1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD’s name! Praise him, you servants of the LORD, 2 you who stand in the LORD’s house, in the courts of our God’s house. 3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. 4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps; 7 who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; who makes lightning with the rain; who brings the wind out of his treasuries; 8 who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal; 9 who sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants; 10 who struck many nations, and killed mighty kings, 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, 12 and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people. 13 Your name, LORD, endures forever; your renown, LORD, throughout all generations. 14 For the LORD will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 16 They have mouths, but they can’t speak. They have eyes, but they can’t see. 17 They have ears, but they can’t hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. 19 House of Israel, praise the LORD! House of Aaron, praise the LORD! 20 House of Levi, praise the LORD! You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD! 21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, 1706
Verses 1–4
The subject-matter of praise, is the blessings of grace flowing from the everlasting love of God. The name of God as a covenant God and Father in Christ, blessing us with all spiritual blessings in him, is to be loved and praised. The Lord chose a people to himself, that they might be unto him for a name and a praise. If they do not praise him for this distinguishing favour, they are the most unworthy and ungrateful of all people.
Verses 5–14
God is, and will be always, the same to his church, a gracious, faithful, wonder-working God. And his church is, and will be, the same to him, a thankful, praising people: thus his name endures for ever. He will return in ways of mercy to them, and will delight to do them good.
Verses 15–21
These verses arm believers against idolatry and all false worship, by showing what sort of gods the heathen worshipped. And the more deplorable the condition of the Gentile nations that worship idols, the more are we to be thankful that we know better. Let us pity, and pray for, and seek to benefit benighted heathens and deluded sinners. Let us endeavour to glorify his name, and recommend his truth, not only with our lips, but by holy lives, copying the example of Christ’s goodness and truth.