King James Version
Psalms 25
22 verses with commentary
Teach Me Your Paths
A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.</strong> This opening verse establishes the psalm's tone of earnest prayer and complete dependence on God. The Hebrew phrase <em>nafshi essa</em> (נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא, "my soul I lift up") uses vivid imagery of elevation and offering. The soul—representing one's entire being, will, emotions, and desires—is actively raised toward God in worship and trus...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
22-25. God is not to be impiously arraigned, but to be praised for His might, shown in His works.
**exalteth--**rather, doeth lofty things, shows His exalted power [Umbreit] (Psa 21:13).
**teacheth--**(Psa 94:12, &c.). The connection is, returning to Job 36:5, God's "might" is shown in His "wisdom"; He alone can teach; yet, because He, as a sovereign, explains not all His dealings, forsoot...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
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KJV Study Commentary
The prayer 'O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed' expresses covenant confidence. The fear of being 'ashamed' (Hebrew: bosh) means being put to shame, disappointed, or abandoned. Trusting God's character, the psalmist pleads for vindication. Reformed theology emphasizes that those who genuinely trust God will never ultimately be put to shame (Rom. 10:11). Temporary trials may bring temp...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
22-25. God is not to be impiously arraigned, but to be praised for His might, shown in His works.
**exalteth--**rather, doeth lofty things, shows His exalted power [Umbreit] (Psa 21:13).
**teacheth--**(Psa 94:12, &c.). The connection is, returning to Job 36:5, God's "might" is shown in His "wisdom"; He alone can teach; yet, because He, as a sovereign, explains not all His dealings, forsoot...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
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KJV Study Commentary
The assurance 'let none that wait on thee be ashamed' expresses covenant confidence that God never ultimately disappoints those who trust Him. In contrast, 'let them be ashamed which transgress without cause' asks for judgment on the wicked. Waiting on God requires patient faith amid trials. Reformed theology emphasizes perseverance: true believers endure because God preserves them (Phil. 1:6). Te...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Wait on thee.**—More literally, as in LXX., *wait for thee, *with idea of strong endurance. The root means to *make strong by twisting. *(Comp. Psalm 25:5; Psalm 25:21, where the same word occurs, though in a different conjugation.) The Vulgate has *qui sustinent te, *“who maintain thee,” *i.e., *as their God. The Authorised Version is in error in following the imperative of the LXX. in this...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
26. (Job 37:13). God's greatness in heaven and earth: a reason why Job should bow under His afflicting hand.
**know him not--**only in part (Job 36:25; 1Co 13:12).
**his years--**(Psa 90:2; 102:24, 27); applied to Jesus Christ (He 1:12).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.</strong> This verse expresses the heart cry of a seeker who recognizes that knowing God's ways requires divine revelation and instruction. The parallel structure uses two synonymous requests that reinforce each other, a common feature in Hebrew poetry.<br><br>"Shew me" (<em>hodi'eni</em>, הוֹדִיעֵנִי) comes from <em>yada</em> (יָדַע), meaning t...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
27-28. The marvellous formation of rain (so Job 5:9, 10).
**maketh small--**Rather, "He draweth (up) to Him, He attracts (from the earth below) the drops of water; they (the drops of water) pour down rain, (which is) His vapor." "Vapor" is in apposition with "rain," marking the way in which rain is formed; namely, from the vapor drawn up by God into the air and then condensed into drops, which f...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.</strong> This verse intensifies the previous petition, adding urgency and comprehensive dependence on God. The structure moves from request (lead, teach) to reason (God of salvation) to posture (waiting all day).<br><br>"Lead me" (<em>hadrikheni</em>, הַדְרִיכֵנִי) comes from <em>darak<...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **Lead me in thy truth.**—Better, *make me walk in*—*i.e., *make me to have an actual experience of the Divine faithfulness in my passage through life.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
27-28. The marvellous formation of rain (so Job 5:9, 10).
