Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 116:5
Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God [is] merciful.
5. Cp. Psa 111:4, and passages referred to there, all based on the fundamental passage, Exo 34:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
5, 6. The character of Jehovah, realised in the Psalmist’s experience.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gracious is the Lord – This fact was his encouragement when he called on God. He believed that God was a gracious Being, and he found him to be so. Compare the notes at Heb 11:6.
And righteous … – Just; true; faithful. This, too, is a proper foundation of appeal to God: not that we are righteous, and have a claim to his favor, but that he is a Being who will do what is right; that is, what is best to be done in the case. If he were an unjust Being; if he were one on whose stability of character, and whose regard for right, no reliance could be placed, we could never approach him with confidence or hope. In this sense we may rely on his justice – his justness of character – as a ground of hope. Compare the notes at 1Jo 1:9 : If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us Our sins.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Gracious is the Lord] In his own nature.
And righteous] In all his dealings with men.
Our God is merciful.] Of tender compassion to all penitents.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Gracious is the Lord: this he mentions either,
1. As that which he found by experience in answer to his prayers; or,
2. As the argument by which he encouraged himself to pray.
And righteous; therefore he will maintain me and my just cause against my unrighteous oppressors, and perform his promises, and save those who faithfully serve aim and put their trust in him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5-8. The relief which he askedis the result not of his merit, but of God’s known pity andtenderness, which is acknowledged in assuring himself (his “soul,”Psa 11:1; Psa 16:10)of rest and peace. All calamities [Ps116:8] are represented by death, tears, and falling ofthe feet (Ps 56:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Gracious is the Lord,…. So the psalmist found him, calling upon him; so he is in Christ, the author and giver of all grace, to help in time of need.
And righteous; faithful to his promises, just in every dispensation of his providence, even in afflictive ones; righteous in punishing the enemies of his people, and in saving, justifying, and pardoning them for Christ’s sake.
Yea, our God is merciful; compassionate, tenderhearted, a heart full of pity, as a father to his child; and sympathizes with his people under all their afflictions, and saves them out of them; see
Ps 86:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With “gracious” and “compassionate” is here associated, as in Psa 112:4, the term “righteous,” which comprehends within itself everything that Jahve asserts concerning Himself in Exo 34:6. from the words “and abundant in goodness and truth” onwards. His love is turned especially toward the simple (lxx , cf. Mat 11:25), who stand in need of His protection and give themselves over to it. , as in Pro 9:6, is a mode of writing blended out of and . The poet also has experienced this love in a time of impotent need. is accented on the ultima here, and not as in Psa 142:7 on the penult. The accentuation is regulated by some phonetic or rhythmical law that has not yet been made clear (vid., on Job 19:17).
(Note: The national grammarians, so far as we are acquainted with them, furnish no explanation. De Balmis believes that these Milra forms , , and the like, must be regarded as infinitives, but at the same time confirms the difference of views existing on this point.)
