Psalm 92 Study Notes

92:1 On Most High, see note at 47:2-3 (see 83:18; 91:9; 97:9).

92:2-3 Deuteronomy 6 teaches God’s people to speak his word day and night, reflecting on his covenant love and faithfulness in the presence of the family and the community. The wise person finds delight in meditating on the Torah regularly (1:2). Creation testifies to God’s constant care (19:1).

92:4 The chiastic structure of the Hebrew, which is not reflected in the English, emphasizes the Lord’s works. I will shout for joy is the last element of the verse in Hebrew.

92:5 The term profound underscores the unfathomable and mysterious nature of God’s thoughts (40:5; 139:17; Is 55:9-10).

92:6 Using wisdom terminology, the psalmist admonished the stupid (“uneducated, brutish”) person and the fool. Both fail to sustain a close relationship to God, and they reject the wisdom necessary for right living. The prophet Isaiah depicted Israel as more stupid and foolish than brutish beasts (Is 1:3).

92:7 The vulnerability and temporal nature of the wicked compares to vegetation that sprouts temporarily, then withers and disappears, leaving no evidence of its existence (see note at 37:2). The psalmist took comfort in knowing that evildoers would experience eternal destruction.

92:8 The sovereignty and immutability of God contrast with the weakness and finitude of man.

92:9 All the wicked are God’s enemies and will be destroyed.

92:10 Lifted up my horn is a figurative expression denoting restored vitality and power (89:17; 148:14; 1Sm 2:1). Being anointed with . . . oil can mean consecration for service (Lv 8:10-12), but here it probably refers to an act of hospitality that symbolizes favor (Ps 23:5).

92:11 The psalmist’s enemies are also God’s enemies, so he is glad when he hears of their downfall.

92:12 The righteous blossom and grow strong like trees, whereas the wicked blossom then wither away like grass (v. 7). Lebanon was known for its abundant supply of cedar trees used in construction. Trees often refer figuratively to the characteristics of national leaders.

92:13-14 The house of the Lord refers to the temple. This is a pattern for paradise, representing the order of creation and a place of rest in the presence of the Lord. The righteous thrive as the result of God’s providence (1:3; Jr 17:8). Old age will not take away their vitality.

92:15 The strength of the righteous demonstrates the Lord’s reliability and impartiality. The enemy prospers but is destroyed after attempting to present himself as genuine. Those who are truly the Lord’s have no hypocrisy or deceit; their prosperity endures.