Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 92:1

Clarke's Commentary

PSALM XCII

The psalmist shows the duty and advantage of praising God, 1-3;

speaks of the grandeur of God's works, 4-6;

the fall of the wicked, 7-9;

the happiness of the righteous, 10-14;

and all this founded on the perfections of God.

NOTES ON PSALM XCII

The title, A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath, gives no information concerning the time, occasion, or author. The Chaldee, has "Praise, and a song which the first man spoke concerning the Sabbath:" but this is an idle conceit; and, though entertained by some rabbins, has been followed by none of the Versions. Calmet supposes the Psalm to have been composed by some of the Levites during or near the close of the Babylonish captivity, acknowledging the mercy of God, and foreseeing the desolation of their enemies, and their own return to Jerusalem, and their temple service.

Verse Psalms 92:1. It is a good thing to give thanks — This Psalm begins very abruptly. Good to confess unto the Lord. He had been acknowledging God's goodness, and praising him for his mercy; and now he breaks out and tells how good he felt this employment to be.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 92-93 God’s rule in an evil world

According to the title, Psalms 92:0 was for use on the Sabbath. God is pleased when people cease their ordinary work for a day in order to engage in worshipping him and proclaiming his love (92:1-4). As they meditate upon the nature of God, their thinking will be changed. They will see from God’s point of view and will understand things that are misunderstood by the ordinary person. They will see, for instance, that they need not puzzle over why the wicked prosper. God is the supreme ruler and judge, and he is always in control. In the end the wicked will be destroyed and their prosperity lost for ever (5-9).

By contrast, those who remain true to God will prosper. As a wild ox grows powerful, so the righteous will be strengthened. As privileged people are anointed with oil, so the righteous will be blessed (10-11). As magnificent trees flourish, so the righteous will be strong and fruitful. As a house built on a rocky hill is safe, so the righteous will be secure (12-15).
God is the sovereign Lord and he reigns in majesty. He existed before the universe and he rules over it (93:1-2). The opposition of the ungodly world is like a raging flood that tries to overturn his throne, but it is powerless to move him (3-4). His glory is displayed not only in his power but also in his holiness. People should therefore obey and worship him (5).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

INTRODUCTION

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah, And to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High; To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, And thy faithfulness every night. With an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery; With a solemn sound upon the harp.”

These three verses are generally recognized as an introduction to the whole psalm.

It is of interest that “Most High” is here used as a synonym for Jehovah. The extensive use of this title in Psalms has not received the attention from scholars that it deserves. The Hebrew people never allowed this title to any pagan deity, although it was sometimes so applied by pagans.

“In the morning… every night” The most appropriate times for worshipping God are morning and evening. Every morning, when men arise from sleep, refreshed and strengthened from a night of rest, the blessing of God in the gift of a new day and a new beginning for human activity should inspire every man to `thank God’ and worship the Most High. Likewise in the evenings, as one remembers the achievements of the day and God’s protection from danger and failure, it is also appropriate to worship God.

Under the Law of Moses, the principle of morning and evening worship were established in the institution of “the morning and evening sacrifices” (Exodus 29:38-42). In the Christian faith, through the tradition of offering thanks for meals, the Lord is actually worshipped “three times daily.”

“Instrument of ten strings… solemn sound upon the harp” If this is an authentic rendition of the sacred text, it is impossible to suppose that Moses is the author, because such instruments of music were never used in God’s worship till the times of David and subsequently. We are not sure, however that the translation here is accurate. Adam Clarke, a very able scholar, objected to it strenuously, declaring that it should be translated: “`Upon the [~’asur], upon the [~nebel], upon the [~higgayon],’ with the [~kinnor]. Thus it stands in the Hebrew.”Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), Vol. III, p. 514. None of these words is a reference to any kind of a musical instrument. They appear to be instructions to the singers. Of course, there is no doubt that David did indeed introduce the extensive use of mechanical instruments of music into God’s worship; and the only question here is whether or not this psalm mentions it.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord - literally, “Good is it to give thanks unto Jehovah.” That is, the act is appropriate; the effect is good.

