John Calvin Commentary Psalms 48:10

"As is thy name, O God, So is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of righteousness." — Psalms 48:10 (ASV)

As is thy name, O God! so is thy praise. Some connect this verse with the preceding sentence, as if it had been said, "Lord, it is not in vain that you have enjoined upon us the duty of celebrating your name, for you furnish at the same time matter for praise."

Thus the sense will be that the name of God is magnified and extolled effectively, or that along with his promises, his power is also manifested. Others offer this somewhat more refined exposition: the works of God correspond with his name. For in Hebrew he is called אל, El, from his power, and he shows indeed that this name is not applied to him in vain, but that the praise ascribed to him by it is right and due to him.

The former exposition, as it is less forced, also comes nearer to the words and mind of the sacred writer. Namely, God bore testimony by his works that it was not in vain that he was acknowledged and worshipped by the Jews as the true and only God.

Yet when I consider the words that follow immediately after, Unto the ends of the earth, I think the prophet meant something else. He intended to show that wherever the fame of God's name may be spread, people will know that he is worthy of the highest praise.

The words contain a tacit contrast. At that time, the names of idols, as is well known, were very common and held sway throughout the whole world. Yet, whatever fame these counterfeit gods had acquired, we know that praise did not belong to them in any respect, since no sign of divinity whatever could be discovered in them.

But here the prophet, on the contrary, declares, "Lord, in whatever part of the world your name is heard, it will always be accompanied with solid and rightful praise, or it will always carry with it matter for praise, since the whole world will understand how you have dealt with your chosen people."

What is added immediately after is to the same purpose: Thy right hand is full of righteousness. This teaches us that God, in helping his own people, clearly manifests his righteousness, as if he stretched out his arm to us so that we might touch his righteousness with the finger. It also shows that he displays not only one or two examples of his righteousness, but in everything and everywhere exhibits to us a complete proof of it.

We should bear in mind what we have stated elsewhere: that the righteousness of God is to be understood as his faithfulness, which he observes in maintaining and defending his own people. From this, we receive the inestimable comfort that the work in which God especially desires to be acknowledged as righteous consists in providing for our welfare and in keeping us safe.

We now see that the meaning of the inspired poet is this: the names of false gods prevailed and were renowned among men, although they had done nothing to provide reason for true praise. However, it was entirely different with respect to the God of Israel. For wherever the report of him was carried, all would understand that he was the deliverer of his people, and that he did not disappoint their hope and desires, nor forsake them in danger.