Exultate Deo. An invitation to a solemn praising of God.

[1] Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself. [2] Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob. [3] Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp. [4] Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity. [5] For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.

[1] "For the winepresses": Torcularibus. It either signifies a musical instrument, or that this psalm was to be sung at the feast of the tabernacles after the gathering in of the vintage.

[6] He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not. [7] He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets. [8] Thou calledst upon me in affliction, and I delivered thee: I heard thee in the secret place of tempest: I proved thee at the waters of contradiction. [9] Hear, O my people, and I will testify to thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me, [10] There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.

[8] "In the secret place of tempest": Heb., Of thunder. When thou soughtest to hide thyself from the tempest: or, when I came down to mount Sina, hidden from thy eyes in a storm of thunder.

[11] For I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. [12] But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me. [13] So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions. [14] If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways: [15] I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

[16] The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever. [17] And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock.

[16] "Their time shall be for ever": Impenitent sinners shall suffer for ever.