(1) The thing itself is appropriate, for there is much, under all circumstances, to be thankful for: life, health, food, raiment, air, water, friends, recollections, hopes - and, above all, the blessings of redemption, and the assurance that we may be happy forever. Many of these things may be found in the condition of all; but if all else fail, the hope of heaven - the assurance that the Redeemer died - the offer of salvation - cannot fail. That is ours, and cannot be taken away.

(2) The effect is good. It is a desirable state of mind. It tends to happiness, contentment, peace. A gloomy mind makes all things around more gloomy; an unthankful mind is an unhappy mind; a murmuring, complaining, dissatisfied mind makes its possessor wretched, and all around him miserable.

(3) It is good as it is due to God. For all his favor we should be thankful - and all that we enjoy is his gift.

(4) It tends much to lessen the real troubles and afflictions of life to dwell on those things for which we should be thankful.

And to sing praises unto thy name - Unto thee. As this psalm was designed for the “Sabbath day,” this proves that one of the appropriate services of the Sabbath is “praise.” It is a day when it is fit to recall the mercies of God to our recollection; and the remembrance of those mercies, and their celebration by appropriate songs, tend to diffuse joy over all the coming days of the week.

O Most High - God exalted over all. The fact that “he” is exalted over all - over us - over our friends - over all worlds - is an appropriate thought when we come before him to praise him; appropriate at all times, and in all circumstances of life.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

1It is good to give thanks unto Jehovah. There is no reason to doubt that the Jews were in the habit of singing this psalm, as the inscription bears, upon the Sabbath-day, and it is apparent, from different passages, that other psalms were applied to this use. As the words may be read literally in the Hebrew, it is good for giving thanks unto the Lord, some interpreters, founding upon the letter ל, lamed, prefixed to the verb, understand the Psalmist to mean that it was good to have a certain day set apart for singing the praises of God — that it was a useful arrangement by which one day had been chosen to be occupied by the Lord’s people in celebrating his works. But it is well known that this letter, when prefixed, is merely the ordinary mark of the infinitive mood — and I have given what is obviously the simple meaning. The reason why the Psalmist appropriated this psalm to the Sabbath is sufficiently obvious. That day is not to be holy, in the sense of being devoted to idleness, as if this could be an acceptable worship to God, but in the sense of our separating ourselves from all other occupations, to engage in meditating upon the Divine works. As our minds are inconstant, we are apt, when exposed to various distractions, to wander from God. ⁽⁵⁸⁵⁾ We need to be disentangled from all cares if we would seriously apply ourselves to the praises of God. The Psalmist then would teach us that the right observance of the Sabbath does not consist in idleness, as some absurdly imagine, but in the celebration of the Divine name. The argument which he adduces is drawn from the profitableness of the service, for nothing is more encouraging than to know that our labor is not in vain, and that what we engage in meets with the Divine approbation. In the succeeding verse, he adverts to the grounds which we have for praising God, that we may not imagine that God calls upon us to engage in this service without reason, or simply in consideration of his greatness and power, but in remembrance of his goodness and faithfulness, which should inflame our hearts to such exercise, if we had any proper sense and experience of them. He would have us consider, in mentioning these, that not only is God worthy of praise, but that we ourselves are chargeable with ingratitude and perversity should we refuse it. We are the proper objects of his faithfulness and goodness, and it would argue inexcusable indifference if they did not elicit our cordial praises. It might seem a strange distinction which the Psalmist observes when he speaks of our announcing God’s goodness in the morning, and his faithfulness at night. His goodness is constant, and not peculiar to any one season, why then devote but a small part of the day to the celebration of it? And the same may be said of the other Divine perfection mentioned, for it is not merely in the night that his faithfulness is shown. But this is not what the Psalmist intends. He means that beginning to praise the Lord from earliest dawn, we should continue his praises to the latest hour of the night, this being no more than his goodness and faithfulness deserve. ⁽⁵⁸⁶⁾ If we begin by celebrating his goodness, we must next take up the subject of his faithfulness. Both will occupy our continued praises, for they stand mutually and inseparably connected. The Psalmist is not therefore to be supposed as wishing us to separate the one from the other, for they are intimately allied; he would only suggest that we can never want matter for praising God unless indolence prevail over us, and that if we would rightly discharge the office of gratitude, we must be assiduous in it, since his goodness and his faithfulness are incessant.

