The last note of the former is the first note of this Psalm, "rejoice in the Lord, you righteous!" The last Psalm had much in it of the tone of confession and prayer: this is full of praise; for now the forgiven one is taking up his harp in thankfulness: "give thanks to Jehovah with the harp, make music to Him with a ten stringed instrument"
It is a very simple Psalm, yet full of the feelings which a forgiven soul teems with. Never did any heart so abound in those feelings as the heart of the Lord Jesus; and his saints learn from him.
It is He who is to lead the praise in the great congregation - Psalm 22:22. Let us see the topics taken up in turn:
(v1-3) Preparation for song, shaking the strings of our heart. The call for a new song - a redemption melody.
(v4-5) Praise the Lord for his character.
(v6-9) Praise the Lord for his creation work, which his providence still continues.
(v10-11) Praise the Lord for his counsel.
(v12-19) Praise the Lord for his care of his Church, his chosen ones, who are saved by grace alone (v16-17) and kept by grace (v18-19)
(v20-22) The Responses. As exhorted: rejoice in the Lord (v1) - so we reply: our hearts rejoice in Him!
This will be the eternal response of the saints when the salvation yet in reserve comes. Then their waiting (v20), their Jacob-like waiting, is ended (Gen 49:18); then (as v10,11, Psalm 2:1 sing) the nations have raged in vain; and then, in the fullest sense: Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, as Hosea 2:21,22 describe in part, and as the seraphim celebrate in Isaiah 6:3.
Then shall it be full of the Lord's glory, when love, redeeming love, the love of the God of Love, shall be felt by all the earth, the Gift of Love himself being in the midst.
It is thus a Psalm in which Forgiven ones adore the Lord in his counsels and ways.
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