angela hormberg

Category: Reading Through the Psalms

  • Psalm 111

    Psalm 111

    Commonplace –

    “The works of his hand are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. The stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness” (Psalm 111:7-8).

    It’s important to note the opening words of Psalm 111:1

    “Praise ye, the Lord” (Psalm 111:1).

    These words will be repeated in the opening of the following psalms: 112 and 113. Here the psalmist is rousing his heart to praise God. Before embarking on this journey through the psalms with Matthew Henry, I never fully considered the importance of stirring up my heart to worship. In church, I participate fully in the worship singing, however, in my private, quiet time at home, I haven’t made this part of my prayer practice. Clearly, throughout the psalms David models this attitude of stirring up one’s heart to God.

    Matthew Henry points out an interesting fact about this psalm.

    “[This psalm] is composed alphabetically, each sentence beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order exactly, two sentences to each verse, and three a piece to the last two” (Henry 541).

    This interesting note highlights the care the psalmist took in writing the psalm. He didn’t employ this technique in every psalm but did vary his style of song writing throughout the psalms.

    In the opening of this post, I highlighted verses 7 and 8. I chose them, because they are important promises: God commandments are sure, stand fast for ever and are true!

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 111.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 110

    Psalm 110

    Commonplace –

    “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.

    The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110: 2, 4).

    This psalm has many references to Jesus. As Matthew Henry notes in his summary of Psalm 110,

    “This psalm is pure gospel; it is only, and wholly, concerning Christ, the Messiah promised to the father and expected by them” (Henry 537).

    It is beautiful to consider that we see fully what the faithful in the Old Testament only anticipated. Matthew Henry gives a rousing charge in his summary of this psalm, Psalm 110.

    “In singing this psalm, we must act faith upon Christ, submit ourselves entirely to him, to his grace and government, and triumph in him as our prophet, priest, and king, by whom we hope to be ruled, and taught, and saved, for ever, and as the prophet, priest, and king, of the whole church, who shall reign till he has put down all opposing rule, principality, and power, and delivered up the kingdom to God the Father” (Henry 538).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 110.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 109

    Psalm 109

    Commonplace –

    “Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy: That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, Lord, has done it” (Psalm 109:26-27).

    Henry suggests we take on the following mindset as we sing/pray this psalm.

    “In singing this psalm we must comfort ourselves with the believing foresight of the certain destruction of all the enemies of Christ and his church, and the certain salvation of all those that trust in God and keep close to him” (Henry 534).

    In particular, Henry notes,

    “God was David’s protector in his sufferings, and was present also with the Lord Jesus in his, stood at his right hand, so that he was not moved, saved his soul from those that pretended to be the judges of it, and received it into his own hands. Let all those that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him (Henry 537).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 109.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 108

    Psalm 108

    Commonplace –

    “O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory” (Psalm 108:1).

    Again and again, I am drawn to the words ‘my heart is fixed’. Those words have shown up in multiple psalms. They encourage me to fix my heart on God.

    Matthew Henry points out that this psalm is actually a combination of two prior psalms.

    “The former part is taken out of Ps. 57:7, etc., the latter out of Ps. 60:5, etc., and both with very little variation, to teach us that we may in prayer use the same words that we have formerly used, provided it be with new affections” (Henry 533).

    I especially appreciate Henry’s point that our prayers may use the same words, but they must be infused with new spirit. It is convicting! Often at mealtimes, our family repeats the same prayer; sometimes, it is very quick. Henry encourages us that using the same prayer is not wrong, but we must ponder the words and mean them.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 108.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 107

    Psalm 107

    Commonplace –

    “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:8-9).

    Matthew Henry’s notes the following in regard to Psalm 107:

    “The psalmist, having in the two foregoing psalms celebrated the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, in his dealings with his church in particular, here observes some of the instances of his providential care of the children of men in general, especially in their distresses; for he is not only King of saints, but King of nations, not only the God of Israel, but the God of the whole earth, and a common Father to all mankind” (Henry 528).

    Specifically in regard to the hungry soul, Henry comments,

    “The same God that has led us has fed us all our life long unto this day, has fed us with food convenient, has provided food for the soul, and filled the hungry soul with goodness. Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, after God, the living God, and communion with him, shall be abundantly replenished with the goodness of his house, both in grace and glory (Henry 528).

    Our Father satisfies our hunger.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 107.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 106

    Psalm 106

    Commonplace –

    “Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever” (Psalm 106:1).

    Matthew Henry’s comments regarding Psalm 106 are very helpful.

    “We must give glory to God by making confession, not only of his goodness but our own badness, which serve as foils to each other. Our badness makes his goodness appear the more illustrious, as his goodness makes our badness the more heinous and scandalous. The foregoing psalm was a history of God’s goodness to Israel; this is a history of their rebellion and provocations, and yet it begins and ends with Hallelujah; for even sorrow for sin must not put us out of tune of praising God” (Henry 522).

    The point that Matthew Henry makes is no small thing: we must begin and end with praising God. The focus should not be ourselves, whether we are outspoken over our own accomplishments or glorifying our guilt; in both of those situations, we put the focus on ourselves first. May we always begin and end with a Hallelujah. Amen.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 106.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 105

    Psalm 105

    Commonplace –

    “Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance” (Psalm 105:11).

    Matthew Henry had some thoughtful insight regarding this psalm:

    “Some of the psalms of praise are very short, others very long, to teach us that, in our devotions, we should be more observant how our hearts work than how the time passes and neither overstretch ourselves by coveting to be long nor over-stint ourselves by coveting to be short, but either the one or the other as we find in our hearts to pray” (Henry 517).

