Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. O Shepherd of Israel ] The subject continued from the last verse of the preceding Psalm.
Leadest Joseph ] Israel and Joseph mean here the whole of the Jewish tribes; all were at this time in captivity; all had been the people of the Lord; all, no doubt, made supplication unto him now that his chastening hand was upon them; and for all the psalmist makes supplication.
That dwellest between the cherubims ] It was between the cherubim, over the cover of the ark, called the propitiatory or mercy-seat, that the glory of the Lord, or symbol of the Divine Presence, appeared. It is on this account that the Lord is so often said to dwell between the cherubim. Of these symbolical beings there is a long and painful account, or system of conjectures, in Parkhurst's Hebrew Lexicon, of about twenty quarto pages, under the word brk carab.
Shine forth. ] Restore thy worship; and give us such evidences of thy presence now, as our fathers had under the first tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple built by Solomon.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - He that dwelleth upon the mercy-seat, is the good Shepherd of his people. But we can neither expect the comfort of his love, nor the protection of his arm, unless we partake of his converting grace. If he is really angry at the prayers of his people, it is because, althoug they pray, their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin indulged in them, or he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer. When God is displeased with his people, we must expect to se them in tears, and their enemies in triumph. There is no salvation but from God's favour; there is no conversion to God but by his own grace.
Original Hebrew למנצח5329 אל413 שׁשׁנים עדות7802 לאסף623 מזמור׃4210 רעה7462 ישׂראל3478 האזינה238 נהג5090 כצאן6629 יוסף3130 ישׁב3427 הכרובים3742 הופיעה׃3313