is a resolved Hiphil form, the use of which became common in the later period of the language, but is not alien to the earlier period, especially in poetry (Ps 45:18, cf. Psa 81:6; 1Sa 17:47; Isa 52:5). In Psa 116:7 we hear the form of soliloquy which has become familiar to us from Psa 42:1; Ps 103. is Milra here, as also in two other instances. The plural signifies full, complete rest, as it is found only in God; and the suffix in the address to the soul is ajchi for ajich , as in Psa 103:3-5. The perfect states that which is a matter of actual experience, and is corroborated in Psa 116:8 in retrospective perfects. In Psa 116:8-9 we hear Ps 56:14 again amplified; and if we add Psa 27:13, then we see as it were to the bottom of the origin of the poet’s thoughts. belongs still more decidedly than to the resolved forms which multiply in the later period of the language. In Psa 116:9 the poet declares the result of the divine deliverance. The Hithpa. denotes a free and contented going to and fro; and instead of “the land of the living,” Psa 27:13, the expression here is “the lands ( ), i.e., the broad land, of the living.” There he walks forth, with nothing to hinder his feet or limit his view, in the presence of Jahve, i.e., having his Deliverer from death ever before his eyes.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
5 Jehovah is gracious. He comes now to point out the fruits of that love of which he spoke, setting before him God’s titles, in order that they might serve to preserve his faith in him. First, he denominates him gracious, because he is so ready graciously to render assistance. From this source springs that justice which he displays for the protection of his own people. To this is subjoined mercy, without which we would not deserve God’s aid. And as the afflictions which overtake us frequently appear to preclude the exercise of his justice, hence it follows that there is nothing better than to repose upon him alone; so that his fatherly kindness may engross our thoughts, and that no voluptuous pleasure may steal them away to any thing else. He then accommodates the experience of God’s benignity and equity to the preserving of the simple, that is, of such as, being undesigning, do not possess the requisite prudence for managing their own affairs. The term, rendered simple, is often understood in a bad sense, denoting persons inconsiderate and foolish, who will not follow wholesome advice. But, in this place, it is applied to those who are exposed to the abuse of the wicked, who are not sufficiently subtle and circumspect to elude the snares which are laid for them, — in short, to those who are easily overreached; while, on the contrary, the children of this world are full of ingenuity, and have every means at their command for maintaining and protecting themselves. David, therefore, acknowledges himself to be as a child, unable to consult his own safety, and totally unfit to ward off the dangers to which he was exposed. Hence the LXX. have not improperly translated the Hebrew term by the Greek, τὰ νήπια, little children. (378) The amount is, that when those who are liable to suffering have neither the prudence nor the means of effecting their deliverance, God manifests his wisdom towards them, and interposes the secret protection of his providence between them and all the dangers by which their safety may be assailed. In fine, David holds forth himself as a personal example of this fact, in that, after being reduced to the greatest straits, he had, by the grace of God, been restored to his former state.
(378) This rendering of the LXX. also suggests the idea of weakness, which Fry has adopted, who reads, “Jehovah preserveth the weak.” “The usual meaning of פתאים,” says he, “is simplices, fatui, persuasu faciles ; but I believe the Septuagint has preserved the true meaning of the passage, Φυλάσσων τὰ νήπια ὁ κυριος. The leading idea of פתה is laxity or yielding, and may as well apply to the weakness of the body, or of the faculties of the mind, under the pressure of grief and pain, as to the relaxing of the powers of the understanding, in yielding to the seductions of folly or vice.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
5. Righteous merciful Righteous in keeping his covenant, merciful in making and adapting it to man.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
I would again explain these verses by others. It is blessed to get a glimpse, if it be but a glimpse only, at Jesus as the sinner’s Surety, going before in all the parts of soul exercises: see Psa 22:6 . But while keeping in view the Lord Jesus, as the great Exemplar and Surety of his people, let us also, from a consciousness of our being united to him, and being one with him, take part in all that concerns him. Remember, if the Lord be gracious, and we can adopt the language of these verses, it is in Jesus that that grace is manifested. If the Lord helps us when brought low, it is on Jesus’ account.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 116:5 Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God [is] merciful.
Ver. 5. Gracious is the Lord, &c. ] Gracious God is said to be, and merciful, that we despair not; righteous also, that we presume not. Or, faithful in performing his promises, as 1Jn 1:9 , and this was David’s comfort amidst his sorrows.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 116:5-11
5Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
6The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.
9I shall walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
10I believed when I said,
I am greatly afflicted.
11I said in my alarm,
All men are liars.
Psa 116:5-11 After the psalmist prays he contemplates the characteristics of YHWH (see Special Topic: Characteristics of Israel’s God ).
1. gracious
2. righteous
3. compassionate
4. preserves the simple (BDB 834, KB 989, an untrained or naive person, but open to instruction, cf. Psa 19:7)
YHWH shows His character.
