1 To the chiefe musician, a song or Psalme. Make a ioyfull noise vnto God, all yee lands.
2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
3 Say vnto God, How terrible art thou in thy workes? through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselues vnto thee.
4 All the earth shall worship thee; and shall sing vnto thee, they shall sing to thy name; Selah.
5 Come and see the workes of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foote, there did we reioyce in him.
7 He ruleth by his power for euer, his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselues. Selah.
8 O blesse our God, yee people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.
9 Which holdeth our soule in life, and suffereth not our feete to be moued.
10 For thou, O God, hast proued vs: thou hast tried vs, as siluer is tryed.
11 Thou broughtest vs into the net; thou layedst affliction vpon our loynes.
12 Thou hast caused men to ride ouer our heads, we went through fire, and through water: but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place.
13 I will goe into thy house, with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vowes,
14 Which my lips haue vttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer vnto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rammes: I will offer bullockes with goates. Selah.
16 Come and heare all ye that feare God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soule.
17 I cried vnto him with my mouth: and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard iniquitie in my heart: the Lord will not heare me.
19 But verily God hath heard mee; hee hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed bee God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercie from me.
Praise for God's sovereign power in the creation. (1-7) For his favour to his church. (8-12) And the psalmist's praise for his experience of God's goodness. (13-20)
1-7 The holy church throughout all the world lifts up her voice, to laud that Name which is above every name, to make the praise of Jesus glorious, both by word and deed; that others may be led to glorify him also. But nothing can bring men to do this aright, unless his effectual grace create their hearts anew unto holiness; and in the redemption by the death of Christ, and the glorious deliverances it effects, are more wondrous works than Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage.
8-12 The Lord not only preserves our temporal life, but maintains the spiritual life which he has given to believers. By afflictions we are proved, as silver in the fire. The troubles of the church will certainly end well. Through various conflicts and troubles, the slave of Satan escapes from his yoke, and obtains joy and peace in believing: through much tribulation the believer must enter into the kingdom of God.
13-20 We should declare unto those that fear God, what he has done for our souls, and how he has heard and answered our prayers, inviting them to join us in prayer and praise; this will turn to our mutual comfort, and to the glory of God. We cannot share these spiritual privileges, if we retain the love of sin in our hearts, though we refrain from the gross practice, Sin, regarded in the heart, will spoil the comfort and success of prayer; for the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of the Lord. But if the feeling of sin in the heart causes desires to be rid of it; if it be the presence of one urging a demand we know we must not, cannot comply with, this is an argument of sincerity. And when we pray in simplicity and godly sincerity, our prayers will be answered. This will excite gratitude to Him who hath not turned away our prayer nor his mercy from us. It was not prayer that fetched the deliverance, but his mercy that sent it. That is the foundation of our hopes, the fountain of our comforts; and ought to be the matter of our praises.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.