Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 22:27

Albert Barnes Commentary

Psalms 22:27

1798–1870
Presbyterian
Albert Barnes
Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes Commentary

Psalms 22:27

1798–1870
Presbyterian
SCRIPTURE

"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee." — Psalms 22:27 (ASV)

All the ends of the world — All parts of the earth; all nations. The earth is frequently represented in the Scriptures as having limits or boundaries; as spread out; as having corners, etc. (Jeremiah 9:26; Jeremiah 25:23; Jeremiah 49:32; Revelation 7:1). This language is in accordance with the prevailing modes of thinking, in the same way as we say, “the sun rises,” “the sun sets,” etc.

Shall remember — The nations are often represented as “forgetting” God; that is, they act as if they had once known him and then forgotten him. (Psalms 9:17; Psalms 50:22; Romans 1:21). Here it is said that they would again call God to remembrance; that is, they would worship him as the true God.

And turn unto the Lord — Turn away from their idols to worship the living God.

And all the kindreds of the nations — All the families. The numerous families on the earth that constitute the one great family of mankind.

Shall worship before thee — Shall worship in your presence; that is, shall worship you. The language is derived from the act of worshipping God in the tabernacle or the temple, before the visible symbol of his presence there. As applicable to the Redeemer, this language is in accordance with what is uniformly said of him and his work, that the world would be converted to the living and true God. (Compare the notes at Psalm 2:8).