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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXXVIII.</FONT>
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<P>
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It does not appear, nor is it material to enquire, upon what occasion
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David penned this psalm; but in it,
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I. He looks back with thankfulness upon the experiences he had had of
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God's goodness to him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. He looks forward with comfort, in hopes,
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1. That others would go on to praise God like him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:4,5">ver. 4, 5</A>.
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2. That God would go on to do good to him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:6-8">ver. 6-8</A>.
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In singing this psalm we must in like manner devote ourselves to God's
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praise and glory and repose ourselves in his power and goodness.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps138_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps138_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps138_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps138_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps138_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Grateful Praise.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<CENTER>
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<P><I>A psalm</I> of David.</P>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 I will praise thee with my whole
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heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
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2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name
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for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified
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thy word above all thy name.
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3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, <I>and</I>
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strengthenedst me <I>with</I> strength in my soul.
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4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, when
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they hear the words of thy mouth.
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5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>: for great <I>is</I>
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the glory of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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I. How he would praise God, compare
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+111:1">Ps. cxi. 1</A>.
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1. He will praise him with sincerity and zeal--"<I>With my heart, with
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my whole heart,</I> with that which is within me and with all that is
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within me, with uprightness of intention and fervency of affection,
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inward impressions agreeing with outward expressions."
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2. With freedom and boldness: <I>Before the gods will I sing praise
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unto thee,</I> before the princes, and judges, and great men, either
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those of other nations that visited him or those of his own nation that
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attended on him, even in their presence. He will not only praise God
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with his heart, which we may do by pious ejaculations in any company,
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but will sing praise if there be occasion. Note, Praising God is work
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which the greatest of men need not be ashamed of; it is the work of
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angels, the work of heaven. <I>Before the angels</I> (so some
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understand it), that is, in religious assemblies, where there is a
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special presence of angels,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+11:10">1 Cor. xi. 10</A>.
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3. In the way that God had appointed: <I>I will worship towards thy
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holy temple.</I> The priests alone went into the temple; the people, at
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the nearest, did but worship towards it, and that they might do at a
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distance. Christ is our temple, and towards him we must look with an
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eye of faith, as Mediator between us and God, in all our praises of
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him. Heaven is God's holy temple, and thitherward we must lift up our
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eyes in all our addresses to God. <I>Our Father in heaven.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. What he would praise God for.
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1. For the fountain of his comforts--<I>for thy lovingkindness and for
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thy truth,</I> for thy goodness and for thy promise, mercy hidden in
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thee and mercy revealed by thee, that God is a gracious God in himself
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and has engaged to be so to all those that trust in him. <I>For thou
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hast magnified thy word</I> (thy promise, which is truth) <I>above all
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thy name.</I> God has made himself known to us in many ways in creation
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and providence, but most clearly by his word. The judgments of his
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mouth are magnified even above those of his hand, and greater things
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are done by them. The wonders of grace exceed the wonders of nature;
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and what is discovered of God by revelation is much greater than what
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is discovered by reason. In what God had done for David his
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faithfulness to his work appeared more illustriously, and redounded
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more to his glory, than any other of his attributes. Some good
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interpreters understand it of Christ, the essential Word, and of his
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gospel, which are magnified above all the discoveries God had before
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made of himself to the fathers. He that magnified the law, and made
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that honourable, magnifies the gospel much more.
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2. For the streams flowing from that fountain, in which he himself had
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tasted that the Lord is gracious,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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He had been in affliction, and he remembers, with thankfulness,
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(1.) The sweet communion he then had with God. He cried, he prayed, and
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prayed earnestly, and God answered him, gave him to understand that his
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prayer was accepted and should have a gracious return in due time. The
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intercourse between God and his saints is carried on by his promises
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and their prayers.
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(2.) The sweet communications he then had from God: <I>Thou
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strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.</I> This was the answer to
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his prayer, for God gives more than good words,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:6">Ps. xx. 6</A>.
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Observe,
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[1.] It was a speedy answer: <I>In the day when I cried.</I> Note,
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Those that trade with heaven by prayer grow rich by quick returns.
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<I>While we are yet speaking God hears,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+65:24">Isa. lxv. 24</A>.
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[2.] It was a spiritual answer. God gave him strength in his soul, and
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that is a real and valuable answer to the prayer of faith in the day of
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affliction. If God give us strength in our souls to bear the burdens,
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resist the temptations, and do the duties of an afflicted state, if he
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strengthen us to keep hold of himself by faith, to maintain the peace
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of our own minds and to wait with patience for the issue, we must own
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that he has answered us, and we are bound to be thankful.</P>
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<P>
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III. What influence he hoped that his praising God would have upon
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others,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:4,5"><I>v.</I> 4, 5</A>.
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David was himself a king, and therefore he hoped that kings would be
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wrought upon by his experiences, and his example, to embrace religion;
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and, if kings became religious, their kingdoms would be every way
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better. Now,
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1. This may have reference to the kings that were neighbours to David,
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as Hiram and others. "They shall all praise thee." When they visited
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David, and, after his death, when they sought the presence of Solomon
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(as <I>all the kings of the earth</I> are expressly said to have done,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+9:23">2 Chron. ix. 23</A>),
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they readily joined in the worship of the God of Israel.
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2. It may look further, to the calling of the Gentiles and the
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discipling of all nations by the gospel of Christ, of whom it is said
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that <I>all kings shall fall down before him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+72:11">Ps. lxxii. 11</A>.