In the fourth verse, he more immediately addresses the Levites, who were appointed to the office of singers, and calls upon them to employ their instruments of music — not as if this were in itself necessary, only it was useful as an elementary aid to the people of God in these ancient times. ⁽⁵⁸⁷⁾ We are not to conceive that God enjoined the harp as feeling a delight like ourselves in mere melody of sounds; but the Jews, who were yet under age, were astricted to the use of such childish elements. The intention of them was to stimulate the worshippers, and stir them up more actively to the celebration of the praise of God with the heart. We are to remember that the worship of God was never understood to consist in such outward services, which were only necessary to help forward a people, as yet weak and rude in knowledge, in the spiritual worship of God. A difference is to be observed in this respect between his people under the Old and under the New Testament; for now that Christ has appeared, and the Church has reached full age, it were only to bury the light of the Gospel, should we introduce the shadows of a departed dispensation. From this, it appears that the Papists, as I shall have occasion to show elsewhere, in employing instrumental music, cannot be said so much to imitate the practice of God’s ancient people, as to ape it in a senseless and absurd manner, exhibiting a silly delight in that worship of the Old Testament which was figurative, and terminated with the Gospel. ⁽⁵⁸⁸⁾

(585) “Car selon que nos pensees sont volages, si elles sont distraittes ca et la, elles s’alienent facilement de Dieu.”

(586) “Que si nous commencons au matin de louer Dieu, il faut continuer ses louanges jusques a la derniere partie de la nuit; pource que sa bonte et fidelite meritent cela.” — Fr.

(587) “Mais pource que c’estoit un rudiment fort utile au peuple ancien.” — Fr.

(588) But although Calvin held the use of instrumental music in public worship to be inconsistent with the genius of the Christian dispensation, he regarded the celebration of the praises of God with the melody of the human voice as an institution of great solemnity and usefulness. He knew that psalm-singing is sanctioned by the apostles, and that music has a powerful influence in exciting the mind to ardor of devotion; and to him belongs the merit of having, with the advice of Luther, formed the plan of establishing, as a principal branch of public worship in the Reformed Churches, the singing of psalms, translated into the vernacular language, and adapted to plain and easy melodies, which all the people might learn, and in which they all might join. Immediately upon the publication of Clement Marot’s version of David’s Psalms into French rhymes at Paris, he introduced it into his congregation at Geneva, set to plain and popular music; and it soon came into universal use throughout the numerous congregations of the Reformed Church of France. At length Marot’s Psalms formed an appendix to the Catechism at Geneva, and became a characteristic mark or badge of the Calvinistic worship and profession. Marot’s translation, which did not aim at any innovation in the public worship, and which he dedicated to his master Francis I., and the ladies of France, received at first the sanction of the Sorbonne, as containing nothing contrary to sound doctrine. But Calvin knew the character of the book better than the doctors of the Sorbonne, and having, by his influence, obtained its introduction into the worship of the Protestant Church of France, it contributed so much, in consequence of its extraordinary popularity, to the advancement of the Reformed cause in that country, that it was interdicted under the most severe penalties; and, in the language of the Romish Church, psalm-singing and heresy became synonymous terms. — Warton ’s History of English Poetry, volume 3, pages 164, 165.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 92:1-15 is a psalm for the Sabbath day.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night ( Psalms 92:1-2 ),

It's just a good thing to praise the Lord in song, to just show forth the lovingkindness of God. Every morning, start the day with a song. Every evening, end the day with a song. For the faithfulness of God. Lord, You've watched over me. You've kept me all through the day.

Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man does not know; neither doth a fool understand this. But when the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever ( Psalms 92:3-7 ):

My father for years was a sales engineer for the southern county's gas company when we were growing up in Ventura. And life in the home of a salesman during the Depression years was feast or famine. If Dad had a lot of sales, good commissions, we had... we feasted. When the sales weren't so good, then it was tight around the house. But fortunately, my dad was a super salesman and the Lord really blessed him in his sales. And he was a super salesman for the gas company, but also for the Lord. He was a super witness for Jesus Christ. Always witnessing wherever he'd go to sell a refrigerator, stove, or whatever; he'd always leave a witness for the Lord.

He was coming towards the end of the month and he hadn't had any sales that month. He'd been up in Ojai trying to close a deal and it didn't close. And he was riding home in the car and not knowing really what to do. Because, where are we going to get the money for the month's bills? and so forth. Because there will be no commission, just the salary this month, and he couldn't live on the salary. And my father was a very emotional type person. He was capable of great highs and great lows. And he was very low at this point, very depressed. And he was looking out in the field and he saw the cows out there just eating the grass. And he said, "They look so contented like they didn't have a worry in the world." They must have been Carnation cows. But he said to the Lord, "Lord, it isn't fair. Here I am, your child, I'm your servant. And I'm so worried and so upset because I don't know how I'm going to be paying my bills, and look at those dumb cows out there. So peaceful, so contented eating the grass and the whole field is full of green grass. They've got all that they could ever want and yet here I am; I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills. Lord, it isn't fair that I should have to worry when I'm Your child and those cows can have it so good. They don't have a worry in the world." And the Lord spoke to him and said, "Yes, but they don't have any future. And you have a future with Me."

The psalmist here declares, "The brutish man doesn't know, nor does a fool consider or understand this. But when the wicked spring forth as the grass, when those workers of iniquity flourish, they're going to be destroyed forever." Don't be envious of them. Foolish to be envious of them, because they're going to get wiped out. And so it is great folly to envy the wicked. So many times we, I think, are guilty of that. We look at the wicked and we think, "Lord, they seem to have everything they want, and here I am trying to serve You and I've got all these problems and all." We don't take into consideration the end results, what the future holds. "But they shall be destroyed forever."

But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore. For, lo, your enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of unicorn: and be anointed with fresh oil ( Psalms 92:8-10 ).

The enemies of the Lord, they're going to perish. The workers of iniquity, they'll be scattered. But Lord, You'll exalt me.

My eye shall see my desire upon my enemies, and my ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon ( Psalms 92:11-12 ).

When my dad got back to the office in Ventura, there were some people there looking at a stove. He went up to them and he said, you know, began to point out the features they said, "We want it." He signed them up for the stove. Pretty soon some people came in, bought a refrigerator, and before the day was over, he had enough sales to provide great commissions for that month, and God just really took care of us in a very beautiful way. My father won the award several years running of the most outstanding salesman in the United States for the Servel Corporation. Won many awards for that. In fact, he had a very interesting experience. He was out in the Miners Oak area, had just signed up a customer for a new stove, refrigerator, furnace, and then started witnessing to the guy. And the guy was real antagonistic to the Christian witness and got so mad he began to curse my dad. He said, "Let me have the contract back," and he ripped up the contract. And he said, "I don't know how the gas company can afford to hire fools, men that talk to people about Jesus Christ and all," and just really berated him.

And so my dad came home and was discouraged coming home, because you don't like... it's hard to suffer reproach for Christ. When my dad got home, there was a letter there. He opened it up and it was, "Congratulations, you've won first place in the United States again for Servel for the fifth year in a row, and this year we're going to send you to San Diego to the World's Fair in San Diego, and all expenses." And there is a check in there and everything else. In fact, there was a picture and it was a hundred-dollar bill. "Let me be the first to congratulate you for what you've done." All these prizes.

Well, there was a football game going that night and my dad said, "Come on, son, let's go to the football game." So we headed for the football game and we were playing that night against a team and the stadium was just packed. We got there a little late. And way up towards the top there were a couple of seats, so Dad and I made our way up there and we sat down. But as we were getting in, Dad looked, and right behind us was the guy that that afternoon had just cursed him and said, "I don't know how the gas company can afford to hire fools," and all. Dad had the letter still in his pocket, and so he just handed the letter back to the guy. And the guy let out a few oh's, and says, "Come on back tomorrow, Mr. Smith, I really do need that refrigerator and stove."

