7 Ruling by His might to the age, His eyes among the nations do watch, The refractory exalt not themselves. Selah.
From before me is made a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for He `is' the living God, and abiding to the ages, and His kingdom that which `is' not destroyed, and His dominion `is' unto the end. A deliverer, and rescuer, and doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth `is' He who hath delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.'
and when his heart was high, and his spirit was strong to act proudly, he hath been caused to come down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory they have caused to pass away from him, and from the sons of men he is driven, and his heart with the beasts hath been like, and with the wild asses `is' his dwelling; the herb like oxen they cause him to eat, and by the dew of the heavens is his body wet, till that he hath known that God Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and whom He willeth He raiseth up over it. `And thou, his son, Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though all this thou hast known; and against the Lord of the heavens thou hast lifted up thyself; and the vessels of His house they have brought in before thee, and thou, and thy great men, thy wives, and thy concubines, are drinking wine with them, and gods of silver, and of gold, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, that are not seeing, nor hearing, nor knowing, thou hast praised: and the God in whose hand `is' thy breath, and all thy ways, Him thou hast not honoured. `Then from before Him sent is the extremity of the hand, and the writing is noted down; and this `is' the writing that is noted down: Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and Divided. This `is' the interpretation of the thing: Numbered -- God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it. Weighed -- Thou art weighed in the balances, and hast been found lacking. Divided -- Divided is thy kingdom, and it hath been given to the Medes and Persians.'
And thy sitting down, and thy going out, And thy coming in, I have known, And thy anger towards Me. Because of thy anger towards Me, And thy noise -- it came up into Mine ears, I have put My hook in thy nose, And My bridle in thy lips, And I have caused thee to turn back In the way in which thou camest.
And he -- he thinketh not so, And his heart reckoneth not so, For -- to destroy `is' in his heart, And to cut off nations not a few. For he saith, `Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath got to the kingdoms of a worthless thing, and their graven images, `Greater' than Jerusalem and than Samaria, Do I not -- as I have done to Samaria, And to her worthless things, So do to Jerusalem and to her grievous things? And it hath come to pass, When the Lord doth fulfil all His work In mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I see concerning the fruit of the greatness Of the heart of the king of Asshur. And concerning the glory of the height of his eyes. For he hath said, `By the power of my hand I have wrought, And by my wisdom, for I have been intelligent, And I remove borders of the peoples, And their chief ones I have spoiled, And I put down as a mighty one the inhabitants, And my hand as to a nest Getteth to the wealth of the peoples, And as a gathering of forsaken eggs All the earth I -- I have gathered, And there hath not been one moving wing, Or opening mouth, or whispering.' -- Doth the axe glorify itself Against him who is hewing with it? Doth the saw magnify itself Against him who is shaking it? As a rod waving those lifting it up! As a staff lifting up that which is not wood! Therefore doth the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, Send among his fat ones leanness, And under his honour He kindleth a burning As the burning of a fire.
I have said to the boastful, `Be not boastful,' And to the wicked, `Raise not up a horn.' Raise not up on high your horn, (Ye speak with a stiff neck.)
The peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death, And their might `is' firm. In the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued. Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress. Their eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed; They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak. They have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth. Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them. And they have said, `How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?' Lo, these `are' the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.
To the Overseer. -- An instruction, by David, in the coming in of Doeg the Edomite, and he declareth to Saul, and saith to him, `David came in unto the house of Ahimelech.' What, boasteth thou in evil, O mighty one? The kindness of God `is' all the day. Mischiefs doth thy tongue devise, Like a sharp razor, working deceit. Thou hast loved evil rather than good, Lying, than speaking righteousness. Selah. Thou hast loved all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. Also -- God doth break thee down for ever, Taketh thee, and pulleth thee out of the tent, And He hath uprooted thee Out of the land of the living. Selah.
And now, O kings, act wisely, Be instructed, O judges of earth, Serve ye Jehovah with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Chosen One, lest He be angry, And ye lose the way, When His anger burneth but a little, O the happiness of all trusting in Him!
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 66
Commentary on Psalms 66 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 66
Ps 66:1-20. The writer invites all men to unite in praise, cites some striking occasions for it, promises special acts of thanksgiving, and celebrates God's great mercy.
1. Make … noise—or, "Shout."
2. his name—as in Ps 29:2.
make his praise glorious—literally, "place honor, His praise," or, "as to His praise"; that is, let His praise be such as will glorify Him, or, be honorable to Him.
3, 4. A specimen of the praise.
How terrible—(Compare Ps 65:8).
submit—(Compare Margin), show a forced subjection (Ps 18:44), produced by terror.
5, 6. The terrible works illustrated in Israel's history (Ex 14:21). By this example let rebels be admonished.
7. behold the nations—watch their conduct.
8, 9. Here is, perhaps, cited a case of recent deliverance.
9. holdeth … in life—literally, "putteth our soul in life"; that is, out of danger (Ps 30:3; 49:15).
to be moved—(Compare Ps 10:6; 55:22).
10-12. Out of severe trials, God had brought them to safety (compare Isa 48:10; 1Pe 1:7).
11. affliction—literally, "pressure," or, as in Ps 55:3, "oppression," which, laid on the
loins—the seat of strength (De 33:11), enfeebles the frame.
12. men to ride over our heads—made us to pass.
through fire, &c.—figures describing prostration and critical dangers (compare Isa 43:2; Eze 36:12).
wealthy—literally, "overflowing," or, "irrigated," and hence fertile.
13-15. These full and varied offerings constitute the payment of vows (Le 22:18-23).
15. I will offer—literally, "make to ascend," alluding to the smoke of burnt offering, which explains the use of "incense."
incense—elsewhere always denoting the fumes of aromatics.
16-20. With these he unites his public thanks, inviting those who fear God (Ps 60:4; 61:5, His true worshippers) to hear. He vindicates his sincerity, inasmuch as God would not hear hypocrites, but had heard him.
17. he was extolled with my tongue—literally, "exaltation (was) under my tongue," as a place of deposit, whence it proceeded; that is, honoring God was habitual.
18. If I regard iniquity in my heart—literally, "see iniquity with pleasure."