1Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD, 2who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. 3Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely. 4For the LORD has chosen Jacob as His own, Israel as His treasured possession. 5For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods. 6The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths. 7He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses. 8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast. 9He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. 10He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings: 11Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan. 12He gave their land as an inheritance, as a heritage to His people Israel. 13Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD, through all generations. 14For the LORD will vindicate His people and will have compassion on His servants. 15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. 16They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; 17they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. 18Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them. 19O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD; 20O house of Levi, bless the LORD; you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD! 21Blessed be the LORD from Zion— He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
Matthew Henry's Commentary
God to be praised for his mercy. (1-4) For his power and judgments. (5-14) The vanity of idols. (15-21) 1-4 The subject-matter of praise, is the blessings of grace flowing from the everlasting love of God. The name of God as a covenant God and Father in Christ, blessing us with all spiritual blessings in him, is to be loved and praised. The Lord chose a people to himself, that they might be unto him for a name and a praise. If they do not praise him for this distinguishing favour, they are the most unworthy and ungrateful of all people. 5-14 God is, and will be always, the same to his church, a gracious, faithful, wonder-working God. And his church is, and will be, the same to him, a thankful, praising people: thus his name endures for ever. He will return in ways of mercy to them, and will delight to do them good. 15-21 These verses arm believers against idolatry and all false worship, by showing what sort of gods the heathen worshipped. And the more deplorable the condition of the Gentile nations that worship idols, the more are we to be thankful that we know better. Let us pity, and pray for, and seek to benefit benighted heathens and deluded sinners. Let us endeavour to glorify his name, and recommend his truth, not only with our lips, but by holy lives, copying the example of Christ's goodness and truth.