Bible Commentaries
Psalms 93

Verse 1

PSALM XCIII

The universal government of God, 1, 2;

the opposition to that government, 3, 4;

the truth of God's testimonies, 5.

NOTES ON PSALM XCIII

This Psalm has no title either in the Hebrew or Chaldee. The Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic, and Arabic, state it to be "A song of praise of David for the day preceding the Sabbath, when the earth was founded;" but in such a title there is no information on which any man can rely. This Psalm is written as a part of the preceding in twelve of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. It was probably written at the close of the captivity by the Levites, descendants of Moses.

Verse Psalms 93:1. The Lord reigneth — He continues to govern every thing he has created; and he is every way qualified to govern all things, for he is clothed with majesty and with strength-dominion is his, and he has supreme power to exercise it; and he has so established the world that nothing can be driven out of order; all is ruled by him. Nature is his agent: or rather, nature is the sum of the laws of his government; the operations carried on by the Divine energy, and the effects resulting from those operations.

He hath girded himself — The girding with strength refers to the girding in order to strengthen the loins, arms, knees, &c. When a Hindoo is about to set off on a journey, to lift a burden, or to do something that requires exertion, he binds firmly his loose upper garment round his loins.-WARD.

Verse 2

Verse Psalms 93:2. Thy throne is established of old — There never was a time in which God did not reign, in which he was not a supreme and absolute Monarch; for he is from everlasting. There never was a time in which he was not; there never can be a period in which he shall cease to exist.

Verse 3

Verse Psalms 93:3. The floods have lifted up — Multitudes of people have confederated against thy people; and troop succeeds troop as the waves of the sea succeed each other.

Verse 4

Verse Psalms 93:4. The Lord - is mightier than the noise of many waters — Greater in strength than all the peoples and nations that can rise up against him.

Mighty waves of the sea. — Even the most powerful empires can prevail nothing against him; therefore those who trust in him have nothing to fear.

Verse 5

Verse Psalms 93:5. Thy testimonies are very sure — Thou wilt as surely fulfil thy word as thou wilt keep possession of thy throne.

Holiness becometh thine house — Thy nature is holy, all thy works are holy, and thy word is holy; therefore, thy house - thy Church, should be holy. The building itself should be sanctified - should be so consecrated to thy worship alone, that it shall never be employed in any other service. The ministers of this Church should be holy, the members holy, the ordinances holy; its faith, its discipline, and its practice holy. And this at all times, and in all circumstances; for holiness becometh thine house - for ever," לארך ימים le-orech yamin, for length of days. During the whole lapse of time; till the sun and moon shall be no more. The old Psalter says the house of God is man's saule; and of this house holiness is נאוה naavah, "the ornament;" it produces that meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. No decoration of person nor simplicity of dress can supply the place of this heavenly clothing.

ANALYSIS OF THE NINETY-THIRD PSALM

In this Psalm it is the purpose of the prophet to comfort the Church, oppressed by tyrants and persecutors; and yet she shall not utterly fail. The gates of hell shall not prevail against her; because Christ sits in his Church as King. The sum of it is, -

I. The magnificence and power of Christ our eternal King, Psalms 93:1-2.

II. That he defends his Church in the day of a storm, Psalms 93:3-4.

III. That his laws are holy, and his Church also, Psalms 93:5.

I. The prophet in the first verse describes our King:

First. From his office: -

1. "He reigns." He is the great and chief Monarch; he is no idle spectator of things below; but wisely, and justly, and powerfully administers all things.

2. He is a glorious King: "He is clothed with majesty."

3. He is a potent King: "The Lord is clothed with strength."

4. He is a warlike King: "He hath girded himself," buckled his sword upon his armour; for offence towards his enemies, for defence of his kingdom.

Secondly. From his kingdom: -

1. It is universal: "The world."

2. It is fixed, firm, and stable: "The world is also established, and cannot be moved."

3. It is an everlasting kingdom: "From everlasting to everlasting; thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting."

II. But in this his kingdom there are those who raise tumults, commotions, and rebellions. These he compares to swelling waters and foaming waves.

1. "The floods," that is, tyrants, persecutors, c., "have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice the floods lift up their waves." The Church dwells in the sea; and the waves of tyranny, ambition, and malice, beat furiously upon it.

2. Well, be it so; yet "the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters; yea than the mighty waves of the sea." He wonderfully and strangely hath showed his might in getting himself the victory over all persecutors, and propagating and enlarging his kingdom over all the earth in despite of his enemies.

III. 1. And as his kingdom is immovable, so are the laws by which it is governed fixed and unalterable also: "Thy testimonies are very sure." The Gospel is an eternal Gospel; the doctrine thereof is holy and inviolable; by which God hath declared his good will to man, and what he requires of all his loving subjects; which is, that they be a holy people. For,

2. "Holiness becomes thy house for ever." The temple, the priests, the people, must be a holy nation; for ever correspondent to the holiness of his law and testimonies: "Be ye holy, for I am holy." "Holiness becomes thy house, O Lord, for ever."