1Of David. Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. 2He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. 3O LORD, what is man, that You regard him, the son of man that You think of him? 4Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke. 6Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them; shoot Your arrows and rout them. 7Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners, 8whose mouths speak falsehood, whose right hands are deceitful. 9I will sing to You a new song, O God; on a harp of ten strings I will make music to You— 10to Him who gives victory to kings, who frees His servant David from the deadly sword. 11Set me free and rescue me from the grasp of foreigners, whose mouths speak falsehood, whose right hands are deceitful. 12Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth, our daughters like corner pillars carved to adorn a palace. 13Our storehouses will be full, supplying all manner of produce; our flocks will bring forth thousands, tens of thousands in our fields. 14Our oxen will bear great loads. There will be no breach in the walls, no going into captivity, and no cry of lament in our streets. 15Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
David acknowledges the great goodness of God, and prays for help. (1-8) He prays for the prosperity of his kingdom. (9-15) 1-8 When men become eminent for things as to which they have had few advantages, they should be more deeply sensible that God has been their Teacher. Happy those to whom the Lord gives that noblest victory, conquest and dominion over their own spirits. A prayer for further mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for former mercy. There was a special power of God, inclining the people of Israel to be subject to David; it was typical of the bringing souls into subjection to the Lord Jesus. Man's days have little substance, considering how many thoughts and cares of a never-dying soul are employed about a poor dying body. Man's life is as a shadow that passes away. In their highest earthly exaltation, believers will recollect how mean, sinful, and vile they are in themselves; thus they will be preserved from self-importance and presumption. God's time to help his people is, when they are sinking, and all other helps fail. 9-15 Fresh favours call for fresh returns of thanks; we must praise God for the mercies we hope for by his promise, as well as those we have received by his providence. To be saved from the hurtful sword, or from wasting sickness, without deliverance from the dominion of sin and the wrath to come, is but a small advantage. The public prosperity David desired for his people, is stated. It adds much to the comfort and happiness of parents in this world, to see their children likely to do well. To see them as plants, not as weeds, not as thorns; to see them as plants growing, not withered and blasted; to see them likely to bring forth fruit unto God in their day; to see them in their youth growing strong in the Spirit. Plenty is to be desired, that we may be thankful to God, generous to our friends, and charitable to the poor; otherwise, what profit is it to have our garners full? Also, uninterrupted peace. War brings abundance of mischiefs, whether it be to attack others or to defend ourselves. And in proportion as we do not adhere to the worship and service of God, we cease to be a happy people. The subjects of the Saviour, the Son of David, share the blessings of his authority and victories, and are happy because they have the Lord for their God.