Verse 2Light - With that first created light, which the psalmist fitly puts in the first place, as being the first of God's visible works. Verse 3Waters - In the waters above the heavens, as they are called, Gen 1:7. Verse 4Spirits - Of a spiritual or incorporeal nature, that they might be fitter for their employments. Fire - So called for their irresistible force and agility, and fervency in the execution of God's commands. Verse 5Who laid - Heb. he hath established the earth upon its own basis, whereby it stands as fast and unmoveable, as if it were built upon the strongest foundations. Forever - As long as the world continues. God has fixt so strange a place for the earth, that being an heavy body, one would think it should fall every moment. And yet which way so ever we would imagine it to stir, it must, contrary to the nature of such a body, fall upwards, and so can have no possible ruin, but by tumbling into heaven. Verse 6The deep - In the first creation, Gen 1:2,9. Verse 7Rebuke - Upon thy command, Gen 1:9. Fled - They immediately went to the place which God had allotted them. Verse 8Go up - In that first division of the waters from the earth, part went upwards, and became springs in the mountains, the greatest part went downwards to the channels made for them. Verse 9A bound - Even the sand of the sea - shore. Verse 11Wild asses - Stupid creatures, and yet plentifully provided for by the Divine providence. Verse 13The hills - Which most need moisture. From - From the clouds. Satisfied - By this means all the parts of the earth, are made fruitful. The fruit - With the effects of those sweet showers. Verse 15Oil - He alludes to the custom of those times and places, which was upon festival occasions to anoint their faces with oil. Bread - Which preserves or renews our strength and vigour. Verse 16Trees - Which come up, and thrive not by man's industry, but merely by the care of God's providence. Verse 19For seasons - To distinguish the times, the seasons of divers natural events, as of the ebbing and flowing of waters, and other seasons for sacred and civil affairs, which were commonly regulated by the moon. Verse 20Darkness - Which succeeds the light by virtue of thy decree. Verse 21Roar - They roar when they come within sight of their prey. Seek - Their roaring is a kind of natural prayer to God, for relief. Verse 25Creeping - This word is common to all creatures that move without feet. Verse 26Leviathan - The whale. Therein - Who being of such a vast strength and absolute dominion in the sea, tumbles in it with great security, and sports himself with other creatures. Verse 29Hidest - Withdrawest the care of thy providence. Verse 30Spirit - That quickening power of God, by which he produces life in the creatures from time to time. For he speaks not here of the first creation, but of the continued production of living creatures. Created - Other living creatures are produced; the word created being taken in its largest sense for the production of things by second causes. Renewest - And thus by thy wise and wonderful providence thou preservest the succession of living creatures. Verse 31Rejoice - Thus God advances the glory of his wisdom and power and goodness, in upholding the works of his hands from generation to generation, and he takes pleasure in the preservation of his works, as also in his reflection upon these works of his providence. Verse 32He looketh - This is a farther illustration of God's powerful providence: as when he affords his favour to creatures, they live and thrive, so on the contrary, one angry look or touch of his upon the hills or earth, makes them tremble and smoke, as Sinai did when God appeared in it. Verse 35Praise ye the Lord - Heb. Hallelujah. This is the first time that this word occurs. And it comes in here on occasion of the destruction of the wicked. And the last time it occurs, Rev 19:1,3,4,6, it is on a like occasion, the destruction of Babylon.