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[1] The divine Name “Yahweh” occurs seven times in this Psalm. God (’elohiym) also occurs seven times. God (’el) occurs 1x (v.2). In a total of seven Psalms Yahweh occurs seven times (Psalm 7; 84; 92; 99; 102; 109; 140). In a total of three Psalms ’elohiym occurs seven times (Psalm 53; 62; 84). |
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[2] The imagery here is not only of the bird’s nests and God’s protection, but the Psalmist is meditating upon their songs and perhaps the “prayerful” chirping of hungry babies, “They are ever praising You” (v.4b). |
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[3] See Psalm 1:1 and 2:12 (cf. Psalm 34:8; 40:4; 112:1; 119:1,2; 128:1; 146:5; Prov.8:32; 16:20; 29:18). |
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[4] There is a big difference between weeping and blessing but a noticeable similarity in sound between the Hebrew words “weeping” (bākâ) and “blessings” (bārak). |
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[5] “The comparison of one to a thousand is conventional (e.g., Deut 32:30; Josh 23:10; Isa 30:17; Ps 90:4; Eccl 7:28)” (Schaeffer, 206). |
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[6]
This verse was the last portion of
Scripture George Mueller read to his wife Mary before she died on February 6,
1870, The last portion of scripture which I read to my precious wife was
this: “The Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, no
good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Now, if we have
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have received grace, we are partakers
of grace, and to all such he will give glory also. I said to myself, with
regard to the latter part, “no good thing will he withhold from them that
walk uprightly”—I am in myself a poor worthless sinner, but I have been saved
by the blood of Christ; and I do not live in sin, I walk uprightly before
God. Therefore, if it is really good for me, my darling wife will be raised
up again; sick as she is. God will restore her again. But if she is not
restored again, then it would not be a good thing for me. And so my heart was
at rest. I was satisfied with God. And all this springs, as I have often said
before, from taking God at his word, believing what he says (George Mueller, Narrative,
A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealing with George Muller, Written by
Himself, Jehovah Magnified. Addresses by George Muller Complete and
Unabridged, 2 vols. [Muskegon, Mich.: Dust and Ashes, 2003], 2:745). |
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[7] In January 1681 two young covenanter women, Isabel Alison and Marion Harvie were hanged. Their crime was worshipping God according to the Word of God to which their conscience was bound. They also held fast to their testimony that the King of Scotland was to be subservient to Jesus Christ. On the scaffold these two young women sang together Psalm 84 [to the tune of “Martyrs”] (Rowland Prothero, The Psalms in Human Life p.276). |
