Psalms 118:16

Psa 118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

Ver. 16. The right hand of the Lord is exalted] By right hand here some understand the humanity of Christ, God’s hand and our handle, whereby we come to take hold of God.

The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly] Thrice he celebrateth God’s right hand; to set forth his earnest desire to say the utmost; or in reference to the sacred Trinity, as some will have it, Haec est vox Epinicii.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa_118:16

The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

Mighty to save

I. The triumphs of the Lord Jesus. He did not come as a man of war, for He is the prince of peace; He came not here with shield and buckler, but He came with a body fitted to suffer, and with a heart strong to endure. The Christ of God came in lowliness and in shame; but for all that He fought great battles in the midst of His weakness, and won for Himself wondrous spiritual victories.

II. The triumphs of the Church of Christ. The Church began with feeble numbers, with small wealth, and with comparatively little talent, but she was clothed with the Holy Ghost, and was therefore mighty.

III. The triumphs of grace in individuals. Do you remember when you sought to escape from the multitude of your sins? Do you recollect when they compassed you about like bees? You could not count your sins--you had forgotten them; they seemed dead and buried, but they all came to life again, and they swarmed about you. They buzzed about you at your table; they stung you in your sleep; in your dreams they harassed you; at your work you had no peace because of them. And dost thou mind the place, the spot of ground, where thou didst meet with Jesus? Oh let your soul go back to your spiritual birthday; ring the bells of your heart again; hang out the streamers of your soul for that happy day when Jesus washed your sins away. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The power of God displayed in the redemption of man

I. A sublime attribute of god. The right hand of the Lord represents His power in its loftiest manifestation, its sovereignty, its resistlessness, its omnipotence.

II. Signal achievements which, by the operation of that Divine attribute, are performed.

1. The personal history and work of the Messiah.

2. The application of the work of the Messiah to individual men.

3. The progress of the economy founded upon the work of the Messiah, and its wide diffusion throughout the earth.

III. The emotions which the contemplation of these achievements produces in pious minds. Our rejoicing is to be connected with, and ensured by, practical manifestations. They are these: implicit trust on the Saviours mediation; abounding gratitude for the Saviours goodness; devoted obedience to the Saviours commandments; zealous activity for the Saviours glory. And as those, who are set apart by Him to be the instruments in the advancement of His empire, by our self-denial, our activity, and our prayers, we are to attempt the ingathering of His people, and the advancement of those grand and wonderful designs we have presented, which are to be fulfilled in the recovery of the world. (J. Parsons.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. (Psa 118:16) The right hand of Jehovah, is raised, the right hand of Jehovah makes strength. This, with the last clause of Psa 118:15, makes another of the triplets or trine repetitions, which are characteristic of these psalms. See above, on Psa 118:2-4; Psa 118:10-12. Instead of is raised some read raises or exalts, which is equally grammatical, as the active and passive forms in this case are coincident. The meaning then is, that his right hand raises or exalts his people, as the other clause says that his right hand gains or exercises strength in their behalf. It seems more natural, however, to explain it as an instance of a common figure which describes God's hand as raised, when he exerts his power.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So that all, that are both far and near, may see his mighty power.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 16. The right hand of the Lord is exalted] Jehovah lifted up his right hand, and with it performed prodigies of power.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(16) Is exalted.—Here evidently the attitude of a warrior. The hand is lifted up to strike.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord hath chastened me sore,.... Or, "in chastening hath chastened me" (d). David was exercised with many afflictions; and though these were sore ones to the flesh, yet they were only the chastenings of a Father, and were all in love and for his good; as are all the afflictions of God's people; for whom he loves he chastens. Indeed the chastisement of the Messiah was a proper punishment for sin, and so a sore one indeed; he being the surety of his people, on whom "the chastisement of their peace was laid"; that is, the punishment of their sin, Isa 53:5;

but he hath not given me over unto death; as yet, or to the power of it, so as to continue under it. This is to be understood in the sense as before; See Gill on Psa 118:17.

(d) "corripiendo corripuit me", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; "castigando castigavit me", Musculus, Vatablus, Michaelis.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Is exalted; hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously on my behalf.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 16. The right hand of the LORD is exalted, lifted up to smite the enemy, or extolled and magnified in the eyes of his people. It is the Lord's right hand, the hand of his skill, the hand of his greatest power, the hand which is accustomed to defend his saints. When that is lifted up, it lifts up all who trust in him, and it casts down all who resist him.

The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The Psalmist speaks in triplets, for he is praising the triune God, his heart is warm and he loves to dwell upon the note; he is not content with the praise he has rendered, he endeavours to utter it each time more fervently and more jubilantly than before. He had dwelt upon the sentence, "they compassed me about, "for his peril from encircling armies was fully realised; and now he dwells upon the valour of Jehovah's right hand, for he has as vivid a sense of the presence and majesty of the Lord. How seldom is this the case: the Lord's mercy is forgotten and only the trial is remembered.

Ver. 16. The right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. Thrice he celebrates God's right hand, to set forth his earnest desire to say the utmost; or, in reference to the Sacred Trinity, as some will have it. John Trapp.

Psalms 118:17*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted (compare the parallel expression in Exo_15:6, "Thy right hand, O God, is become glorious in power"). When God"s right hand effects a deliverance, it gets, as it were, additional glory to itself. The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. So, already, in ver. 16. Repetition is a special characteristic of this psalm (see vers. 1, 2, 3, 4; vers. 8, 9; vers. 10-12, etc.).

HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY Ver. 16. The valiant right hand of the Lord.

The history of Israel was full of illustrations and evidences of this. The occasion of this psalm was one of them. But apply the thrice-repeated declaration of the text

I TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. For:

1. See how he overcomes Satan. He was tempted in all points like as we are, and again and again, and yet Satan found nothing in him.

2. Sin. He was holy, harmless, and undefiled; he did no sin.

3. The Law"s condemnation. "He was just, and yet the Justifier of him who," etc. "He magnified the Law, and made it honorable.

4. Death. By his resurrection and ascension.

5. All the works of the devil. (Cf. 1Co_15:24)

II TO THE TRIUMPHS OF THE GOSPEL. Read the history of the Church, trace its growth and increase, see its onward march still.

III TO THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVING SOUL. What hindrances we put, and still put, in our Lord"s way! what pride, unbelief, love of sin, and all the rest! and yet one after another he beats them all down. S.C.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exalted - Hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted The Midrash Aggadah states: The Holy One, blessed be He, created the celestial beings with His right hand; therefore, death has no power over them; as it says (Isa. 48:13): “Even my hand laid the foundation of the earth.” This is the left hand. “And My right hand measured the heavens with handbreadths.” This is the right hand. Similarly, the Psalmist says: “The right hand of the Lord is exalted,” that created those [that are] in the heights of the world. That is the right hand of the Lord that will make armies of righteous men in the future, and also with it [the right hand] He will resurrect them and they will live forever. And then, I shall not die, but I shall live forever.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.