Verse-by-Verse Bible CommentaryPsalms 108:4
For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies. Jump to: Barne's Notes • Biblical Illustrator • Haydock's Catholic Commentary • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes • Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged • Treasury of Knowledge Other Authors
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole BibleFor thy mercy … - This is taken from Psalm 57:10. The only change is in the expression “above the heavens,” instead of “unto the heavens.” The sense is essentially the same. The particular idea here, if it differs at all from the expression in Psalm 57:1-11, is, that the mercy of God seems to “descend” from heaven upon man, or “comes down” from on high. Copyright Statement Bibliography The Biblical IllustratorPsalms 108:4 For Thy mercy is great above the heavens, and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. God’s mercy above the heavens
I. The ideas involved in this representation. 1. Its lofty conspicuousness. 2. Its wide embrace. The heavens encompass and enclose all the earth. So that the people at the antipodes see the same sun and moon and stars that we see. What an emblem of the comprehensiveness of the Gospel! 3. The almighty sovereignty. The heavens rule the earth physically: so God’s mercy governs all the events of mankind. His dominion, through Christ, rules everything in the Church, and subordinates everything in the world. Think of His benign character, His holy law, His gracious purposes: and then see how He can abase the proud, reward the wicked, avenge the just. 4. Its settled stability. Christ reigns on high, and maintains His majesty and state, undisturbed by worldly tumults, darknesses, and changes.
II. How to be contemplated. 1. With ardent admiration, delight, and confidence. 2. With cheerful submission. 3. With watchful care to please God: for He is over us everywhere. 4. With hope as to the future: for He must bring final victory to the good and true, and reign till all foes are under His feet. (Anon.) The immensity of mercy
I. The moral character and number of its objects.
II. The grand purpose of its operations. Why does it exercise itself towards this universe of sinners? In one word--to restore them to the image, the friendship, and the blessedness of God.
III. The extraordinary means it employs. 1. The gift of Christ. 2. The preaching of the Gospel. 3. The ministry of Providence. 4. The agency of the Spirit.
IV. The countless multitudes it has saved. John in his day beheld multitudes which no man could number, etc.
V. The exhaustless provisions which remain. 1. Equal to the emergency of the greatest sinner. Magdalene, the thief, Saul, the sinners on the day of Pentecost, etc. 2. Equal to the emergency of all the sinners that will ever be. (Homilist.) Copyright Statement Bibliography George Haydock's Catholic Bible CommentaryDetracted. Hebrew and Septuagint, "calumniated," as [in] ver. 20., and 29. (Calmet) --- Prayer. Jesus Christ prayed for his enemies, (Luke xxiii. 34.; Flaminius) and did many good works for the benefit of all, John x. 32., and Acts x. 38. David had also signalized himself in the defence of his country, and yet was banished. He shews that he was animated with the perfect spirit of the gospel, though the law permitted retaliation, Exodus xxi. 24. (Calmet) Copyright Statement Bibliography E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notesmercy = lovingkindness, or grace. clouds = skies. Copyright Statement Bibliography Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - UnabridgedFor thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. For thy mercy is great above the heavens - Hebrew, 'from above the heavens' [ mee`al (Hebrew #5921)]. In Psalms 57:10 it is "... unto the heavens." Not only doth God's mercy reach above the heavens, but it comes down from above the heavens to us, the lowest of all. And thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Hammond translates, 'unto the ether'-namely, where the heavenly bodies are. Copyright Statement Bibliography Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeFor thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
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