Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 66
Overview:
Praise for
God's sovereign power in the
Creation.
(1-7) For
his favour to his
Church.
(8-12) And the psalmist's praise for
his experience of
God's
Goodness.
(13-20)
1-7 The holy
Church throughout all the world lifts up her
voice, to laud that Name which is above every name, to make the
praise of
Jesus glorious, both
By Word and deed; that others may
be led to
Glorify him also. But nothing can bring men to do this
aright, unless his effectual
Grace create their hearts anew unto
Holiness; and in the
Redemption By the
Death of
Christ, and the
glorious deliverances it effects, are more wondrous
Works than
Israel's deliverance from Egyptian
Bondage.
8-12 The
Lord not only preserves our temporal
Life, but
maintains the spiritual
Life which he has given to believers.
By
Afflictions we are proved, as
Silver in the
Fire. The troubles
of the
Church will certainly
End Well. Through various conflicts
and troubles, the
Slave of
Satan escapes from his
Yoke, and
obtains joy and peace in believing: through much
Tribulation the
believer must enter into the
Kingdom of God.
13-20 We should declare unto those that fear
God, what he has
done for our souls, and how he has heard and answered our
prayers, inviting them to join us in
Prayer and praise; this
will turn to our mutual comfort, and to the
Glory of
God. We
cannot share these spiritual privileges, if we retain the
Love
of
Sin in our hearts, though we refrain from the gross practice,
Sin, regarded in the
Heart, will spoil the comfort and success
of
Prayer; for the
Sacrifice of the wicked is an
Abomination of
the
Lord. But if the feeling of
Sin in the
Heart causes desires
to be rid of it; if it be the presence of one urging a demand we
know we must not, cannot comply with, this is an argument of
sincerity. And when we pray in simplicity and godly sincerity,
our prayers will be answered. This will excite gratitude to Him
who hath not turned away our
Prayer nor his
Mercy from us. It
was not
Prayer that fetched the deliverance, but his
Mercy that
sent it. That is the foundation of our hopes, the
Fountain of
our comforts; and ought to be the matter of our praises.