**maketh small--**Rather, "He draweth (up) to Him, He attracts (from the earth below) the drops of water; they (the drops of water) pour down rain, (which is) His vapor." "Vapor" is in apposition with "rain," marking the way in which rain is formed; namely, from the vapor drawn up by God into the air and then condensed into drops, which f...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. tender: Heb. bowels
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KJV Study Commentary
The plea 'Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses' asks God to act according to His covenant character. 'Tender mercies' (rachamim) evokes the compassion of a parent; 'lovingkindnesses' (chasadim) refers to covenant loyalty. 'For they have been ever of old' grounds the petition in God's eternal, unchanging nature. Reformed theology emphasizes immutability: God's character doe...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **Ever of old.**—Better, *from ancient times*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
29. (Job 37:5). God's marvels in thunder and lightnings.
**spreadings, &c.--**the canopy of thick clouds, which covers the heavens in a storm (Psa 105:39).
**the noise--**"crashing"; namely, thunder.
**of his tabernacle--**God being poetically said to have His pavilion amid dark clouds (Psa 18:11; Is 40:22).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.</strong> This verse shifts from petition for guidance to plea for forgiveness, recognizing that past sins can obstruct relationship with God and hinder receiving His direction. The structure contrasts what David asks God NOT to remember with what he asks God TO ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**30. light--**lightning.
**it--**His tabernacle (Job 36:29). The light, in an instant spread over the vast mass of dark clouds, forms a striking picture.
**spread--**is repeated from Job 36:29 to form an antithesis. "He spreads not only clouds, but light."
**covereth the bottom--**roots.
**of the sea--**namely, with the light. In the storm the depths of ocean are laid bare; and the light ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 25
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
--Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Psa 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can m...
Read full commentary →Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.</strong> This verse provides theological foundation for David's confidence that God will answer his petitions for guidance and forgiveness. The statement about God's character (good and upright) leads logically to expectation about God's actions (teaching sinners).<br><br>"Good" (<em>tov</em>, טוֹב) encompasses moral...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8)“With recollections clear, august, sublime,
Of God’s great Truth and Right immutable
She queened it o’er her weakness.”—A. H. CLOUGH.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
31. These (rain and lightnings) are marvellous and not to be understood (Job 36:29), yet necessary. "For by them He judgeth (chastiseth on the one hand), &c. (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat" (food), &c. (Job 37:13; 38:23, 27; Ac 14:17).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.</strong> This verse continues the theme of divine instruction, specifying who receives God's guidance: the meek. The parallel structure (guide/teach, judgment/his way) emphasizes both the recipients and the content of God's teaching.<br><br>"The meek" (<em>anavim</em>, עֲנָוִים) comes from <em>anav</em> (עָנָו), meanin...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
32. Rather, "He covereth (both) His hands with light (lightning, Job 37:3, Margin), and giveth it a command against his adversary" (literally, the one "assailing" Him, Psa 8:2; 139:20; Job 21:19). Thus, as in Job 36:31, the twofold effects of His waters are set forth, so here, of His light; in the one hand, destructive lightning against the wicked; in the other, the genial light for good to His fr...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
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KJV Study Commentary
The declaration 'All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies' reveals that God's providential guidance combines grace and faithfulness. Every path God leads His people on—even difficult ones—flows from mercy and truth. This is conditional: 'unto such as keep his covenant.' Reformed theology sees covenant faithfulness as evidence of genuine faith...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **Mercy and truth.**—Or, *grace and truth; *recalling John 1:4-17, and showing how the conception of God and His ways was gradually passing over from the domain of the Law to that of the Gospel.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**33. noise--**rather, He revealeth it (literally, "announceth concerning it") to His friend (antithesis to adversary, Job 36:32, so the Hebrew is translated, Job 2:11); also to cattle and plants (literally, "that which shooteth up"; Ge 40:10; 41:22). As the genial effect of "water" in the growth of food, is mentioned, Job 36:31, so here that of "light" in cherishing cattle and plants [Umbreit]. I...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
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KJV Study Commentary
The plea 'for thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great' appeals to God's honor as motivation for forgiveness. Acknowledging that 'it is great' demonstrates honest confession without minimizing sin. Reformed theology emphasizes that God forgives not because sin is small, but because His mercy is great. Forgiveness glorifies God's name—demonstrates His character—more than judgm...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
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KJV Study Commentary
The question 'What man is he that feareth the LORD?' introduces divine instruction: 'him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.' God personally instructs those who fear Him, guiding their choices. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10)—prerequisite for divine teaching. Reformed theology sees this as effectual calling and illumination: God teaches His elect through Wo...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **What man** **is he . . .?**—For the emphatic question compare Psalm 34:12.
