I. APPLICATION OF THE ELECT PEOPLE (1-2). ISRAEL. r. The Fervent Desire ( 1 ). "God bless us." Selah. 2. The Final Object (2). Winning of all Nations.
DOMINION OF THE EN THRONED REDEEMER II. ACCLAMATION BY THE EARTH PEOPLES (3-5). GENTILES. r. The Prayer (3 ). "Let them give thanks." 2. The Purport (4). Reign of Immanuel. The Central Message. i. Rejoicings (4a). ii. Reasons (4bc). Selah. 3. The Prediction (5). "(They) shall give thanks." ill. ANTICIPATION OF THE ELECT PEOPLE (6-7). ISRAEL. r. The Fruitful Earth (6). "God shall bless us." 2. The Fulfilled Purpose (7). Worship of all Nations. SUPERSCRIPT.-A psalm. A song. SUBSCRIPT.-For the Chief Musician. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-Writer is anonymous, but most probably the same as preceding psalm and in connection with the same historical occasion; see Isa. x. 33 to xi. 9. A joyous song dedicated, it would seem, to temple use, either at the Feast of Pentecost (Harvest) or the Feast of Tabernacles (Ingathering) (6). A double celebration may be discerned: (a) Deliverance from the Assyrian invasion; (b) Favour of a bountiful harvest. The psalm is son1etimes called Israel's Missionary Psalm, and Israel's Millennial PrayeF. It is char acterised by a peculiar structure and profound spirituality. The seventh of the series, it has exactly seven verses, and is obviously introversive in form with the fourth verse containing the core of the composition. This verse, moreover, has three lines, while the others all have but two each. PROPHETIC ANncIPATION.-A psalm of Messiah's Millennial Missionaries. Here we see God reigning upon earth in the person· of His anointed King, even Immanuel. Israel is the channel of testimony and of blessing to the gentile nations. They themselves are living examples of the manifold grace of God to man. Disasters, such as defeat and drought, shamed Israel before the nations (Joshua ii. 17-19) while deliverances and domestic prosperity witnessed to the true character of Israel's God. Thus it had ever been in their history, but now is seen the greatest testimony of all in the presence of Immanuel upon the throne of Zion. Verse 6 shows the ground also delivered from the curse and the general result is summed up in (7).PERSONAL APPLICATION.-God hath blessed, doth bless and will bless us. Those who know God should make Him known to others
(2). God's way is the highway of holiness (2). Christ is "the Way," John xiv. 6; Christianity is "this Way," Acts ix. 2; xxii. 4. The sunshine of God's favour causes the human heart to burst forth in song, like the birds on a sunny morning in springtime. Praise should be spontaneous, may be cultivated (by contemplation of God's works and meditation on His word) and should be vocal. If the redeemed cannot "shout for joy," who can? Praise the healthy habit of happy hearts. Joy cannot be forced or even imitated. When the righteous Ruler reigns, there will be real rejoicings (4). The sceptre will be in the hand of the Shepherd (4). Draw encour agement for the future from the experiences of the past (6). "Thy kingdom come!" ( 6-7) ; c£ Matt. vi. r o. VERSE NOTES I. hr. "God be gracious ... " see Num. vi. 24 f£ Echoes of the priestly blessing are frequently found in the Psalms, c£ iv. 6; xxix. n; xxxi. 16; lxxx. 3, 7, 19; (b) note margin; the prep. "with" suggests God's favour abiding with His people. 2. Knowledge of God's way betokens a deeper knowledge than the knowledge of His work, c£ ciii. 7.
"b (f (f )""dg" ul 4. nat:J.ons ... nations ; r. races o men ... races o men ; JU e = r c; ( c) as margin; ( b) indic. government; ( c) guidance. 5. Hºre it seems better to read, "The peoples shalh ... " 6. "earth" or, land; c£ Lev. xxvi. 4; (b) hr. "doth bless us."
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