Matthew Poole's Commentary Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. THE ARGUMENT The design of this Psalm is to persuade men to trust in God, and in him alone. The psalmist voweth perpetual praises to God, Psalm 146:1,2; and exhorteth that none put their trust in man, Psalm 146:3,4, but in God, in regard of his power, faithfulness, and everlasting government, Psalm 146:5-10. No text from Poole on this verse. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. No text from Poole on this verse. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. In princes; in men of greatest wealth and power, in whose favour men are very prone to trust. In whom there is no help; who are utterly unable frequently to give you that help which they promise, and you expect. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. He returneth, in his body, Ecclesiastes 12:7, to his earth; to that earth from which all mankind, princes not excepted, had their original. In that very day, as soon as ever he is dead, his thoughts perish; all his designs and endeavours, either for himself or for others. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: No text from Poole on this verse. Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Both because he liveth for ever to fulfil his promises, and because he is eternally and unchangeably faithful. Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: No text from Poole on this verse. The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: The eyes of the blind; either, 1. The eyes of their mind, which he enlightens and directs in doubtful and difficult causes; or, 2. Their bodily eyes, which he did abundantly by his Son Jesus Christ. Loveth the righteous, even when he doth afflict them, which also he doth out of love, Hebrews 12:6. The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. He overthroweth their goings, as the phrase is, Psalm 140:4. He maketh them to lose their way; he not only frustrateth their plots and enterprises but turneth them against themselves. This and all the foregoing sentences are so many arguments to encourage all good men to trust in God in all their straits and afflictions. The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD. No text from Poole on this verse. |
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