Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 146
Overview:
The people of
God are exhorted to praise him for his mercies
and care.
(1-11) For the
Salvation and prosperity of the
Church.
(12-20)
1-11 Praising
God is work that is its own
Wages. It is comely;
it becomes us as reasonable creatures, much more as people in
Covenant with
God. He gathers outcast sinners
By his
Grace, and
will bring them into his holy
Habitation. To those whom
God
heals with the consolations of his
Spirit, he speaks peace,
assures them their sins are pardoned. And for this, let others
praise him also.
Man's knowledge is soon ended; but
God's
knowledge is a depth that can never be fathomed. And while he
telleth the number of the
Stars, he condescends to hear the
broken-hearted sinner. While he feeds the young ravens, he will
not leave his praying people destitute. Clouds look dull and
melancholy, yet without them we could have
No Rain, therefore
No
Fruit. Thus
Afflictions look
Black and unpleasant; but from
clouds of affliction come showers that make the soul to yield
the peaceable fruits of
Righteousness. The psalmist delights not
in things wherein sinners trust and
Glory; but a serious and
suitable regard to
God is, in his sight, of very great price. We
are not to be in doubt between
Hope and fear, but to act under
the gracious influences of
Hope and fear united.
12-20 The
Church, like
Jerusalem of old, built up and preserved
By the
Wisdom, power, and
Goodness of God, is exhorted to praise
him for all the benefits and blessings vouchsafed to her; and
these are represented
By his favours in the course of nature.
The thawing
Word may represent the
Gospel of
Christ, and the
thawing wind the
Spirit of
Christ; for the
Spirit is compared to
the wind, Joh 3:8. Converting
Grace softens the
Heart that was
hard frozen, and melts it into tears of
Repentance, and makes
good reflections to flow, which before were chilled and stopped
up. The change which the thaw makes is very evident, yet how it
is done
No one can say. Such is the change wrought in the
Conversion of a soul, when
God's
Word and
Spirit are sent to
melt it and restore it to itself.