**The way that he shall choose**.—Rather, *the way that he *should *choose*—*i.e., *the way of right choice. The LXX. and Vulg., however, refer it to God—“the way in which He took delight.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 37
Job 37:1-24.
**1. At this--**when I hear the thundering of the Divine Majesty. Perhaps the storm already had begun, out of which God was to address Job (Job 38:1).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. dwell: Heb. lodge in goodness
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KJV Study Commentary
The promise to the God-fearer: 'His soul shall dwell at ease' and 'his seed shall inherit the earth.' 'Dwelling at ease' means spiritual rest and security, not necessarily material comfort. 'Seed inheriting the earth' echoes the Abrahamic promise and Jesus' beatitude (Matt. 5:5). Reformed theology sees covenant blessings extending to believers' children—God's grace flows through generations. While...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) **Shall dwell.**—Literally, *shall lodge the night *(comp. margin); but here, as in Psalm 49:12, with added sense of permanency.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. Hear attentively--**the thunder (noise), &c., and then you will feel that there is good reason to tremble.
**sound--**muttering of the thunder.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. and: or, and his covenant to make them know it
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.</strong> This verse reveals the intimate relationship God offers to those who revere Him, promising both special knowledge and covenant revelation. The structure moves from present reality (the secret) to future promise (showing the covenant).<br><br>"The secret" (<em>sod</em>, סוֹד) means counsel, intim...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(14) **Secret.**—Rather, *familiar intercourse *(so Symmachus). The Hebrew word primarily means *couch, *and then the confidential talk of those sitting on it. In Jeremiah 6:11; Jeremiah 15:17, the word is rendered “assembly.” The English word *board *offers a direct analogy. The word *divan *seems to have had a history exactly the reverse. (Comp. Psalm 55:14, “sweet counsel.”)
**And he will shew ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. directeth it--**however zigzag the lightning's course; or, rather, it applies to the pealing roll of the thunder. God's all-embracing power.
**ends--**literally, "wings," "skirts," the habitable earth being often compared to an extended garment (Job 38:13; Is 11:12).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-14**
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and...
Read full commentary →Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. pluck: Heb. bring forth
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.</strong> This verse expresses both continuous spiritual focus (eyes toward the LORD) and confident expectation of deliverance (he shall pluck my feet out). The imagery shifts from vision to entrapment, from present posture to future rescue.<br><br>"Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD" (<em>einai tamid el-Yahweh</...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
4. The thunderclap follows at an interval after the flash.
**stay them--**He will not hold back the lightnings (Job 37:3), when the thunder is heard [Maurer]. Rather, take "them" as the usual concomitants of thunder, namely, rain and hail [Umbreit] (Job 40:9).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
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KJV Study Commentary
The cry 'Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted' expresses complete dependence on divine compassion. 'Turn thee unto me' asks God to focus His attention on the sufferer. Acknowledging desolation and affliction demonstrates honest self-assessment. Reformed theology emphasizes that God's mercy is the only hope for the afflicted—human solutions fail, but divine gra...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
5. (Job 36:26; Psa 65:6; 139:14). The sublimity of the description lies in this, that God is everywhere in the storm, directing it whither He will [Barnes]. See Psa 29:1-11, where, as here, the "voice" of God is repeated with grand effect. The thunder in Arabia is sublimely terrible.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
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KJV Study Commentary
The plea 'The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses' describes expanding inner turmoil. 'Troubles of my heart' emphasizes emotional and spiritual anguish, not just external circumstances. The petition for divine deliverance ('bring thou me out') acknowledges only God can rescue from such distress. Reformed theology sees God's sovereignty over all afflictions—He pe...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(17) **The troubles.**—The consensus of commentators is for a different division of the Hebrew words.
**. . .** “Relieve my sore heart,
And release me from my distress.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. Be--**more forcible than "fall," as Umbreit translates Ge 1:3.
**to the small rain, &c.--**He saith, Be on the earth. The shower increasing from "small" to "great," is expressed by the plural "showers" (Margin), following the singular "shower." Winter rain (So 2:11).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
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KJV Study Commentary
The cry 'Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins' links suffering and sin, suggesting the psalmist sees connection between them. While not all suffering is punishment, sin does bring consequences. The plea for forgiveness acknowledges spiritual need amid physical/emotional distress. Reformed theology emphasizes that God's 'looking upon' combines attention and compassion—He s...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
7. In winter God stops man's out-of-doors activity.
**sealeth--**closeth up (Job 9:7). Man's "hands" are then tied up.
**his work--**in antithesis to man's own work ("hand") which at other times engages men so as to make them liable to forget their dependence on God. Umbreit more literally translates, That all men whom He has made (literally, "of His making") may be brought to acknowledgment."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. cruel: Heb. hatred of violence
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KJV Study Commentary
The observation 'Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred' asks God to notice the opposition's quantity and quality. Enemies are 'many' and their hatred is 'cruel' (Hebrew: chamas, violent/ruthless). This prayer acknowledges human helplessness against overwhelming opposition. Reformed theology emphasizes that spiritual warfare requires divine intervention—human ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8. remain--**rest in their lairs. It is beautifully ordered that during the cold, when they could not obtain food, many lie torpid, a state wherein they need no food. The desolation of the fields, at God's bidding, is poetically graphic.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
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KJV Study Commentary
The plea 'O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee' combines petition and profession. 'Keep my soul' asks for preservation; 'deliver me' asks for rescue. The reason given—'for I put my trust in thee'—is not meritorious but evidential: trust in God is both the means and evidence of salvation. Reformed theology sees perseverance: God keeps those who truly tru...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9. south--**literally, "chambers"; connected with the south (Job 9:9). The whirlwinds are poetically regarded as pent up by God in His southern chambers, whence He sends them forth (so Job 38:22; Psa 135:7). As to the southern whirlwinds (see Is 21:1; Zec 9:14), they drive before them burning sands; chiefly from February to May.
**the north--**literally, "scattering"; the north wind scatters t...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
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KJV Study Commentary
The prayer 'Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee' expresses confidence that godly character provides protection. 'Integrity' (tom) means completeness/wholeness; 'uprightness' (yosher) means straightness/moral correctness. These are both divine gifts and human responsibilities. Reformed theology emphasizes that sanctification protects believers from many dangers—not mechani...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**10. the breath of God--**poetically, for the ice-producing north wind.
**frost--**rather, "ice."
**straitened--**physically accurate; frost compresses or contracts the expanded liquid into a congealed mass (Job 38:29, 30; Psa 147:17, 18).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
Read full commentary →Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
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KJV Study Commentary
The psalm concludes with a corporate prayer: 'Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.' This expands from individual petition to national intercession. 'Redeem' (padah) means to purchase or ransom. The prayer acknowledges that Israel's troubles require divine intervention—only God can deliver from 'all' troubles. Reformed theology sees the church here: God's people corporately cry for redemp...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(22) This verse, beginning with *Pe, *was apparently a later addition. Not only is it an isolated line, interfering with the alphabetical arrangement, but it also differs from the rest of the psalm by employing *Elohim *in the place of *Jehovah. *(Comp. Psalm 34:22.)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
11-13. How the thunderclouds are dispersed, or else employed by God, either for correction or mercy.
**by watering--**by loading it with water.
**wearieth--**burdeneth it, so that it falls in rain; thus "wearieth" answers to the parallel "scattereth" (compare, see on Job 37:9); a clear sky resulting alike from both.
**bright cloud--**literally, "cloud of his light," that is, of His lightning...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 15-22**
The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God wou...
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