To the chief musician, for performance in public worship, a psalm and song of David, composed for the purpose of praising God for His spiritual blessings upon His people and His kind providence over all the earth. V. 1. Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Sion, literally, “To Thee is silent resignation as praise,” that is, the calm submission of the believer’s heart is its tribute to the Lord, by which He is praised and exalted; and unto Thee shall the vow be performed, paid in recognition of His hearing prayer; for thereby the fellowship between God and the faithful was further established and strengthened. V. 2. O Thou that hearest prayer, this being the special attribute of God, unto Thee shall all flesh come, all creatures, but especially the believers, taking their refuge with Him, with a firm trust in His ability and in His willingness to help. V. 3. Iniquities prevail against me, cases or varieties of iniquity have overcome him as with a superior hostile power. As for our transgressions, the great burden of which belongs to the crosses of the believers, Thou shalt purge them away, freeing them from their burden and atoning for their guilt. It is here once more clearly stated that man cannot answer or atone for his sins; he must, in himself, perish under their burden; the forgiveness of God alone can lift the burden. V. 4. Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee that he may dwell in Thy courts. It is a wonderful distinction to be chosen by God, to have one’s true home and to be at home where He is enthroned and reveals Himself in His Word. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy Temple, having the unequaled, inestimable advantage of constant fellowship with God in the place of His worship. If that was true in the Old Testament, at the time of prophecy and type, how much more is it true now that we have the glory of the fulfillment before our eyes! V. 5. By terrible things in righteousness wilt Thou answer us, O God of our salvation, the awe-inspiring things being chiefly the mighty deeds and miracles of God in leading His people out of the bondage of Egypt, thereby answering the prayer of those who cried to Him; who art the Confidence of all the ends of the earth and of them that are afar off upon the sea, all the dwellers even in the most distant coasts and islands looking to Him for the benefits pertaining to this earthly life; v. 6. which by His strength setteth fast the mountains, being girded with power, He, as the true Master Workman, laying their foundation secure, for He brought them forth by His almighty power; v. 7. which stilleth the noise of the seas, its roaring when lashed by mighty storms, cp. Matt. 8, 26, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people, the passions of men, like the unbridled powers of nature also yielding to His almighty word. V. 8. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid of Thy tokens, the exhibitions of God’s power, His mighty miracles, causing the dwellers of the distant coasts to tremble before Him. Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice, the very ends of the earth with their inhabitants being filled with exuberant joy when the Lord stills the noise of wars. V. 9. Thou visitest the earth and waterest it; God’s providential care is so obvious that He clearly attends to the wants of the land, arranges for its welfare, and moistens it with rain; Thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, His rain being the brook of blessings referred to, which is full of water, richly supplied by the bounty of the Creator; Thou preparest them corn, the grain of all dwellers on the earth, when Thou hast so provided for it, so He prepares it, taking care of the crops and supplying plentiful harvests, God’s provident care being evident throughout. V. 10. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly, drenching the furrows of the land, as they have been prepared by the plow; Thou settlest the furrows thereof, packing down the ground around the seed; Thou makest it soft with showers, loosening the soil with copious rains; Thou blessest the springing thereof, the increase of the ground, the maturing crops. V. 11. Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness, the favor of His kind providence resting upon the year like a diadem or crown; and Thy paths drop fatness, that is, fruitfulness in overabundance follows the footsteps of the Lord or the track of His chariot. V. 12. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, that is, the very pastures of the steppe, the untilled meadow-lands, show rich fruitfulness; and the little hills rejoice on every side, girding themselves with joyfulness as with a garment. V. 13. The pastures, naked and sad without the providential care of God, are clothed with flocks, due to His goodness; the valleys also are covered over with corn, a rich stand of grain being in evidence everywhere; they shout for joy, they also sing, all men who realize the miracles of God’s providence are constrained to shout with the exuberance of joy, to fill the earth with their songs of praise. Such are the blessings of peace and prosperity under the providence of the Lord.