1 Praise the Lord
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
2 You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
5 For I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
8 He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 And gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
This first section (vs.1-7)focuses on the expression of God’s solicitude for Israel which stands at the foundation of their identity as His people—to wit, His sovereign and umerited choice (cf. Romans 9:11). — Wechsler, page 323.
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Having “chosen Jacob (i.e., the people of Israel) for Himself” (v.4) based on His grace and not their worth (which was/is neither worse nor better than that of any other group), God maintains His choice—that is, their existence as a people—on the same basis, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Despite their predominant hardness and sinfulness (extending from their depravity, not as Jews, but as humans, God thus expresses His solicitude for Israel by (1) defeating their enemies, from Egypt (vs.8-9), the Amorites, and the people of Bashan (v.11; cf. Numbers 21:21-35) to all the kingdoms of Canaan (v.11b); (2) giving them the land of Canaan (and all it contained for their sustenance) as a heritage (or “inheritance”) forever (cf. Genesis 17:8; Psalm 105:8-11); and (3) vindicating and having compassion on His people—i.e., manifesting His personal love in chastisement. — Wechsler, page 323.
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The psalmist focuses in this concluding section (vs.15-21) on the manner (and hence depth) of God’s expressed solicitude for Israel by contrasting it with the manner (i.e., the utter lack thereof in which other “gods” relate to those who trust in them (v.18). — Wechsler, page 324.
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This Psalm and the following … are prophetic, and will be sung by redeemed Israel at the coronation of the Great King in Zion. This is made clear by verse 21, and by comparing verses 13 and 14 with Exodus 3:15 [which] declares God’s election of Israel and His uniting the memorial of His name with her, and Deuteronomy 32:36 [which] predicts her apostasy to idolatry, her rejection of Messiah, the Divine indignation that should justly follow, and her final restoration and pardon. — Williams, page 406.
