Psalms 112

Praise ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the man [that] {a} feareth the LORD, [that] delighteth greatly in his commandments.

(a) He means that reverent fear which is in the children of God, which causes them to delight only in the word of God. {b} Wealth and riches [shall be] in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

(b) The godly will have abundance and contentment, because their heart is satisfied in God alone. Unto the {c} upright there ariseth light in the darkness: [he is] gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

(c) The faithful in all their adversities know that all will go well with them for God will be merciful and just. A good man sheweth favour, and {d} lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

(d) He shows what the fruit of mercy is, to lend freely and not for gain, and so to measure his doings that he may be able to help where need requires and not to bestow all on himself. He hath {e} dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his {f} horn shall be exalted with honour.

(e) The godly are not stingy, but distribute liberally, as the need of the poor requires and as his power is able. (f) His power and prosperous estate. The wicked shall see [it], and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and {g} melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

(g) The blessings of God on his children will cause the wicked to die for envy.

Psalms 113

Praise ye the LORD. {a} Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

(a) By this often repetition he stirs up our cold dullness to praise God, seeing his works are so wonderful, and that we are created for the same cause. The LORD [is] high above all {b} nations, [and] his glory above the heavens.

(b) If God's glory shines through all the world, and therefore of all ought to be praised, what great condemnation were it to his people, among whom chiefly it shines, if they should not earnestly extol his Name? He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the {c} needy out of the dunghill;

(c) By preferring the poor to high honour and giving the barren children, he shows that God works not only in his Church by ordinary means, but also by miracles.

Psalms 114

When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of {a} strange language;

(a) Or, barbarous. Judah was his {b} sanctuary, [and] Israel his dominion.

(b) The whole people were witnesses to his holy majesty in adopting them, and of his mighty power in delivering them. The {c} mountains skipped like rams, [and] the little hills like lambs.

(c) Seeing that these dead creatures felt God's power and after a sort saw it, much more his people ought to consider it, and glorify him for the same. Tremble, thou {d} earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

(d) Ought then his people to be insensible when they see his power and majesty? Which {e} turned the rock [into] a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

(e) That is, miraculously caused water to come out of the rock in great abundance, Ex 17:6.

Psalms 115

Not {a} unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth's sake.

(a) Because God promised to deliver them, not for their sakes, but for his Name, Isa 48:11, therefore they ground their prayer on this promise. Wherefore should the heathen say, {b} Where [is] now their God?

(b) When the wicked see that God does not always accomplish his promise as they imagined, they think there is no God. But our God [is] in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath {c} pleased.

(c) No impediments can slow his work, but he uses even the impediments to serve his will. Their idols [are] {d} silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

(d) Seeing that neither the matter nor the form can commend their idols it follows that there is no reason that they should be esteemed. They have {e} hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

(e) He shows what great vanity it is to ask help from them who not only have no help in them, but lack sense and reason. They that make them are {f} like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.

(f) As much without sense as blocks and stones. {g} O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he [is] their help and their shield.

(g) For they were appointed by God as instructors and teachers of faith and religion for others to follow. The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless [us]; he {h} will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.

(h) That is, he will continue his graces toward his people. Ye [are] blessed of the LORD which {i} made heaven and earth.

(i) And therefore still governs and continues all things in it. The {k} heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

(k) And they declare enough his sufficiency so that the world serves him nothing, but to show his fatherly care toward men. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that {l} go down into silence.

(l) Though the dead set forth God's glory, yet he means here, that they praise him not in his Church and congregation.

Psalms 116

I {a} love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice [and] my supplications.

(a) He grants that no pleasure is so great as to feel God's help in our need, neither that anything more stirs up our love toward him. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon [him] {b} as long as I live.

(b) That is in convenient time to seek help, which was when he was in distress. Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God [is] {c} merciful.

(c) He shows forth the fruit of his love in calling on him, confessing him to be just and merciful and to help them who are destitute of aid and counsel. Return unto thy rest, O {d} my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

(d) Which was disturbed before, now rest on the Lord, for he has been beneficial towards you. I will {e} walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

(e) The Lord will preserve me and save my life. {f} I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:

(f) I felt all these things, and therefore was moved by faith to confess them, 2Co 4:13. I said in my {g} haste, All men [are] liars.

(g) In my great distress I thought God would not regard man, who is but lies and vanity, yet I overcame this temptation and felt the contrary. I will {h} take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

(h) In the Law they used to make a banquet when they gave solemn thanks to God, and to take the cup and drink in sign of thanksgiving. Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the {i} death of his saints.

(i) I perceive that God has a care over his, so that he both disposes their death, and takes an account. I will pay my {k} vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,

(k) I will thank him for his benefits, for that is a just payment, to confess that we owe all to God.

Psalms 117

For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the {a} truth of the LORD [endureth] for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

(a) That is, the most certain and continual testimony of his fatherly graces.