1 Praise yee the Lord. Praise, O yee seruants of the Lord: praise the name of the Lord.
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord: from this time forth and for euermore.
3 From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same: the Lords name is to be praised.
4 The Lord is high aboue all nations: and his glory aboue the heauens.
5 Who is like vnto the Lord our God: who dwelleth on high:
6 Who humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen, and in the earth?
7 He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust: and lifteth the needie out of the dung-hill:
8 That he may set him with princes: euen with the princes of his people.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keepe house; to be a ioyfull mother of children: Praise yee the Lord.
An exhortation to praise God.
- God has praise from his own people. They have most reason to praise him; for those who attend him as his servants, know him best, and receive most of his favours, and it is easy, pleasant work to speak well of their Master. God's name ought to be praised in every place, from east to west. Within this wide space the Lord's name is to be praised; it ought to be so, though it is not. Ere long it will be, when all nations shall come and worship before him. God is exalted above all blessing and praise. We must therefore say, with holy admiration, Who is like unto the Lord our God? How condescending in him to behold the things in the earth! And what amazing condescension was it for the Son of God to come from heaven to earth, and take our nature upon him, that he might seek and save those that were lost! How vast his love in taking upon him the nature of man, to ransom guilty souls! God sometimes makes glorious his own wisdom and power, when, having some great work to do, he employs those least likely, and least thought of for it by themselves or others. The apostles were sent from fishing to be fishers of men. And this is God's constant method in his kingdom of grace. He takes men, by nature beggars, and even traitors, to be his favourites, his children, kings and priests unto him; and numbers them with the princes of his chosen people. He gives us all our comforts, which are generally the more welcome when long delayed, and no longer expected. Let us pray that those lands which are yet barren, may speedily become fruitful, and produce many converts to join in praising the Lord.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.