1 To the chiefe musician, a Psalme and song of Dauid. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and vnto thee shall the vowe be performed.
2 O thou that hearest prayer, vnto thee shall all flesh come.
3 Iniquities preuaile against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach vnto thee, that hee may dwell in thy Courts: we shalbe satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house, euen of thy holy temple.
5 By terrible things in righteousnesse, wilt thou answere vs, O God of our saluation: who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are a farre off vpon the sea.
6 Which by his strength setteth fast the mountaines; being girded with power.
7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas; the noise of their waues, and the tumult of the people.
8 They also that dwell in the vttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning, and euening to reioyce.
9 Thou visitest the earth and waterest it: thou greatly inrichest it with the riuer of God which is full of water; thou preparest them corne, when thou hast so prouided for it.
10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrowes thereof: thou makest it soft with showres, thou blessest the springing thereof.
11 Thou crownest the yeere with thy goodnesse; and thy paths drop fatnesse.
12 They drop vpon the pastures of the wildernesse; and the little hilles reioyce on euery side.
13 The pastures are cloathed with flockes; the valleis also are couered ouer with corne; they shout for ioy, they also sing.
God is to be praised in the kingdom of grace. (1-5) In the kingdom of providence. (6-13)
1-5 All the praise the Lord receives from this earth is from Zion, being the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, and acceptable through him. Praise is silent unto thee, as wanting words to express the great goodness of God. He reveals himself upon a mercy-seat, ready to hear and answer the prayers of all who come unto him by faith in Jesus Christ. Our sins prevail against us; we cannot pretend to balance them with any righteousness of our own: yet, as for our transgressions, of thine own free mercy, and for the sake of a righteousness of thine own providing, we shall not come into condemnation for them. Observe what it is to come into communion with God in order to blessedness. It is to converse with him as one we love and value; it is to apply ourselves closely to religion as to the business of our dwelling-place. Observe how we come into communion with God; only by God's free choice. There is abundance of goodness in God's house, and what is satisfying to the soul; there is enough for all, enough for each: it is always ready; and all without money and without price. By faith and prayer we may keep up communion with God, and bring in comfort from him, wherever we are. But it is only through that blessed One, who approaches the Father as our Advocate and Surety, that sinners may expect or can find this happiness.
6-13 That Almighty strength which sets fast the mountains, upholds the believer. That word which stills the stormy ocean, and speaks it into a calm, can silence our enemies. How contrary soever light and darkness are to each other, it is hard to say which is most welcome. Does the watchman wait for the morning? so does the labourer earnestly desire the shades of evening. Some understand it of the morning and evening sacrifices. We are to look upon daily worship, both alone and with our families, to be the most needful of our daily occupations, the most delightful of our daily comforts. How much the fruitfulness of this lower part of the creation depends upon the influence of the upper, is easy to observe; every good and perfect gift is from above. He who enriches the earth, which is filled with man's sins, by his abundant and varied bounty, can neither want power nor will to feed the souls of his people. Temporal mercies to us unworthy creatures, shadow forth more important blessings. The rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring forth of the influences of the Holy Spirit, that river of God, full of the waters of life and salvation, render the hard, barren, worthless hearts of sinners fruitful in every good work, and change the face of nations more than the sun and rain change the face of nature. Wherever the Lord passes, by his preached gospel, attended by his Holy Spirit, his paths drop fatness, and numbers are taught to rejoice in and praise him. They will descend upon the pastures of the wilderness, all the earth shall hear and embrace the gospel, and bring forth abundantly the fruits of righteousness which are, through Jesus Christ, to the glory of the Father. Manifold and marvellous, O Lord, are thy works, whether of nature or of grace; surely in loving-kindness hast thou made them all.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.