Oh, "my eye shall see my desire upon my enemies, my ears shall hear my desire the wicked that rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish."

Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age ( Psalms 92:13-14 );

So some encouragement here. The next part I don't know though.

they shall be fat ( Psalms 92:14 )

Just fulfilling the Word, how can you help it, you know?

fat and flourishing; To show that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him ( Psalms 92:14-15 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

It is appropriate to praise God because of the good things He has done for His people. He is faithful to His word and lovingly loyal to His people. Musical instruments contribute to the joy and rejoicing that characterize His people’s praise.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. Praise for God’s goodness 92:1-7

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 92

In this psalm, the unknown writer praised God for the goodness of His acts and the righteousness of His character.

"Psalms 90-92 are united by the development of concepts and the repetition of vocabulary. These psalms lead the worshiper from a meditation on the transiency of life (Psalms 90), a call for wisdom (Psalms 91), to a climactic celebration of divine deliverance and protection (Psalms 92)." [Note: Ibid., p. 602.]

Gann's Commentary on the Bible

Psalms 92:1

Notes from Alex’s Bayes - Sun May 17, 2020 (Plus study inserts)

v.1 An encouragement: How good our Father is. Praise to God,

To proclaim God’s love. Psalms 89:1-2; Lamentations 3:23; Psalms 106:47-48; Psalms 126:3; Psalms 145:6-7;

Psalms 92:1-3. Introduction: the joy and seemliness of praise and thanksgiving.

Psalms 92:4-8. The special ground for praise in the manifestation of Jehovah’s sovereignty

Psalms 92:9-15. Further confirmation of the sovereignty of Jehovah: the wicked who are His foes perish, the righteous who are His friends flourish. - CBSC

Deeds: Isaiah 55:8-9;

v.4

Made me glad: How God has been working in our lives.

vs. 6-7; Fool; Psalms 14:1; Psalms 94:8; Isaiah 1:3;

v.7 Psalms 37:1-2; Isaiah 40:6-7; James 1:10-11;

No one against God will stand, will be destroyed.

v. 8 The point of the Ps. God’s enemies cannot touch him.

God i Psalms 89:18, Psalms 102:1-2 ; Daniel 4:34-35;

Vs. 9 Psalms 21:8-9; Luke 19:27;

vs. 10-11; horn; Psalms 89:17; horn is a detail of glory and strength; Psalms 112:9;

    You have given me the strength like that of wild ox.

¹³ sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom "to exalt/lift up the horn" signifies military victory (see 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalms 75:10; Psalms 89:24; Lamentations 2:17).

    (Psalms 37:4;) Psalms 91:8; planted in the house of the Lord, vs. 13.

v. 12 Flourish: Psalms 52:8; Hosea 14:5-6; when God would bring them back from captivity;

Psalms 104:16;

shall flourish like the palm-tree - That is, the beauty, the erectness, the stateliness, the growth of the palm-tree - all this is an emblem of the condition, the prosperity, the happiness of a righteous man.

On the cedars of Lebanon, see the notes at Isaiah 2:13. BN

These trees picture fruitfulness and vitality (Psalms 92:14) under God’s good hand (cf. Psalms 1:3).

    Bear fruit:

Planted in the house of the Lord. Isaiah 61:3; Give God’s precious attention. grow, thrive, flourish.

As if plants were reared up in the house of God. The same image, under the idea of the olive tree, occurs in Psalms 52:8. See the notes at that verse. BN

That is, Having been planted there, they will grow there; they will send out their boughs there; they will produce fruit there. The “courts” of the house of God were properly the areas or open spaces around the tabernacle or the temple (see the notes at Matthew 21:12); but the word came also to denote the tabernacle or the temple itself, or to designate a place where God was worshipped. - BN

v. 14 still bear fruit: Stay fresh. Job 17:9; Proverbs 4:18; God will keep you, growing;

The proclaim, declare; Psalms 18:2; Psalms 62:8; Song; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 145:17; ( Zephaniah 3:3); Romans 9:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8;

Remain fruitful: in old age, can proclaim God’s glory.