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Now it is here foretold,
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(1.) That <I>the kings of the earth shall hear the words of God.</I>
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All that came near David should hear them from him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+119:46">Ps. cxix. 46</A>.
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In the latter days the preachers of the gospel should be sent into all
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the world.
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(2.) That then they shall praise God, as all those have reason to do
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that hear his word, and receive it in the light and love of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+13:48">Acts xiii. 48</A>.
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(3.) That they shall <I>sing in the ways of the Lord,</I> in the ways
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of his providence and grace towards them; they shall rejoice in God,
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and give glory to him, however he is pleased to deal with them in the
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ways of their duty and obedience to him. Note, Those that walk in the
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ways of the Lord have reason to sing in those ways, to go on in them
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with a great deal of cheerfulness, for they are ways of pleasantness,
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and it becomes us to be pleasant in them; and, if we are so, <I>great
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is the glory of the Lord.</I> It is very much for the honour of God
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that kings should walk in his ways, and that all those who walk in them
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should sing in them, and so proclaim to all the world that he is a good
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Master and his work its own wages.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps138_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps138_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps138_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>God's Care of His People.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 Though the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>be</I> high, yet hath he respect unto the
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lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
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7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me:
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thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine
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enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
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8 The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> will perfect <I>that which</I> concerneth me: thy mercy,
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O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, <I>endureth</I> for ever: forsake not the works of thine own
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hands.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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David here comforts himself with three things:--</P>
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<P>
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I. The favour God bears to his humble people
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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<I>Though the Lord be high,</I> and neither needs any of his creatures
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nor can be benefited by them, <I>yet has he respect unto the lowly,</I>
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smiles upon them as well pleased with them, overlooks heaven and earth
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to cast a gracious look upon them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+57:15,66:1">Isa. lvii. 15; lxvi. 1</A>),
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and, sooner or later, he will put honour upon them, while <I>he knows
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the proud afar off,</I> knows them, but disowns them and rejects them,
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how proudly soever they pretend to his favour. Dr. Hammond makes this
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to be the sum of that gospel which the kings of the earth shall hear
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and welcome--that penitent sinners shall be accepted of God, but the
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impenitent cast out; witness the instance of the Pharisee and the
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publican,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+18:9-14>
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Luke xviii.</A></P>
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<P>
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II. The care God takes of his afflicted oppressed people,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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David, though a great and good man, expects to <I>walk in the midst of
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trouble,</I> but encourages himself with hope,
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1. That God would comfort him: "When my spirit is ready to sink and
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fail, <I>thou</I> shalt <I>revive me,</I> and make me easy and cheerful
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under my troubles." Divine consolations have enough in them to revive
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us even when we walk in the midst of troubles and are ready to die away
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for fear.
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2. That he would protect him, and plead his cause: "<I>Thou shalt
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stretch forth thy hand,</I> though not against my enemies to destroy
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them, yet <I>against the wrath of my enemies,</I> to restrain that and
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set bounds to it."
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3. That he would in due time work deliverance for him: <I>Thy right
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hand shall save me.</I> As he has one hand to stretch out against his
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enemies, so he has another to save his own people. Christ is the right
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hand of the Lord, that shall save all those who serve him.</P>
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<P>
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III. The assurance we have that whatever good work God has begun in and
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for his people he will perform it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+138:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>):
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<I>The Lord will perfect that which concerns me,</I>
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1. That which is most needful for me; and he knows best what is so. We
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<I>are careful and cumbered about many things</I> that do not concern
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us, but he knows what are the things that really are of consequence to
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us
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+6:32">Matt. vi. 32</A>)
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and he will order them for the best.
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2. That which we are most concerned about. Every good man is most
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concerned about his duty to God and his happiness in God, that the
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former may be faithfully done and the latter effectually secured; and
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if indeed these are the things that our hearts are most upon, and
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concerning which we are most solicitous, there is a good work begun in
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us, and he that has begun it will perfect it, we may be confident he
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will,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Php+1:6">Phil. i. 6</A>.
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Observe,
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(1.) What ground the psalmist builds this confidence upon: <I>Thy
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mercy, O Lord! endures for ever.</I> This he had made very much the
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matter of his praise
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+13:6">Ps. xiii. 6</A>),
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and therefore he could here with the more assurance make it the matter
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of his hope. For, if we give God the glory of his mercy, we may take
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to ourselves the comfort of it. Our hopes that we shall persevere must
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be founded, not upon our own strength, for that will fail us, but upon
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the mercy of God, for that will not fail. It is well pleaded, "<I>Lord,
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thy mercy endures for ever;</I> let me be for ever a monument of it."
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(2.) What use he makes of this confidence; it does not supersede, but
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quicken prayer; he turns his expectation into a petition: "<I>Forsake
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not,</I> do not let go, <I>the work of thy own hands.</I> Lord, I am
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the work of thy own hands, my soul is so, do not forsake me; my
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concerns are so, do not lay by thy care of them." Whatever good there
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is in us it is the work of God's own hands; <I>he works in us both to
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will and to do;</I> it will fail if he forsake it; but his glory, as
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Jehovah, a perfecting God, is so much concerned in the progress of it
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to the end that we may in faith pray, "Lord, do not forsake it." Whom
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he loves he loves to the end; and, as for God, his work is perfect.</P>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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