John Calvin Commentary Psalms 71:19

"Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee?" — Psalms 71:19 (ASV)

And thy righteousness, O God! is very high. Some connect this verse with the preceding one and, repeating the verb I will declare, as common to both verses, translate it as: "And I will declare thy righteousness, O God!" But this being a matter of small importance, I will not dwell on it.

David elaborates further on the subject he had previously discussed. First, he declares that the righteousness of God is very high; second, that it worked mightily; and finally, he exclaims in admiration, Who is like thee? It is noteworthy that the righteousness of God, whose effects are near to us and conspicuous, is yet placed on high, because it cannot be comprehended by our finite understanding.

While we measure it according to our own limited standard, we are overwhelmed and swallowed up by the smallest temptation. Therefore, to give it free course to save us, it is necessary for us to take a large and comprehensive view—to look above and beneath, far and wide—so that we may form some proper understanding of its vastness.

The same remarks apply to the second clause, which mentions the works of God: For thou hast done great things. If we attribute to his known power the praise which is due to it, we will never lack reason for entertaining good hope. Finally, our sense of the goodness of God should extend so far as to overwhelm us with admiration; in this way, our minds, which are often distracted by unholy restlessness, will rest in God alone.

If any temptation assails us, we immediately magnify a fly into an elephant; or rather, we raise very high mountains that keep the hand of God from reaching us, and at the same time we shamefully limit the power of God. The exclamation of David, then, Who is like thee? serves to teach us the lesson that we should force our way through every impediment by faith and regard the power of God, which rightly deserves to be so regarded, as superior to all obstacles. Indeed, all people confess with their mouths that none is like God, but there is scarcely one in a hundred who is truly and fully persuaded that He alone is sufficient to save us.