Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 103:18
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
18. his commandments ] R.V. his precepts.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To such as keep his covenant – To such as adhere to the arrangements of his covenant, or who are faithful on their part. God will be faithful to his part of the covenant; and where there is fidelity on the part of his people, the blessings implied in the covenant will be conferred on them and on their children. The promise is ample, and the fidelity of God is certain, but still it is true that in those promises, and in that fidelity, it is implied that his people on their part must be faithful also, or the blessings will not be bestowed. There are no promises of blessings to the unfaithful, nor have those who are unfaithful any reason to hope that they or theirs will be partakers of the blessings of the covenant of mercy. Our only hope that we or our children will be partakers of the blessings of the covenant is to be found in the fact that we ourselves are faithful to God.
And to those that remember his commandments to do them – Who do not forget his law. If they do forget it, they have no right to expect the blessing. Obedience and fidelity are our only reasonable grounds of expectation of the blessing of God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 103:18
To such as keep His covenant.
Keeping the covenant
Saints are to look upon themselves as wholly the Lords, in opposition to all competitors. The Lord will not divide with rivals; if ye take Him these must go. The soul till it comes Within the covenant is in a restless case, like a bee going from flower to flower, or a bird from bush to bush; but when it is married to Christ it is settled with Him, and breaks its league with all others. Remember, the covenant ye have entered into is an offensive and defensive league. You are to have common friends and common foes with the Lord. His people must be your people, and His enemies your enemies. (Thomas Boston.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 18. To such as keep his covenant] The spirit of which was, I will be your GOD; WE will be thy PEOPLE. From the covenant came the commandments, and their obligation to remember and do them; and on such keepers of the covenant, and doers of the commandments, God promises to pour out his mercy through all generations.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To such as keep his covenant; to them that perform the condition of Gods covenant, that sincerely love and obey him. Such restrictions are oft added, as in the general to overthrow the presumptuous hopes of ungodly men, so particularly to admonish the Israelites not to rest too much upon the privileges of their parents, or the covenant made with them, nor to expect any benefit by it, but upon condition of their continuance in Gods covenant.
That remember his commandments to do them; that have them much in their thoughts, and practise them in the course of their lives.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. such . . . covenantlimitsthe general terms preceding.
righteousnessas usual(Psa 7:17; Psa 31:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
To such as keep his covenant,…. The covenant of grace, which is peculiarly the Lord’s covenant, as distinct from man’s; and which he keeps himself, and is ever mindful of it. This he makes known to his people at conversion; his secret is with them, and he shows them his covenant; the blessings and promises of it; their interest in them, and in himself, as their covenant God: which they “observe” c, as the word here used signifies; and observing it, they lay hold upon it by faith, as belonging to them; and laying hold upon it, they “keep” it as their own, and keep it fast, and will not part with their interest in it for all the world.
And to those that remember his commandments to do them; some read them and hear them, but forget them, at least to do them: these are like a man that beholds his face in a glass, and forgets what manner of man he is; so James compares one that is a forgetful hearer, and not a doer of the word, Jas 1:23. The commandments of God are best remembered, so as to be done, when he puts his laws into the minds of men, and writes them in their hearts, and puts his Spirit within them, to cause them to walk in his statutes, and do them, Jer 31:34.
c “observantes”, Junius Tremellius so Piscator, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Farther, as nothing is more easy than for hypocrites to flatter themselves under a false pretext, that they are in favor with God, or for degenerate children groundlessly to apply to themselves the promises made to their fathers, it is again stated, by way of exception, in the 18 verse, that God is merciful only to those who, on their part, keep his covenant, which the unbelieving make of none effect by their wickedness. The keeping, or observing of the covenant, which is here put instead of the fear of God, mentioned in the preceding verse, is worthy of notice; for thus David intimates that none are the true worshippers of God but those who reverently obey his Word. Very far from this are the Papists, who, thinking themselves equal to the angels in holiness, nevertheless shake off the yoke of God, like wild beasts, by trampling under foot his Holy Word. David, therefore, rightly judges of men’s godliness, by their submitting themselves to the Word of God, and following the rule which he has prescribed to them. As the covenant begins with a solemn article containing the promise of grace, faith and prayer are required, above all things, to the proper keeping of it. Nor is the additional clause superfluous — who remember his statutes; for, although God is continually putting us in mind of them, yet we soon slide away to worldly cares — are confused by a multiplicity of avocations, and are lulled asleep by many allurements. Thus forgetfulness extinguishes the light of truth, unless the faithful stir up themselves from time to time. David tells us that this remembrance of God’s statutes has an invigorating effect when men employ themselves in doing them. Many are sufficiently forward to discourse upon them with their tongues whose feet are very slow, and whose hands are well nigh dead, in regard to active service.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 103:18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Ver. 18. To such as keep his covenant ] For else they shall know God’s breach of promise, as it is Num 14:3-4 . Neither shall it benefit them to have been born of godly parents.
To those that remember his commandments
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
To such: Psa 25:10, Psa 132:12, Gen 17:9, Gen 17:10, Exo 19:5, Exo 24:8, Deu 7:9, 2Ch 34:31, Heb 8:6-13
remember: Psa 119:9-11, Deu 4:23, Deu 6:6-9, Pro 3:1, Mat 28:20, Luk 1:6, Act 24:16, 1Th 4:1
Reciprocal: Lev 25:18 – Wherefore Deu 29:9 – General 2Ch 6:14 – mercy Pro 19:16 – keepeth the Luk 1:50 – General Joh 10:28 – they 1Pe 1:5 – kept
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
103:18 To such as keep his {l} covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
(l) To whom he gives grace to fear him, and to obey his word.