I. SUMMONS TO PRAISE (1). (See LXX rendering). 1. The Call. 2. The Comeliness. II. SUBJECTS FOR PRAISE (2-6). Jehovah's Acts and Attributes. 1. His Work in the Restoration of the Nation (2-3). 2. His Wisdom in the Regulation of Nature (4-5). The Sidereal Sphere. 3. His Way in the Recognition of Natures (6). The Lowly and the Lawless.
III. SUMMONS TO PRAISE (7). IV. SUBJECTS FOR PRAISE (8-n). Jehovah's Acts and Attributes. 1. His Work in the Regulation of Nature (8-9). The Rainy Season. 2. His Way in the R.ecognition of Natures (10-n). The Physical and the Spiritual. V. SUMMONS TO PRAISE (12). VI. SUBJECTS FOR PRAISE (13-20). Jehoval1's Acts and Attributes. 1. His Work in the Restoration of the Nation (13-14). 2. His Word in the Regulation of Nature (15-18). The Winter Season. 3. His Will in the Recognition of Nations (19-20 ). Israel and the Gentiles. ''HALLELUJAH.'' PRIMARY AssocIATION .-See notes introductory to the group. Some of the thoughts and language here seem to be borrowed from earlier psalms and other Scriptures, buf they are recast into a new and vigorous song. Maclaren remarks that in this psalm there is room for all that meteorology has to tell us. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-A hymn of the restored people Israel. It tells what God is to them and mentions special tokens of God's renewed favour. Again we see Israel as an object lesson to the world of God's ways with men. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-Note the mingling of divine majesty, divine might and divine mercy. The renewal of nature and the renewal of the nation are both instances of God's restoring grace ( see also Ps. xxiii. 3). All the magnificence of power and minute ness of knowledge here mentioned guarantees the uplifting of the needy. He who knows each separate star of the countless hosts of heaven will not forget any one of His people. Jehovah's understand ing and power are manifested in the moral government of the world (5-6). His power and providence are in operation even where man's cultivation and care are absent (8c). He delights not in a man's physical strength but in his reverent trustfulness (ro-11). The utterance of the divine word in nature is noble (15), but its utterance in the oracles delivered to Israel is nobler still (r9), Rom. iii. 2. VERSE NOTES I. The LXX probably represents a better text, "Hallehtjah, Praise ye Jehovah for it is good, psalm to our God for it .is pleasant, praise is comdy." 2. "Jehovah is the builder of Jerusalem." Re£ to both the rebuilding and the
repopulating of the city. The use of the Heb. participle beginning this verse (so also at 3, 4, 6) implies a work still in progress; c£ Neh. ii. 5, iii. vi. 15. 4. (a) i.e. each has its own "number"; c£ Isa. xi. 26-29; "calleth," i.e. He swnmons each to its appointed task. 6. (b) i.e. He abases them. 7. (a) "Respond to ... " (b) "Psalm (or, make melody) unto God upon ... " 8. Verbs in 8, 9, and II again are participles expressing continuous action. 10. C£ :xxxiii. 16-18; horse and man here re£ to the warhorse and the warrior. Israel was strong, not by reason of her military power and prowess, but because of her reliance upon Jehovah. "h . r u. ope or, wait 1or. 12. (a) Br. "Celebrate" or, extol; not s.H.w. as next line. 13. (a) s.H. verb Neh. iii. 4 ff.; (b) Zion regarded as mother of its inhabitants. "fill th" · fi th d £ lxxxi 6 14. peace or, prosperity; e = satts e ; an as margin, c . . 1 ; Deut. xxxii. 14. 15. "commandment," lit. saying. The word of God is personified as an active messenÐer. 17. ' morsels"= crumbs of bread. 19. More exactly, "Declaring His word ... " For Israel's peculiar privileges, c£ Rom. iii. 2, Jno. iv. 22, c£ Neb. ix. 13-14, x. 28. 20. LXX, etc. have "And His ordinances ( = regulations) He hath not made known to them." Book Five. VI. The Worship of God Rendered in Universal Harmony: cxlvi.-cl. 3 . .Praise Universal: cxlviii.
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