Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 138:5
Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great [is] the glory of the LORD.
5. they shall sing of the ways of Jehovah] They will celebrate His providential methods of dealing with His people. For ways cp. Psa 103:7.
the glory of Jehovah] The revelation of His power and majesty in the deliverance of Israel. Cp. Isa 40:5; Isa 60:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord – In the ways which God has appointed. They shall join with all that love him – with the humblest of the people – in acknowledging God. Kings and people shall thus bow before God in common acts of praise, and as being on the same level before him. As people, as sinners, as redeemed, as traveling to the grave, they are all alike before God.
For great is the glory of the Lord – Great is his character; great his dignity; great his honor; and all this will be seen to be so when those of most exalted rank thus worship and adore him. The most lofty on earth shall acknowledge that there is one who is more exalted than they are, and their own dignity and splendor shall thus contribute to deepen the impression of the honor and glory of God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 138:5
Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord.
Singing in the ways of the Lord
According to the connection, this is spoken of kings (verse 4). That time has not come yet, so let us sing all the more. We may (verse 6). If we do not, surely the stones of the street will cry out against us.
I. they shall sing in the ways of the Lord.
1. Gracious persons take pleasure in the things of religion.
2. They do not go out of Gods ways to get their songs. They shall sing in the ways. Alas! I have heard of some who go here and there, as they say, to get a little pleasure. What? You find no pleasure in the ways of God? Then you are a hypocrite.
3. They sing as they are actively engaged in the ways of the Lord. Soldiers march to battle ,with sound of trumpet and beat of drum, listening to music while they march; so Christian men go on their pilgrimage, and keep step to the sound of joyous psalms and hymns.
4. The children of God sing in the ways of God because they are in a case for singing: in a right state of mind for singing.
(1) When we are in the ways of the Lord we are strong; they go from strength to strength. When we walk as God would have us walk we are made strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Well may that pilgrim sing who is made strong by the mighty God of Jacob.
(2) You have safety also; for in the ways of the Lord all His servants are protected from danger. In the kings highway no lion shall be there, neither shall any ravenous beast go up thereon. You shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, in the ways of the Lord. Well may that traveller sing who is perfectly safe!
(3) You have also guidance.
(4) And provision.
II. they shall sing of the ways of the Lord. Not only are Gods ways the place of their song, but its subject.
1. Gods ways to us. Predestination, redemption, etc. Gods ways are such gracious ways, such wise ways, such holy ways, such ways of wisdom and of lovingkindness, that in any company we may talk about them, and in every place we may sing of them. We will sing of the ways of the Lord with us.
2. Our ways to God.
(1) A good road.
(2) Good company.
(3) Good accommodation.
(4) Fine prospects.
(5) We have daylight to travel by, for we are not the children of darkness.
III. Those who sing in the ways of God also sing of the Lord of the way. They shall sing in the ways of the Lord, and then some read it, That great is the glory of the Lord. That is the subject of their song. When they sing about the Lord of the way this psalm supplies us with the points of their song.
1. Gods lovingkindness (verse 2).
2. Gods truth (verse 2).
3. Answered prayers (verse 3).
4. Gods condescension (verse 6).
5. Gods delivering mercy (verse 7).
6. Final preservation (verse 8).
IV. They shall sing to the Lord of the way, as well as of the Lord of the way. They shall sing in the ways, for great is the glory of the Lord.
1. Let us take care that all our songs are to the honour and praise of God, for if we ever sing to our own praise it will be idolatry. I fear much public worship, is thus marred. Our singing should be such that God hears it with pleasure–singing in which there is not so much art as heart–not so much of musical sound as of spiritual emotion. They shall sing to the glory of God.
2. If you and I sing with the Spirit and the understanding, we shall increase the manifested glory of God by bringing others to sing in His ways. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The joy of believers in the way of obedience
I. The ways of the Lord.
1. The way in which God walks in regard to us.
(1) Nature.
(2) Dispensations of providence.
(3) Dispensations of grace.
2. The way in which we walk in regard to Him.
(1) Obedience.
(2) Inclination.
II. How the people of God are to be affected in them. They not only walk in the ways of the Lord, but sing in them. This implies acquiescence, approbation, satisfaction, pleasure, delight. Whence springs this singing in the ways of the Lord? We may look after some of the near sources of it.
