COMMENCING SECTION (1--9). I. ANTICIPATION OF PRAISE (1-2). Precentor's Recital. Personal Worship. II. ANTIPHON OF PRAISE (3). People's Response. "Jehovah is great" (a). III. ANTICIPATION OF PRAISE (4-7). Precentor's Recital. I. General (4). 2. Personal (5). 3. General (6a). 4. Personal (6b). 5. General (7). IV. ANTIPHON OF ERAISE (8--9). People's Response. "Jehovah is gracious" (b ). "Jehovah is good" (c). CENTRAL SECTION. THE KINGDOM (10-13). Manifestation of Might and Majesty. V. ANTICIPATION OF PRAISE (10-u). Precentor's Recital. VI. ANTIPHON OF PRAISE (12). People's Response. VIL ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE (13). Precentor's Recital. Permanence of the Power. CONCLUDING SECTION (14-21). VIII. ANTIPHON OF .PRAISE (14). People's Response. "Jehovah is up holder" (d). IX. ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE (15-16). Precentor's Recital. Plenitude of the Provision.
X. ANTIPHON OF PRAISE (r7-20). People's Response. "Jehovah is righteous" ( e ). "Jehovah is nigh" (f ). "Jehovah is preserver" (g ). XI. ANTICIPATION OF PRAISE (:u). Precentor's Recital. Universal Worship. SUPERSCRIPT.-David's Praise. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-This psalm of David's is pure worship and fittingly closes the Psalter proper, the remaining psalms being in the nature of a supplement. The superscript is unique; it is reserved .for David's last psalm-to indicate that all his many utterances find their consummation in praise, cf. ciii. This is also the last of the alphabetic psalms. The letters appear in regular order except that ''Nun'' is omitted. The last verse anticipates the final anthem of cl. and carries the praise into eternity: Note alternation between words spoken to God and words spoken of Him. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-The voice of Messiah leads the praises of men according to xxii. 25. Zion's days of mourning now ended, anthems of the coming kingdom continue to the end of the Psalter. To speak of the glory of that kingdom shall be Israel's office as a nation of priests among the nations in the millennial age. They will be living witnesses to God's ways with men in general. The alpha betic arrangement suggests "all men's language restored from Babel strife of tonguÉs to unity of mind and purpose" in the worship of God. The omission of "Nun" here is a reminder that the fulness of praise is not yet reached until the voices of the heavenly saints, including the Church, join in. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-Prayer occupies us with our needs, thanksgiving with our blessings, worship with God Himself To praise is to speak well of.-to tell out the excellent qualities of a person. The person is more precious than his gifts. Blessings are forgotten in the joy of the Blesser' s presence. "Worship is the overflow of love." Note the title "Jehovah" nine times (3 X 3), seven times in relation to His attributes and acts (see analysis). Seven times David declares his purpose of praise; ten times (number of universality) that the righteous shall praise. In the concluding section note the repetition of''. all" eleven times. Other remarkable features characterise this psalm. The worship of the saints is for all time (2a) and all eternity (2b). Recipients of divine grace should be messengers
'fHE WORSHIP OF GOD RENDERED of that grace (11-13). Ponder the phrase "the splendour of the glory" in relation to Jehovah's n1ajesty (s) and Jehovah's kingdom (12). Jehovah saves and satisfies (14 ff.). Goodness without right eousness would display weakness (17). The hypocrite is always out of favour with God (18b). In our attitude to God, reverence (godly fear) and love go together. The former keeps our love from de generating into presumptuous familiarity; love prevents reverence from becoming mere servile dread (19). Jehovah manifests Himself not only in "mighty acts" of deliverance for His people (4), but in "terrible acts" of judgment against His adversaries ( 6). VERSE NOTES r. David's full heart heaps word upon word in the attempt to express his exuberant gratitude. "My God the King" strikes the keynote. 3. " ... and exceeding worthy to be praised." "d ds "' fdli ee , 1.e. o e verance. 5. Br. "The glorious splendour of Thy majesty, And all Thy marvellous works, shall be my theme," lit. I will occupy myself with. 6. "terrible" or, dread; "greatness" or, great deeds. " li 11 r h " . " . fi:-11 h 1 d 7. utter t. we rort ; s. .w. xix.; smg = smgJoy uuy, or s out a ou . 8 Cf. E d · 6 th 'th . . b " d " . xo . xxxiv. ; e anti esis is etween s ow an great, not anger and "lovingkindness." d ten er mercies = compassions. 10. "works" here= works of creation-; "saints"= beloved, or favoured ones. v 'h 1 r. power = nng t. 13. Lit. " . . . a kingdom of all the ages," c£ Dan. iv. 3 ; 1 Tim. i. 17; "saints" as in IO. 14. "raiseth," s.H.w. elsewhere only cxlvi. 8. 15. "Pictures God as the great Householder, Matt. vi. 26; c£ civ. 27; "wait"= look expectantly. "Thou" (emph.). 16. C£ civ. 28. First line indicates free, effortless process. 17. "gracious" or, loving; Heb. is cognate with the noun "lovingkindness". Book Five. VI. The Worship of God Rendered in Universal Harmony: cxlvi.-cl. 1. Praise Universal: cxlvi. Initial Descant. "The psalter closes with five 'Hallelujah' psalms· in which with constantly swelling diapason all themes of praise are pealed forth until the melodious thunder of the final psalm, which calls upon everything that has breath to praise Jehovah"
(Maclaren). The group m.ost probably commemorates the completion of Jerusalem's religious and civil polity in the dedication of the city walls un¾er Nehemiah; see Neh. vi. 15-16; xii. 27-43. All are undoubtedly prepared for liturgical use in the second temple about Ezra's time, a swnmary of praise without a note of prayer. Prophetically they point to the time of Israel's restoration in the millennium, when Jehovah in the person of Messiah will be enthroned amid the praises o( His creatures.
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