Ver. 21. "For Thy word's sake, and according to Thine own heart, hast Thou done all these great things to make Thy servant know them."
In 1 Chron. xvii. 19, the words run thus: "Lord, on account of Thy servant, and according to Thine own heart, hast Thou done all these great things, to make known all the glorious things." Hence, by the "word," a promise given to David can alone be intended,—a word formerly spoken to David, which contained the germ of the present one. There is, no doubt, a special allusion to the word in 1 Sam. xvi. 12: "And the Lord said. Arise and anoint him, for this is he." (Compare 2 Sam. xii. 7; Ps. lxxxix. 21; Acts xiii. 22.) According to Thine heart: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy," Ps. ciii. 8. All these great things,—i.e. the promise of the eternal dominion of his house. גְּדֻלָּה and גְּדיּלָה—words in which David takes special delight—never mean "greatness," but always "great things." (Compare remarks on Ps. lxxi. 21, cxlv. 3.) The words, "To make know," etc., indicate that the making refers, in the meantime, only to the divine decree.
Ver. 22. "Wherefore Thou art great, Lord God: for there is none like Thee, neither is there any God besides Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears."
Wherefore—in the first instance, on account of the great things which Thou hast done unto me. According to all, etc., i.e., as this is confirmed by all, etc. Of this David has been reminded anew by his personal experience. Just as he does here, David, in Ps. xl. 6, rises from his personal experience to the whole series of God's glorious manifestations in the history of His people. As to the words, "There is none like Thee, neither is there any God besides Thee," compare the fundamental passages Exod. xv. 11; Deut. iii. 24, iv. 35.
Ver. 23. "And where is there a nation on earth like Thy people Israel, for whose sake God went to redeem them for a people to Himself, and make Him a name, and to do for you great things, and terrible things for Thy land, putting away from before Thy people, whom Thou redeemedst to Thee out of Egypt, heathen and their gods?"
We must here compare the fundamental passages, Deut. iv. 7, 34, xxxiii. 29, in which that which Israel has received from his God is praised, as being without precedent and parallel. In לכם and לארצך the address is, with poetical liveliness, directed to Israel. For you great things—instead of, To do for them great things, as the Lord has done for you. The phrase מפני עמך means, literally, only, "away from before Thy people;" "putting" must be supplied from the preceding לעשית, and from a comparison of the fundamental passages, Exod. xxiii. 28, 29, xxxiv. 11; Deut. xxxiii. 27, to which the concise expression refers. The text in Chronicles, which expressly adds what we have here to supply, לגרש מפני, "to drive out before," is, in this case also, merely a parallel passage which, by the addition of a word, serves as a commentary.
Ver. 24. "And Thou hast confirmed to Thyself Thy people Israel to be a people for ever, and Thou, Lord, art become their God."
Ver. 25. "And now, Jehovah God, the word that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as Thou hast said."
Praise and thanks for the promise are followed by the prayer for its fulfilment.
Ver. 26. "And let Thy name be magnified for ever, so that it may be said, Jehovah Zebaoth (is) God over Israel. And the house of Thy servant shall be firm before Thee."