1. Conviction. The believer is able to give a reason of the hope that is in him, and he is able to give a reason of the joy that is in him.
2. Renovation. Now he is born of God, therefore he savours the things which are freely given him of God.
3. Experience. Oh, what delightful hours were those in which I have taken sweet counsel, and gone to the house of God in company;–in which I have seen His power and His glory there!
4. Fellowship. I am a companion of all those that fear Thee, and of those that keep Thy precepts.
5. His prospects and anticipations. Eye hath not seen, etc.
6. The accommodation. Everything is provided for these travellers that shall make them rejoice and sing in the ways of the Lord. Guidance, defence, strength, etc. (W. Jay.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. They shall sing in the ways of the Lord] They shall admire thy conduct, and the wondrous workings of thy providence, if they should not even unite with thy people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In the ways of the Lord; or, of, or for, or because of the ways of the Lord, i.e. his wonderful counsel and gracious providences towards themselves and others.
Great is the glory; or, great shall be the glory. At that time the worship and glory of God shall not be confined to one small land, as now it is, but shall be extended to all the parts of the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. for great is the gloryor,”when the glory shall be great,” in God’s fulfilling Hispurposes of redemption.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord,…. Which are all mercy and truth; ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace: so the eunuch went on his way, and in the ways of the Lord rejoicing, Ac 8:39; Or, “they shall sing of the ways of the Lord” t; of the excellency, pleasure, and usefulness of them;
for great [is] the glory of the Lord; shown in the works of creation; more especially in the person of Christ, and in the glorious work of redemption and salvation by him; and of which there will be a great display throughout the earth in the latter day, by means of the Gospel, the great spread of it, and the multitude of persons converted by it; which will make the ways of the Lord still more pleasant; see Isa 6:3.
t “de viis Jehovae”, Piscator, Schmidt; so some in Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) In the ways.Rather, of the ways, this preposition being so used frequently after verbs of speaking praising (comp. Psa. 20:7; Psa. 44:8; Psa. 87:3; Psa. 105:2), though there is no parallel instance of such a use with this particular verb sing.
For ways used of Gods mighty works in creation see Job. 26:14; Job. 40:19; of His action in history, Psa. 18:30; Deu. 32:4. It seems against the parallelism to understand literally that the heathen kings would come to walk in Gods waysi.e., in righteousness, and so praise Him, as in Mic. 4:2. The meaning is that heathen monarchs will be compelled to acknowledge the glory of Jehovah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 138:5. Yea, they shall sing And shall sing of the ways of the Lord, that great is the glory of the Lord. “They shall make the ways of the Lord, his glorious acts, the subject of their songs; they shall say, that great is the glory, &c.” to the end of the 6th verse; where he knoweth afar off, according to some, signifies, estrangeth himself from them, and despiseth them, though he knoweth them, since he knoweth all things, and will consequently punish them. But Mudge renders the clause, And descrieth the haughty from his distance: “He seeth the lowly and the haughty, and distinguisheth them at the distance at which he sits exalted.” See also Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 138:5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great [is] the glory of the LORD.
Ver. 5. .Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord ] As having tasted the excellence of the comforts of godliness (far surpassing those of the crown and sceptre), and felt the power of God’s word subduing them to the obedience of faith, whereby they come to rule with God, to be faithful with his saints, and to sing their songs.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
in: or, of.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they shall: Isa 52:7-10, Isa 65:14, Isa 66:10-14, Jer 31:11, Jer 31:12, Zep 3:14, Zep 3:15, Mat 21:5-9, Luk 19:37, Luk 19:38
for great: Psa 21:5, Exo 15:11, Exo 33:18, Exo 33:19, Isa 6:1-3, Mal 1:11, Joh 13:31, Joh 13:32, Joh 17:1, 2Co 4:6, Eph 1:6, Eph 1:12, Rev 4:11, Rev 5:12-14, Rev 7:12, Rev 19:1
Reciprocal: Jdg 5:3 – O ye kings 2Ch 6:33 – that all people 2Ch 17:6 – in the ways Psa 27:6 – I will Psa 35:18 – praise Psa 57:9 – General Psa 67:4 – O let Psa 72:11 – all kings Psa 108:3 – praise Psa 148:11 – Kings Isa 62:2 – all kings Jer 31:7 – Sing Zec 8:20 – there Rom 15:10 – General