1. He saved me – BDB 446, KB 440, Hiphil imperfect, Psa 116:6 b
2. return to rest – BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal imperative (he talks to himself of a mental place of safety and security in YHWH), Psa 116:7 b
3. He has dealt bountifully with him (cf. Psa 13:6; Psa 119:17; Psa 142:7), Psa 116:7 b
4. He rescued my soul (i.e., nephesh, BDB 659) from death – BDB 322, KB 321, Piel perfect, Psa 116:8 a
5. He rescued my eyes from tears, Psa 116:8 b
6. He rescued my feet from stumbling, Psa 116:8 c (cf. Psa 56:13)
The psalmist’s response.
1. see #2 above
2. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living (i.e., YHWH will heal/save him)
3. Psa 116:10-11 is difficult to interpret in context. It may reflect
a. current faith
b. past statements (Paul quotes Psa 116:11 b in Rom 3:4)
These two verses must refer to those who seek/plot against the psalmist’s life. If so, the context of this Psalm is not sickness but treachery (cf. Psa 116:11 b).
The LXX translation of Psa 116:10 can be seen in 2Co 4:13, but the MT is uncertain.
Psa 116:11 in my alarm This Qal infinitive construct (BDB 342, KB 339) denotes a state of mental fear, panic (cf. Psa 31:22). The rest of Psa 116:7 is the direct opposite of this word!
All men are liars As rest is the opposite of alarm, lying humans are the opposite of YHWH (cf. Num 23:19 a; 1Sa 15:29; Rom 3:4).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Gracious. Compare Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
merciful = full of compassion.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 116:5
Psa 116:5
“Gracious is Jehovah and righteous;
Yea, our God is merciful.
Jehovah preserveth the simple:
I was brought low, and he saved me.”
“Gracious … righteous … merciful” (Psa 116:5). Delitzsch stated that, “The term `righteous’ here comprehends within itself everything that Yahweh asserts concerning Himself in Exo 34:6 ff. Thus this passage exhibits familiarity with the Pentateuch and also with Psa 112:4 where these same three attributes of God are mentioned together. In fact, in the language of this psalm, there are so many allusions, quotations, and similarities to other portions of the Old Testament that, “Hupfeld called it a `patched-up psalm’.
Of course, it is no such thing. The words of the Psalter and of the entire Old Testament available at that time, “Were part of this singer’s mental furniture, and came to his lips, when he brought his own thanksgivings.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 116:5. There is only a technical difference between gracious and merciful. The first has reference to the attitude of God’s mind, and the second denotes the dealing with man as a result of that attitude. And then we would understand that the whole program would be righteous since it was from the Lord.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Gracious: Psa 86:5, Psa 86:15, Psa 103:8, Psa 112:4, Psa 115:1, Psa 145:8, Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7, Neh 9:17, Neh 9:31, Dan 9:9, Rom 5:20, Rom 5:21, Eph 1:6-8, Eph 2:4, 1Ti 1:14, Tit 3:4-7
and righteous: Psa 119:137, Psa 145:4-7, Psa 145:17, Ezr 9:15, Neh 9:8, Neh 9:33, Isa 45:21, Dan 9:7, Dan 9:14, Rom 3:25, Rom 3:26, 1Jo 1:9
Reciprocal: Deu 4:31 – the Lord Jam 5:11 – the Lord is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 116:5-6. Gracious is the Lord Therefore he will maintain my just cause against my unrighteous oppressors, will perform his promises, and save those who faithfully serve and trust in him. The Lord preserveth the simple That is, those who are upright and sincere, and make use of no crafty arts or counsels, no indirect or unlawful means for their deliverance; who, as the original word implies, depend wholly upon God, as little children do upon their parents. I was brought low Plunged into the depth of distress and misery; and he helped me Patiently to bear what was laid upon me, and to hope for deliverance at the proper time.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
116:5 Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God [is] {c} merciful.
(c) He shows forth the fruit of his love in calling on him, confessing him to be just and merciful and to help them who are destitute of aid and counsel.