As a tree that is carefully planted and cultivated may be expected to live long, and to bear fruit even when it is old.

And flourishing - Margin, as in Hebrew, “green.” This image is taken from a tree, as if it were still green in old age, or gave no indications of decay. BN

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, like the palm-tree. Doughty (Arabia Deserta, i. 286) speaks of palms 90 feet high and 200 years old, in the oasis of Teyma. They shall be full of sap and green (R.V.), like the olive (Judges 9:9). - CBSC

v. 15

This will be a proof that God is faithful to his promises; that he is the true friend of his people. The fact that they live long - that they are happy and useful even in old age, will be a demonstration that God is the friend of virtue, and that he deals with people according to their character.

Rock -- Psalms 18:2

And there is no unrighteousness in him - This is said in the most absolute form - implying the most entire confidence. God is altogether to be trusted. There is no evil or wrong in his character or in his dealings. In all respects he is worthy of confidence: “worthy” to be loved, trusted, adored, obeyed, by the inhabitants of all worlds. - BN

We face various things in life. But the righteous will flourish, God will take care of him.

Psalms 92:1-3. Introduction: the joy and seemliness of praise and thanksgiving.

Psalms 92:4-8. The special ground for praise in the manifestation of Jehovah’s sovereignty

Psalms 92:9-15. Further confirmation of the sovereignty of Jehovah: the wicked who are His foes perish, the righteous who are His friends flourish. - CBSC

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,.... For all mercies, temporal and spiritual; for Christ, and salvation by him; for the Gospel, and for Gospel opportunities and ordinances; for, such days and seasons this psalm was composed for. It is "good" so to do, for it is the will of God that we should in and for every thing give thanks; it is due unto him, and is our reasonable service; it is well pleasing unto God through Christ; it is pleasant work for the saints themselves, and is profitable unto them; to be thankful for what they have is the way to have more. Kimchi connects this with the title; the sabbath day is good to give thanks unto the Lord; it is a very fit opportunity for such service; when a man is at leisure from worldly business, and his heart is engaged in spiritual exercises, and especially when it is warmed with the love of God:

and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High; a name and epithet of God, suitable to his majesty and glory, to his supereminence over all his creatures, and the place where he dwells, and to whom the highest praises are due; these two phrases, giving thanks, and singing praise, are much the same; only with this difference, the former may be done in prayer, and without the modulation of the voice, as well as with it; the latter only with it; hence these two are mentioned as distinct things in Ephesians 5:19.

a Zohar in Gen. fol. 43. 2. Vajikra Rabba, s. 10. fol. 153. 4. See the Targum in Cant. i. 1.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A psalm or song for the sabbath day.

      1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:   2 To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,   3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.   4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.   5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.   6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

      This psalm was appointed to be sung, at least it usually was sung, in the house of the sanctuary on the sabbath day, that day of rest, which was an instituted memorial of the work of creation, of God's rest from that work, and the continuance of it in his providence; for the Father worketh hitherto. Note, 1. The sabbath day must be a day, not only of holy rest, but of holy work, and the rest is in order to the work. 2. The proper work of the sabbath is praising God; every sabbath day must be a thanksgiving-day; and the other services of the day must be in order to this, and therefore must by no means thrust this into a corner. One of the Jewish writers refers it to the kingdom of the Messiah, and calls it, A psalm or song for the age to come, which shall be all sabbath. Believers, through Christ, enjoy that sabbatism which remains for the people of God (Hebrews 4:9), the beginning of the everlasting sabbath. In these verses,

