Verse 1

"To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David." The king shall a joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

(a) When he will overcome his enemies, and so be assured of his calling.

Verse 3

For thou b preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.

(b) You declared your liberal favour toward him before he prayed.

Verse 4

c He asked life of thee, [and] thou gavest [it] him, [even] length of days for ever and ever.

(c) David not only obtained life, but also assurance that his posterity would reign forever.

Verse 6

For thou hast made him most d blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

(d) You have made him your blessings to others, and a perpetual example of your favour forever.

Verse 8

e Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.

(e) Here he describes the power of Christ's kingdom against the enemies of it.

Verse 9

Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his f wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

(f) This teaches us patiently to endure the cross till God destroys the adversary.

Verse 11

For they g intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, [which] they are not able [to perform].

(g) They laid as it were their nets to make God's power bend to their wicked enterprises.

Verse 12

Therefore shalt thou make them h turn their back, [when] thou shalt make ready [thine arrows] upon thy strings against the face of them.

(h) As a mark to shoot at.

Verse 13

i Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: [so] will we sing and praise thy power.

(i) Maintain your Church against your adversaries that we may have ample opportunity to praise your Name.