View Psalms 118 in the note window.
The form of this psalm seems to be dramatical, and several parts of it
are spoken in the name of several persons; as it is in the book of the
Song of Solomon, and in one part of Ecclesiastes.
David speaks in his own name from the beginning to ver. 22, from
thence to ver. 25, in the name of the people; and thence to ver. 28,
in the name of the priests; and then concludes in his own name.
He calls upon all about him to praise God, ver. 1 - 4.
Encourages himself and others to trust in God, from the experience
he had had of his power and mercy, ver. 5 - 18.
He gives thanks for his advancement to the throne, as it was a figure
of the exaltation of Christ, ver. 19 - 23.
The people, the priests, and the psalmist himself triumph in the
prospect of the Redeemer's kingdom, ver. 24 - 29.
10: Nations - The neighbouring nations, Philistines, Syrians,
Ammonites, Moabites, who were stirred up, by the overthrows which
David had given some of them, by their jealousy at his growing
greatness, and by their hatred against the true religion.
11: Yea - The repetition implies their frequency and fervency in this
action.
12: Bees - ln great numbers. Thorns - Which burns fiercely, but
quickly spends itself.
13: Thou - O mine enemy. The singular word is here put collectively
for all his enemies.
14: Salvation - My Saviour.
15: Doth valiantly - These are the words of that song of praise now
mentioned.
16: Exalted - Hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and
gloriously.
19: Open - O ye porters, appointed by God for this work.
The gates - Of the Lord's tabernacle: where the rule of righteousness
was kept and taught, and the sacrifices of righteousness were offered.
20: The righteous - As David was a type of Christ and the temple
of heaven, so this place hath a farther prospect than David, and relates
to Christ's ascending into heaven, and opening the gates of that blessed
temple, both for himself and for all believers.
22: The builders - The commonwealth of Israel and the church of
God are here and elsewhere compared to a building, wherein, as the
people are the stones, so the princes and rulers are the builders.
And as these master - builders rejected David, so their successors
rejected Christ. Head stone - The chief stone in the whole building,
by which the several parts of the building are upheld and firmly
united together. Thus David united all the tribes and families of
Israel: and thus Christ united Jews and Gentiles together.
And therefore this place is justly expounded of Christ,(Mk 12:10,Ac 4:11,Ro 9:32,Eph 2:20).
And to him the words agree more properly than to David.
24: Made - Or sanctified as a season never to be forgotten.
25: We - These seem to be the words of the Levites, to whom he
spake ver.(19).
26: Blessed - We pray that God would bless his person and government.
Cometh - To the throne; or from his Father into the world: who is known
by the name of him that cometh or was to come, and of whom this very
word is used, (Ge 49:10,Isa 35:4).
Name - By commission from him. We - We who are the Lord's ministers
attending upon him in his house, and appointed to bless in his name,(Nu 6:23,De 10:8). So these are the words of the priests.
27: The Lord - Or, The mighty God, as this name of God signifies,
and as he shewed himself to be by this, his wonderful work. Who - Who
hath scattered our dark clouds, and put us into a state of peace, and
safety, and happiness. The horns - These are supposed to he made for
this very use, that the beasts should be bound and killed there.
These three last verses are David's words.