      I. We are called upon and encouraged to praise God (Psalms 92:1-3; Psalms 92:1-3): It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. Praising God is good work: it is good in itself and good for us. It is our duty, the rent, the tribute, we are to pay to our great Lord; we are unjust if we withhold it. It is our privilege that we are admitted to praise God, and have hope to be accepted in it. It is good, for it is pleasant and profitable, work that is its own wages; it is the work of angels, the work of heaven. It is good to give thanks for the mercies we have received, for that is the way of fetching in further mercy: it is fit to sing to his name who is Most High, exalted above all blessing and praise. Now observe here, 1. How we must praise God. We must do it by showing forth his lovingkindness and his faithfulness. Being convinced of his glorious attributes and perfections, we must show them forth, as those that are greatly affected with them ourselves and desire to affect others with them likewise. We must show forth, not only his greatness and majesty, his holiness and justice, which magnify him and strike an awe upon us, but his lovingkindness and his faithfulness; for his goodness is his glory (Exodus 33:18; Exodus 33:19), and by these he proclaims his name. His mercy and truth are the great supports of our faith and hope, and the great encouragements of our love and obedience; these therefore we must show forth as our pleas in prayer and the matter of our joy. This was then done, not only by singing, but by music joined with it, upon an instrument of ten strings (Psalms 92:3; Psalms 92:3); but then it was to be with a solemn sound, not that which was gay, and apt to dissipate the spirits, but that which was grave, and apt to fix them. 2. When we must praise God--in the morning and every night, not only on sabbath days, but every day; it is that which the duty of every day requires. We must praise God, not only in public assemblies, but in secret, and in our families, showing forth, to ourselves and those about us, his lovingkindness and faithfulness. We must begin and end every day with praising God, must give him thanks every morning, when we are fresh and before the business of the day comes in upon us, and every night, when we are again composed and retired, and are recollecting ourselves; we must give him thanks every morning for the mercies of the night and every night for the mercies of the day; going out and coming in we must bless God.

      II. We have an example set before us in the psalmist himself, both to move us to and to direct us in this work (Psalms 92:4; Psalms 92:4): Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work. Note, 1. Those can best recommend to others the duty of praise who have themselves experienced the pleasantness of it. "God's works are to be praised, for they have many a time rejoiced my heart; and therefore, whatever others may think of them, I must think well and speak well of them." 2. If God has given us the joy of his works, there is all the reason in the world why we should give him the honour of them. Has he made our hearts glad? Let us then make his praises glorious. Has God made us glad through the works of his providence for us, and of his grace in us, and both through the great work of redemption? (1.) Let us thence fetch encouragement for our faith and hope; so the psalmist does: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. From a joyful remembrance of what God has done for us we may raise a joyful prospect of what he will do, and triumph in the assurance of it, triumph over all opposition, 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:14. (2.) Let us thence fetch matter for holy adorings and admirings of God (Psalms 92:5; Psalms 92:5): O Lord! how great are thy works--great beyond conception, beyond expression, the products of great power and wisdom, of great consequence and importance! men's works are nothing to them. We cannot comprehend the greatness of God's works, and therefore must reverently and awfully wonder at them, and even stand amazed at the magnificence of them. "Men's works are little and trifling, for their thoughts are shallow; but, Lord, thy works are great and such as cannot be measured; for thy thoughts are very deep and such as cannot be fathomed." God's counsels as much exceed the contrivances of our wisdom as his works do the efforts of our power. His thoughts are above our thoughts, as his ways are above our ways,Isaiah 55:9. O the depth of God's designs! Romans 11:33. The greatness of God's works should lead us to consider the depth of his thoughts, that counsel of his own will according to which he does all things--what a compass his thoughts fetch and to what a length they reach!

      III. We are admonished not to neglect the works of God, by the character of those who do so, Psalms 92:6; Psalms 92:6. Those are fools, they are brutish, who do not know, who do not understand, how great God's works are, who will not acquaint themselves with them, nor give him the glory of them; they regard not the work of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hands (Psalms 28:5); particularly, they understand not the meaning of their own prosperity (which is spoken of Psalms 92:7; Psalms 92:7); they take it as a pledge of their happiness, whereas it is a preparative for their ruin. If there are so many who know not the designs of Providence, nor care to know them, those who through grace are acquainted with them, and love to be so, have the more reason to be thankful.