    In particular, I was struck by God’s promise to the Israelites to give them the land of Canaan, which is found in verse 11. Matthew Henry notes,

    “God’s promise to the patriarch’s, that great promise that he would give to their seed the land of Canaan for an inheritance, which was a type of the promise of eternal life made in Christ to all believers” (Henry 518).

    So, we can receive this promise from God. We, too, have a Canaan promised to us, and all we have to do is receive it.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 105.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 104

    Psalm 104

    Commonplace –

    “Bless the Lord, O my soul”

    “I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have being. My meditation of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord” (Psalm 104:1, 33-34).

    Psalm 104:1 echoes the words of Psalm 103:1. The psalmist is calling himself to worship. Matthew Henry compares the two psalms in the following way:

    “It is very probable that this psalm [104] was penned by the same hand, and at the same time, as the former [103]; for as that ended this begins, with “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” and concludes with it too. The style indeed is somewhat different because the matter is so: the scope of the foregoing psalm [103] was to celebrate the goodness of God and his tender mercy and compassion, to which a soft and sweet style was most agreeable; the scope of this is to celebrate his greatness, and majesty, and sovereign dominion, which out to be done in the most stately and lofty strains of poetry. David, in the former psalm, gave God the glory of his covenant-mercy and love to his own people; in this he gives him the glory of his works of creation and providence, his dominion over, and his bounty to, all the creatures. God is there praised as the God of grace, here as the God of nature. (Henry 512).

    Verses 33-34 are a call to the believer to meditate on God and the great works of His hand. Doing so is a blessing, because it puts the world into perspective. It minimizes our troubles and maximizes His dominion over all.

    Matthew Henry’s thoughts on verses 33 and 34:

    “I will sing unto the Lord, unto the Lord, unto my God, will praise him as Jehovah, the Creator, and as my God, a God in covenant with me, and this not now only, but as long as I live, and while I have my being.” Because we have our being from God, and depend upon him for the support and continuance of it, as long as we live and have our being we must continue to praise God; and when we have no life, no being, on hearth, we hope to have a better life and better being in a better world and there to be doing this work in a better manner and in better company” (Henry on v.33).

    “My meditation of him shall be sweet; it shall be fixed and close, it shall be affecting and influencing; and therefore it shall be sweet. Thoughts of God will then be most pleasing, when they are most powerful. Note, Divine meditation is a very sweet duty to all that are sanctified: “I will be glad in the Lord; it shall be a pleasure to me to praise him; I will be glad of all opportunities to set forth his glory; and I will rejoice in the Lord always and in him only.” All my joys shall centre in him, and in him they shall be full” (Henry on v. 34) (Henry 517).

    Psalms 103 and 104 are terrific lessons on how to stir up one’s soul to praise God aright.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 104.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 103

    Psalm 103

    Commonplace –

    “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

    But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto his children’s children.

    As from man his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

    For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more” (Psalm 103:1, 17, 15-16).

    This psalm, like a few previous ones, begins with the psalmist stirring up his soul to worship. Matthew Henry notes the following:

    “This psalm calls for more devotion than exposition; it is a most excellent psalm of praise, and of general use” (Henry 509).

    With particular attention to verses 1-5, Henry states,

    “[In Psalm 103], David is here communing with his own heart, and he is no fool that thus talks to himself and excites his own soul to that which is good” (Henry 509).

    I found this particularly helpful, because it is important. How do I talk to myself? When I am down, what words do I use to turn myself around? If nothing else, my takeaway from the psalms is this responsibility of the believer to turn my mind to God and excite myself to worship him. It’s my job to turn my own mind. It’s with my own will that I must turn away from the distractions of the world, which do not satisfy, and turn my heart to worship him. But how do I do this? According to David, who wrote this psalm, the believer must:

    “forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).

    It’s a call to remember all the good things God has done for one. He

    • forgives our iniquities (103:3)
    • heals our diseases (103:4)
    • redeems one’s life from destruction (103:4)
    • crowns one’s life with lovingkindness and tender mercies (103:4)
    • satisfies one’s mouth with good things (103:5)

    In addition to verse 1, I included verses 15-16 and verse 17; these verses give me a right view of who God is and who I am in relation to Him. I am here for but a moment, but he is everlasting.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 103.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 102

    Psalm 102

    Commonplace –

    “But thou, O Lord, shall endure forever, and thy remembrance unto all generations. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end” (Psalm 102:12).

    It has happened often, as I read and write through the psalms, that I may go a few days and not have time to be in the Word. Every time, when I come back, the psalm I am on is the right one for that moment. This is Holy Week. I have been distracted by events and have not been keeping up with my daily reading. Today, Good Friday, I picked up the Word and read Psalm 102. It is the perfect Psalm for Good Friday. In the title of the psalm is the following description:

    “A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord” (Psalm 102).

    That is the description of Christ on the cross. As Matthew Henry notes,

    “…it is clear from the application of v. 25, 26, to Christ (Heb 1:10-12), that the psalm has reference to the days of the Messiah, and speaks either of his affliction or of the afflictions of his church for his sake” (Henry 504).

    The psalmist does list his afflictions, but he does not stay and wallow there. In verse 12, he turns his eyes to God, and the entire tone of the psalm changes. In this way, we learn again from the psalms how to gain victory over our persecution. We must turn to God and remember that He is eternal, while our afflictions are only for a moment.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 102.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

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

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg