Author: Angela Hormberg

Commonplace –

Matthew Henry points out that “war is a tragedy which commonly destroys the stage it is acted on” (336). Henry goes on to describe the wars David actually carried out in his enemies’ territory, but his words are also true in a spiritual sense. When we are at war within ourselves, it is a tragedy and is destructive. But the Psalmist offers a remedy for us, whether our enemy is physical or spiritual:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Henry notes, God “is our refuge, by whom we are sheltered and in whom we are satisfied, who by his providence secures our welfare when without are fightings, and who by his grace quiets our minds, and establishes them, when within are fears. The Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob, has been, is and will be with us — has been, is and will be our refuge” (336).

What a timely reminder as we begin the New Year. Our God is our refuge and strength.

“It is said of Luther that, when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, “Come let us sing the forty-sixth psalm” (Henry 334).

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 46.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2025 Angela Hormberg

Commonplace –

“My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer” (Psalm 45:1).

The Psalmist gives Psalm 45 the subtitle, “A Song of loves”. And truly it is. He is writing of his King and that is good! What an encouragement to me and all of us, who choose to read, reflect and write on the psalms. Truly, there is not a more worthy venture.

A little later, the Psalmist reminds us to

“Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.” (Psalm 45:3-5)

Matthew Henry reminds us that the “word of God is the sword of the Spirit. By the promises of that word, and the grace contained in those promises, souls are made willing to submit to Jesus Christ and become his loyal subjects” (331).

“Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a right sceptre” (Psalm 45:6).

There is no better way to end the year than to be reminded of the goodness of God’s word, and the importance of His Word in saving the lost.

Lord, here I am; send me.

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 45.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2024 Angela Hormberg

Commonplace –

“But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.” (Psalm 44:7)

Here the Psalmist reminds us that God will save us from our enemies. But after saying this, the Psalmist notes his current condition, which is dire. Regarding Psalm 44, Matthew Henry notes “…if we have any gospel-psalms pointing at the privileges and comforts of Christians, why should we not have one pointing at their trials and exercises? It is a psalm calculated for a day of fasting and humiliation upon occasion of some public calamity, either pressing or threatening” (326).

Henry calls us to remember what remedy Christians have in time of trouble:

“By way of appeal, concerning their integrity, which he only is an infallible judge of, and which he will certainly be the rewarder of. Two things they call God to witness to:” (329)

1. “That, though they suffered these hard things, yet they kept close to God and to their duty” (329).
2. “By way of petition, with reference to their present distress, that God would, in His own due time, work deliverance for them” (329).

What an encouragement to us that the Psalmist provides us with a remedy in hard times. Appeal to God. As Henry states, “wither else should [the people of God] go?” (329)

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 44.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2024 Angela Hormberg

Commonplace –

“O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.” Psalm 43:3

According to Matthew Henry, this psalm was likely “penned upon the same occasion with [Psalm 42]” (Henry 325). Drawing a likeness between David and Christ, Henry notes, “Christ, himself, who had the Spirit without measure, when there was occasion prayed a second and third time “saying the same words,” Matt 26.44″ (Henry 325). Therefore, when David encountered the same problem again in his life “he had immediate recourse to the same remedy, because he had entered it in his book, with a “probatum est – it has been proved,” upon it” (Henry 325). In other words, throughout his life, David had seen prayers answered and, because of this, he had confidence God would hear and answer his prayers, as He had done in the past, even if David had to go back multiple times with the same concerns; he did not lose faith.

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 43.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2024 Angela Hormberg

Commonplace –

Psalm 42: 2 “My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (KJV).

“When it was that David thus expressed his vehement desire towards God. It was,

(1.) When he was debarred from his outward opportunities on waiting on God, when he was banished to the land of Jordan, a great way off from the courts of God’s house.

Note, Sometimes God teaches us effectually to know the worth of merceis by the want of them, and whets our appetite for the means of grace by cutting us short in those means. We are apt to loathe that manna, when we have plenty of it, whihc will be very precious to us if ever we come to know the scarcity of it.

(2.) When [David] was deprived, in a great measure, of the inward comfort he used to have in God. He now went mourning, but he went on panting.

Note, If God, by his grace, has wrought in us sincere and earnest desires towards him, we may take comfort from these when we want those ravishing delights we have sometimes had in God, because lamenting after God is as sure an evidence that we love him as rejoicing in God.

Before the psalmist records his doubts, and fears, and griefs, which had sorely shaken him, he premises this, That he looked upon the living God as his chief good, and had set his heart upon him accordingly, and was resolved to live and die by him; and, casting anchor thus at first, he rides out the storm” (Henry 321; emphasis added).

Verses 5 and 11 are almost identical : “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why are thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him” is the same in both. 5 ends with “for the help of his countenance and 11 ends with “who is the health of my countenance, and my God”.

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 42.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2024 Angela Hormberg

Commonplace –

“…the most potent enemy we have can have no power against us but what is given him from above” (Henry 319).

Psalm 41:4 “I said, Heal my soul” (KJV). “It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we may not unsay, in our practices, any thing that we said in our prayers” (Henry 319).

Psalm 41:5-13 “Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hat lifted up his heel against me. But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mien enemy doth not triumph over me. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face forever. Blessed by the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen” (KJV).

“How did David bear this insolent ill-natured conduct of his enemies towards him? 1. He prayed to God that they might be disappointed. He said nothing to them, but turned himself to God: ‘O Lord! be thou merciful to me, for they are unmerciful, v. 10. He had prayed in reference to the insults of his enemies, Lord, be merciful to me, for this is a prayer which will suit every case. God’s mercy has in it a redress for every grievance” (Henry 320).

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 41.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2024 Angela Hormberg