John Calvin Commentary Psalms 93

Jehovah has reigned. We see here what I have recently referred to: in God's power, a basis for confidence is presented to us. Our failure to attribute to God the power that belongs to him, as we should, and thus wickedly stripping him of his authority, is the source of the fear and trembling we very often experience.

This, it is true, we dare not do openly. But if we were well convinced of his invincible power, that would be an invincible support for us against all the assaults of temptation. Everyone verbally admits what the prophet teaches here, That God reigns; but how few there are who use this shield against the hostile powers of the world, as they ought to do, so that they may fear nothing, however terrible.

In this, then, consists the glory of God: that he governs humanity according to his will. It is said that he clothes himself with majesty and strength; not that we should imagine that there is anything in him that is derived from another, but it is intended by its effect and undeniable experience to show his wisdom and righteousness in the governance of humanity.

The Psalmist proves that God will not neglect or abandon the world from the fact that he created it. A simple survey of the world should in itself be enough to attest to a Divine Providence.

The heavens revolve daily, and, immense as their structure is and inconceivable the speed of their revolutions, we experience no concussion—no disturbance in the harmony of their motion. The sun, though varying its course every daily revolution, returns to the same point annually. The planets, in all their wanderings, maintain their respective positions.

How could the earth hang suspended in the air if it were not upheld by God’s hand? By what means could it remain unmoved, while the heavens above are in constant rapid motion, if its Divine Maker did not fix and establish it? Accordingly, the particle אף , aph, denoting emphasis, is introduced—Yea, he has established it.

Your throne is stable. Some read, is prepared, and this agrees well with the context, provided we take the two clauses as one sentence, meaning—O Lord, as you are from eternity, even so your throne is erected or prepared from that time. For the sense which some have attached to the words, as if they contained a simple assertion of God’s eternity, is poor; and the Psalmist evidently intends to say that as God is eternal in essence, so he has always been invested with power and majesty.

The term throne signifies, by the figure synecdoche, righteousness, and office or power of government; it being customary to transfer such images taken from men to God, in accommodation to our infirmity. By this ascription of praise the Psalmist effectually disposes of all the absurd ideas which have been broached, tending to deny or disparage the power of God, and declares, essentially, that God may sooner cease to be than to sit upon his throne in the government of this world.

The floods have lifted up, O Jehovah! Various meanings have been attached to this verse. Some think there is an allusion to the violent assaults made against the Church by her enemies, and the goodness of God seen in restraining them. Others hold the opinion that the words should be taken literally, and not figuratively, in this sense—though the noise of many waters is terrible, and the waves of the sea more fearsome still, God is more terrible than all.

I would not be inclined to insist too precisely upon any comparison that may have been intended. I have no doubt the Psalmist demonstrates the power of God by presenting one brief illustration out of many that could have been given, suggesting that we need not look further for a striking instance of Divine power—one that may impress us with an idea of his tremendous majesty—than the floods of waters and agitations of the ocean.

This is similar to Psalm 29:4, where the mighty voice of God is said to be in the thunder. God manifests his power in the sound of the floods and in the tempestuous waves of the sea, in a way designed to inspire our reverential awe.

If it is thought that a comparison is intended, then the latter clause of the verse must be understood as added with this meaning: that all the terror of the objects mentioned is nothing when we come to consider the majesty of God himself, as he is in heaven.

There is still another sense that may be extracted from the words: that though the world may seemingly be shaken with violent commotions, this does not indicate any defect in the government of God, since he can control them at once by his formidable power.

Thy testimonies are singularly true. Until now, the Psalmist has insisted upon the excellence of God in the work of creation and the providential government of the world. Now he speaks of His distinguishing goodness to His chosen people, in making known to them the doctrine which brings salvation.

He begins by commending the absolute trustworthiness and truthfulness of the law of God. This being a treasure which was not extended to all nations indiscriminately, he adds immediately that the house of God would be adorned with a glory which should last forever. The Divine goodness is displayed in every part of the world, but the Psalmist justly considers it as, of all others, the most inestimable blessing, that God should have deposited in His Church the covenant of eternal life, and made His glory principally to shine out of it.

Some translate the Hebrew word נאוה, naävah, desirable, as if the Psalmist had said that the adorning of the temple was precious; but the grammatical construction will not admit of this. By length of days is meant perpetual succession, and to this we find Isaiah referring in striking terms, so that the Divine truth might be preserved in faithful custody through successive ages.

Behold, I have put my word in thy mouth, in the mouth of thy seed, and of thy seed’s seed, (Isaiah 59:21).