed).
147:6 Each part of the psalm ends with a contrast—here the humble and the wicked (cf. vv. 10, 11, 19, 20).
147:13 He has strengthened. Refers to a means of defense, most likely in reference to the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls in Nehemiah’s time.
147:15–18 Describes the cold weather that Jerusalem can experience. God sovereignly oversees the normal and the extraordinary.
147:19, 20 The psalmist acknowledges God’s unique election of Israel from among all the nations (cf. Gen. 12:1–3; Ex. 19:5, 6; Deut. 7:6–8; 14:2; 26:18, 19; 2 Sam. 7:23, 24; Ezek. 16:1–7).
Psalm 148
148:1–14 See note on Ps. 146:1–10. The author and background for this psalm, which calls for all of God’s creation to praise Him, is unknown. There is a connection between the creation praising God and His involvement with Israel.
I. Heaven’s Praise (148:1-6)
A. Who? (148:1-4)
B. Why? (148:5, 6)
II. Earth’s Praise (148:7-14)
A. Who? (148:7-12)
B. Why? (148:13, 14)
148:1–4 A representative sample of God’s creation in the skies and heavens.
148:2 all His hosts. Another term for angels.
148:4 waters above the heavens. Cf. Gen. 1:7.
148:5, 6 He emphatically ascribes creation to God alone.
148:6 Jeremiah 31:35–37; 33:20–22 might be in mind in the sense that the certain, fixed order of creation was a witness to God’s unbreakable covenants with Abraham and David.
148:8 fulfilling His word. Another way of saying that God sovereignly oversees weather.
148:13, 14 Two reasons are given for earth’s praise: 1) His name alone is exalted in heaven (148:13) and 2) He has exalted Israel on earth (148:14).
148:14 the horn. Refers in general to the strength and prosperity of the nation, which became the cause of praise for Israel. This suggests that Israel will enjoy better times than in the past, e.g., during David’s and Solomon’s reigns or after returning from the Babylonian Captivity. A people near to Him. Cf. also “My chosen people” (Is. 43:20) and “His special treasure” (Ps. 135:4).
Psalm 149
149:1–9 See note on Ps. 146:1–10. The composer and occasion for this psalm are unknown.
I. Israel’s Praise of God (149:1-5)
II. Israel’s Punishment of the Nations (149:6-9)
149:1 a new song. A song of testimony concerning salvation (cf. 149:4). the assembly. The gathering of the nation for worship.
149:3 the dance. Either individual or group, perhaps like David when he brought the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:15, 16). the timbrel. A tambourine-like instrument which accompanied dancing and singing (cf. Ex. 15:20; 1 Sam. 18:6). See note on 2 Sam. 6:14.
149:6–9 It would appear that this section is eschatological in nature and looks 1) to the Millennium when all nations and peoples will acknowledge Christ as king and 2) to Jerusalem as His royal capital (cf. Ezek. 28:25, 26; Joel 3:9–17; Mic. 5:4–15).
149:9 the written judgment. Another way of saying “According to the Scriptures, ” as God has prophesied the subjection of the nations. This honor. The privilege of carrying ou
t God’s will.
Psalm 150
150:1–6 See note on Ps. 146:1–10. This concluding psalm fitly caps the Psalter and the Final Hallel (Pss. 145–150) by raising and then answering some strategic questions about praise: 1) where? (150:1); 2) what for? (150:2); 3) with what? (150:3–5); and 4) who? (150:6). The author and occasion are unknown.
I. Place of Praise (150:1)
II. Points of Praise (150:2)
III. Proper Means of Praise (150:3-5)
IV. Practitioners of Praise (150:6)
150:1 sanctuary…mighty firmament. “Sanctuary” most likely refers to the temple in Jerusalem, so the sense would be “Praise God on earth and in heaven.”
150:2 Praise should be for 1) what God has done and 2) who God is.
150:3 lute. A harp-like stringed instrument which was plucked with the finger rather than a plectrum (pick) like the harp.
150:4 timbrel and dance. See note on Ps. 149:3.
150:6 everything. All of God’s living creation. This is the fitting conclusion to Book Five of the Psalms (Pss. 107–150) and to the entire Psalter.
PSALM 1
1:1 a Prov. 4:14
1:1 b Ps. 26:4, 5; Jer. 15:17
1:1 1 wicked
1:2 c Ps. 119:14, 16, 35
1:2 d (Josh. 1:8)
1:2 2 ponders by talking to himself
1:3 e (Ps. 92:12–14); Jer. 17:8; Ezek. 19:10
1:3 f Gen. 39:2, 3, 23; Ps. 128:2
1:3 3 channels
1:4 g Job 21:18; Ps. 35:5; Is. 17:13
1:6 h Ps. 37:18; (Nah. 1:7; John 10:14; 2 Tim. 2:19)
PSALM 2
2:1 a Acts 4:25, 26
2:1 1 Gentiles
2:1 2 throng tumultuously
2:1 3 worthless or empty
2:2 b (Matt. 12:14; 26:3, 4, 59–66; 27:1, 2; Mark 3:6; 11:18)
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 289