Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinby hinder or restrain, as if the prophet had said, Do thou at length stretch forth thy hand, whichhas been kept too long in thy bosom. But this is a forced sense, to which they have recourse withoutany color of reason. Those who translate it consume understand the midst of God’s bosom, asdenoting allegorically his temple, 228 an interpretation of which I cannot approve. It will be betterto continue the interrogation to the last word in this way: “How long wilt thou withdraw thy hand?Yea, wilt thou withdraw it from the midst of thy bosom? Consume, therefore, these ungodly menwho so proudly despise thee.” We may also not improperly view the words as a prayer that as God’senemies persuaded themselves that he was slothful and idle, because he did not bestir himself, noropenly lift up his hand; he would cause them to feel that he was perfectly able to destroy them withhis nod alone, although he should not move so much as a finger.12. But God is my King from the beginning. In this verse, as we have often seen to be the casein other places, the people of God intermingle meditations with their prayers, thereby to acquirerenewed vigor to their faith, and to stir up themselves to greater earnestness in the duty of prayer.We know how difficult it is to rise above all doubts, and boldly to persevere in a free and unrestrainedcourse of prayer. Here, then, the faithful call to remembrance the proofs of God’s mercy andworking, by which he certified, through a continued series of ages, that he was the King and Protectorof the people whom he had chosen. By this example we are taught, that as it is not enough to praywith the lips unless we also pray in faith, we ought always to remember the benefits by which Godhas given a confirmation of his fatherly love towards us, and should regard them as so manytestimonies of his electing love. It is quite clear that the title King, which is here applied to God,ought not to be restricted merely to his sovereignty. He is addressed by this appellation because hehad taken upon him the government of the Jewish people, in order to preserve and maintain themin safety. We have already stated what is implied in the words, from the beginning. By the midstof the earth some think that Judea is intended, because it was situated as it were in the midst of thehabitable globe. There is no doubt that it is to be understood of a place which stands prominentlyin view. We find the expression used in this sense in these words which God commanded Mosesto speak to Pharaoh,“And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms offlies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth,”(Exodus 8:22.)The simple and natural meaning, therefore, is, that God had wrought in behalf of the chosenpeople many deliverances, which were as open and manifest as if they had been exhibited on aconspicuous theater.Psalm 74:13-17228 “The Jewish Arab reads, ‘Turn not from them thy hand, even thy right hand, but consume them out of the midst of thyhouse,’ giving a note, that the house of God is called .” — Hammond104