PS 118 The form of this psalm seems to be dramatical, and several parts of it are spoken in the name of several persons; as it is in the book of the Song of Solomon, and in one part of Ecclesiastes. David speaks in his own name from the beginning to ver. 22, from thence to ver. 25, in the name of the people; and thence to ver. 28, in the name of the priests; and then concludes in his own name. He calls upon all about him to praise God, ver. 1-4. Encourages himself and others to trust in God, from the experience he had had of his power and mercy, ver. 5-18. He gives thanks for his advancement to the throne, as it was a figure of the exaltation of Christ, ver. 19-23. The people, the priests, and the psalmist himself triumph in the prospect of the Redeemer's kingdom, ver. 24-29.

Verse 10. Nations - The neighbouring nations, Philistines, Syrians, Ammonites, Moabites, who were stirred up, by the overthrows which David had given some of them, by their jealousy at his growing greatness, and by their hatred against the true religion.

Verse 11. Yea - The repetition implies their frequency and fervency in this action.

Verse 12. Bees - ln great numbers. Thorns - Which burns fiercely, but quickly spends itself.

Verse 13. Thou - O mine enemy. The singular word is here put collectively for all his enemies.

Verse 14. Salvation - My saviour.

Verse 15. Doth valiantly - These are the words of that song of praise now mentioned.

Verse 16. Exalted - Hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously.

Verse 19. Open - O ye porters, appointed by God for this work. The gates - Of the Lord's tabernacle: where the rule of righteousness was kept and taught, and the sacrifices of righteousness were offered.

Verse 20. The righteous - As David was a type of Christ and the temple of heaven, so this place hath a farther prospect than David, and relates to Christ's ascending into heaven, and opening the gates of that blessed temple, both for himself and for all believers.

Verse 22. The builders - The commonwealth of Israel and the church of God are here and elsewhere compared to a building, wherein, as the people are the stones, so the princes and rulers are the builders. And as these master-builders rejected David, so their successors rejected Christ. Head stone - The chief stone in the whole building, by which the several parts of the building are upheld and firmly united together. Thus David united all the tribes and families of Israel: and thus Christ united Jews and Gentiles together. And therefore this place is justly expounded of Christ, Mark xii, 10 Acts iv, 11 Rom. ix, 32 Eph. ii, 20. And to him the words agree more properly than to David.

Verse 24. Made - Or sanctified as a season never to be forgotten.

Verse 25. We - These seem to be the words of the Levites, to whom he spake ver. 19.

Verse 26. Blessed - We pray that God would bless his person and government. Cometh - To the throne; or from his Father into the world: who is known by the name of him that cometh or was to come, and of whom this very word is used, Gen. xlix, 10 Isaiah xxxv, 4. Name - By commission from him. We - We who are the Lord's ministers attending upon him in his house, and appointed to bless in his name, Num. vi, 23 Deut. x, 8. So these are the words of the priests.