1. Blessed be Jehovah, my strength It is very evident that David, since he celebrates the favor of God in such high terms, had not only obtained the kingdom, but gained signal victories.

2. My goodness, etc. This way of using the word in a passive sense, as in the Hebrew, sounds harsh in Latin; just as elsewhere he calls himself “God’s king,” not in the sense of his having dominion over God, but being made and appointed king by him.

3. O Jehovah! what is man, etc. He amplifies the goodness shown by God by instituting a comparison. Having declared how singularly he had been dealt with, he turns his eyes inward, and asks, “Who am I, that God should show me such condescension? “He speaks of man in general; only the circumstance…

5. O Jehovah! bow thy heavens. After extolling, as was due, the great goodness of God, he requests him to furnish such help for the preservation of the kingdom as was necessary in the present exigency.

7. Send thy hand, etc. In one word we are now made to see what was meant by the figures formerly used – that in the absence of all earthly help, God would put forth his hand from above, the greatness of the exigency making extraordinary help necessary.

9. O God! I will sing a new song to thee. He again sets himself, with self-possession, to the exercise of praising God, not doubting but he would continue those mercies which he had once bestowed.

12. Because our sons, etc. These three concluding verses some consider as being a wish or a prayer. Others think that David congratulates himself, and all the people, that through the divine blessing every species of mercy was showered down prosperously upon them.

13. Our recesses full, etc. Some read storehouses, and I would not reject this meaning. But as the word comes from the same root with זוה, zavah, which is rendered corner in the previous verse, it seems more agreeable to the etymology to translate the words as I have done – “that the recesses or…

14. Our oxen, etc. The Hebrew word סבל, sabal, is properly to carry. Accordingly some understand מסובלים, mesubbalim, to mean robust, as unless they were strong oxen they would not be fit for carriage, or bearing burdens. Others think they are spoken of as laden with fat.

15. Happy the people, etc. He thus concludes that the divine favor had been sufficiently shown and manifested to his people. Should any object that it breathed altogether a gross and worldly spirit to estimate man’s happiness by benefits of a transitory description, I would say in reply that we…