Psalm 66:14 Komentář

This is a thanksgiving-psalm, and it is of such a general use and application that we need not suppose it penned upon any particular occasion. All people are here called upon to praise God, I. For the general instances of his sovereign dominion and power in the whole creation (Psa 66:1-7). II. For the special tokens of his favour to the church, his peculiar people (Psa 66:8-12). And then, III. The psalmist praises God for his own experiences of his goodness to him in particular, especially in answering his prayers (Psa 66:13-20). If we have learned in every thing to give thanks for ancient and modern mercies, public and personal mercies, we shall know how to sing this psalm with grace and understanding. To the chief musician. A song or psalm.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 66 To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. This psalm does not bear the name of David in the title of it, yet is generally thought to be one of his; but because the plural number is used in it, which is not so common in David's psalms, Aben Ezra is of opinion it is not his, but written by the singers. This is not a sufficient objection: and besides, in Psa 66:13, the singular number is used. The Arabic version ascribes it to David, and that version makes the subject matter of it to be "concerning the resurrection"; as do the Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Vulgate Latin versions. The title of the Syriac version is, "concerning sacrifices and burnt offerings, and the incense of rams; the spiritual sense intimates to us the calling of the Gentiles, and the preaching, that is, of the Gospel;'' which comes nearest the truth: for the psalm respects Gospel times, and the church of Christ under the New Testament, spread throughout the world, and especially as it will be in the latter day; see Psa 66:1; and so in Yalkut Simeoni on the psalm, it is said to be a psalm for time to come, and agrees with Zep 3:9; "I will turn to the people a pure language", &c. Kimchi says it is a psalm concerning the gathering of the captives of Israel; and so Jarchi and Obadiah expound it; and Theodoret says David wrote this psalm for the captives in Babylon.

Which my lips have uttered,.... Or "opened" (e); publicly and distinctly declared, and from which there is no going back; see Jdg 11:33; and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble; this refers to the time when the people of God were under antichristian tyranny and bondage; and when they vowed and promised, that, if the Lord would deliver them, they would give him all praise and glory. (e) "aperuerunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus.

If you require evidence from the Old Testament also in order for me to convince you that the judgment of God occurs in this way [as I have presented it], Moses says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” To this the Lord adds, “On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets.” The apostle also bears witness in the words: “Love, therefore, is the fulfilling of the law.” Moreover, they who do not observe these commands and do not perform the acts of justification that derive from them are liable to punishment, as Moses declares in the words “Cursed is every one who does not abide in all that is written in this book.” And David says, “If I have contemplated iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” In another place, also, he says, “There have they trembled for fear where there was no fear; for God has scattered the bones of those who attacked you.” There is need, then, of great diligence and of ceaseless care, lest, perhaps, in carrying out the commandment improperly as regards any of the details we have discussed, we may not only lose a reward so great and so blessed but also become the objects of threats so terrible.

"I will render to You my vows, which my lips have distinguished" [Psalm 66:14]. What is the distinction in vows? This is the distinction, that yourself thou censure, Him thou praise: perceive yourself to be a creature, Him the Creator: yourself darkness, Him the Enlightener, to whom you should say, "You shall light my lamp, O Lord my God, You shall enlighten my darkness." For whenever you shall have said, O soul, that from yourself you have light, you will not distinguish. If you will not distinguish, you will not render distinct vows. Render distinct vows, confess yourself changeable, Him unchangeable: confess yourself without Him to be nothing, but Himself without you to be perfect; yourself to need Him, but Him not to need you. Cry to Him, "I have said to the Lord, My God are You, for my good things You need not." Now though God takes you to Him for a holocaust, He grows not, He is not increased, He is not richer, He becomes not better furnished: whatsoever He makes of you for your sake, is the better for you, not for Him that makes. If you distinguish these things, you render the vows to your God which your lips have distinguished.

Therefore, because we have been speaking of the nature of marriage as the Lord has given it, consequently, this must be examined with the greatest care, namely, what you devoutly willed beforehand (if there could have been anything). Because the use of things conceded by God is not forbidden to human beings, one should not conclude that therefore one need not render to God what he has vowed. It is written: “I will pay you my vows, those that my lips uttered.” And lest anyone seek to use tribulation as a reason for excusing himself, in order to gain the freedom to evade a promise or to think of himself as free from what he has vowed, by saying that he was forced to vow something not by his own will but because of tribulation, the blessed David teaches that everything that was legitimately promised, even in tribulation, must be given back to God, when he says to God, “I will pay you my vows, those that my lips uttered.” And he added immediately, “my mouth promised when I was in trouble.” But in Deuteronomy, it is also written, “If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not postpone fulfilling it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you would incur guilt. But if you refrain from vowing, you will not incur guilt. Whatever your lips utter, you must diligently perform, just as you have freely vowed to the Lord your God with your own mouth.” And Solomon says, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; … Fulfill what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.”

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. (Psa. 66:1-20) Make . . . noise--or, "Shout."