I will worship towards thy holy temple
Not the temple at Jerusalem, which was not yet built, though,
when it was, the Jews in their devotions at a distance looked
towards it, ( 1 Kings 8:38
1 Kings
8:40 ) ; but rather the tabernacle of Moses, in which was the
ark, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe; and over that the mercy
seat and cherubim, between which Jehovah dwelt; and this being a
type of Christ's human nature, which was perfectly holy, and is
called by himself a temple, and is the true tabernacle God
pitched, and not man, ( John 2:19 ) ( Hebrews 8:2 ) ; he may
be designed, and to him, as Mediator, should we look, and with
him deal in all our devotions for acceptance with God; see (
Jonah 2:4 ) ;
unless heaven itself is meant, which is the palace of Jehovah,
the habitation of his holiness, his temple where he dwells, (
Psalms 11:4 )
( Habakkuk
2:20 ) ;
and praise thy name, for thy lovingkindness and for thy
truth;
which may primarily regard the goodness and grace of God in
promising David the kingdom, and his faithfulness in making good
the promise, and for both which he was under obligation to praise
the name of the Lord; and holds good with respect to all other
promises: and it may also signify the free favour and love of God
to his people, which is from everlasting, is the source of all
blessings, and is better than life; and the faithfulness of God
to himself, his perfections, purposes and promises, council and
covenant: it may be rendered, "for thy grace, and for thy truth"
F13, which both come by Christ, (
John 1:17 ) ;
grace may intend both the doctrine of grace, the Gospel of the
grace of God preached by Christ, and the blessings of grace which
come through him; as justification, pardon, adoption,
sanctification, and eternal life, which are all of grace, and by
Christ: and truth also may signify the word of truth, or solid
substantial blessings, in distinction from typical ones; or the
good things that come by Christ our High Priest, of which the law
was only a shadow; and these are all of them things the name of
the Lord is to be praised for;
for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy
name;
or "above every name of thine" F14; which Aben Ezra interprets
of the glorious name Jehovah; the word God spake to Moses, the
name in which he made himself known to him, and to the
Israelites, he had not to their fathers, ( Exodus 3:14 ) (
6:3 ) ; but
rather it is to be understood of God's word of promise, and his
faithfulness in fulfilling it; which, though not a greater
attribute than any other, yet is made more known and more
illustrious than the rest; and particularly may regard the
promise of the coming of the Messiah, and of the blessings of
grace by him; Jarchi interprets it particularly of the pardon of
sin. It may with propriety be applied to Christ, the essential
Word, that was made flesh, and dwelt among men; whom God has
highly exalted, and not only given him a name above every name of
men on earth, but also above any particular name or attribute of
his: or however he has magnified him "according"
``the words of thy praise above all thy name;''or "over all thy name": everything by which he has made himself known in creation and providence; "thou hast magnified thy word", all being done according to the word said in himself, his decrees and purposes; or declared in his word and promises, whereby he has glorified it.
F13 So Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F14 (Kmv
lk le) "super omne nomen tuum", Cocceius, Michaelis.
F15 "Secundum omne nomen tuum",
Gejerus.
F16 "Cum toto nomine tuo", Junius &
Tremellius.
F17 "Vel praeter omne nomen tuum",
Piscator.
F18 "Nomen tuum sermone tuo"; so some in
Piscator.