12 `O our God, dost Thou not execute judgment upon them? for there is no power in us before this great multitude that hath come against us, and we know not what we do, but on Thee `are' our eyes.'
A Song of the Ascents. I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, Whence doth my help come? My help `is' from Jehovah, maker of heaven and earth,
Mine eyes `are' continually unto Jehovah, For He bringeth out from a net my feet.
A Song of the Ascents. Unto Thee I have lifted up mine eyes, O dweller in the heavens. Lo, as eyes of men-servants `Are' unto the hand of their masters, As eyes of a maid-servant `Are' unto the hand of her mistress, So `are' our eyes unto Jehovah our God, Till that He doth favour us.
And I -- I have not sinned against thee, and thou art doing with me evil -- to fight against me. Jehovah, the Judge, doth judge to-day between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.'
But to Thee, O Jehovah, my Lord, `are' mine eyes, In Thee I have trusted, Make not bare my soul.
Wake and come up let the nations unto the valley of Jehoshaphat, For there I sit to judge all the nations around.
And I saw the heaven having been opened, and lo, a white horse, and he who is sitting upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness doth he judge and war,
For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation that happened to us in Asia, that we were exceedingly burdened above `our' power, so that we despaired even of life; but we ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death have had, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead,
And I -- I said: I have been cast out from before Thine eyes, (Yet I add to look unto Thy holy temple!)
For Jehovah doth judge His people, And for His servants doth repent Himself. For He seeth -- the going away of power, And none is restrained and left.
And He hath judged between the nations, And hath given a decision to many peoples, And they have beat their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation doth not lift up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn any more -- war.
Judge me, O God, And plead my cause against a nation not pious, From a man of deceit and perverseness Thou dost deliver me,
Jehovah doth judge the peoples; Judge me, O Jehovah, According to my righteousness, And according to mine integrity on me,
Rise, O Jehovah, in Thine anger, Be lifted up at the wrath of mine adversaries, And awake Thou for me: Judgment Thou hast commanded:
And she saith, `Let, I pray thee, the king remember by Jehovah thy God, that the redeemer of blood add not to destroy, and they destroy not my son;' and he saith, `Jehovah liveth; if there doth fall of the hair of thy son to the earth.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 20
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
We have here,
2Ch 20:1-13
We left Jehoshaphat, in the foregoing chapter, well employed in reforming his kingdom and providing for the due administration of justice and support of religion in it, and expected nothing but to hear of the peace and prosperity of his reign; but here we have him in distress, which distress, however, was followed by such a glorious deliverance as was an abundant recompence for his piety. If we meet with trouble in the way of duty, we may believe it is that God may have an opportunity of showing us so much the more of his marvellous loving-kindness. We have here,
2Ch 20:14-19
We have here God's gracious answer to Jehoshaphat's prayer; and it was a speedy answer. While he was yet speaking God heard: before the congregation was dismissed they had assurance given them that they should be victorious; for it is never in vain to seek God.
2Ch 20:20-30
We have here the foregoing prayer answered and the foregoing promise performed, in the total overthrow of the enemies' forces and the triumph (for so it was rather than a victory) of Jehoshaphat's forces over them.
2Ch 20:31-37
We are now drawing towards the close of the history of Jehoshaphat's reign, for a further account of which those who lived when this book was published were referred to an authentic history of it, written by Jehu the prophet (ch. 19:2), which was then extant, v. 34. This was the general character of his reign, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, kept close to the worship of God himself and did what he could to keep his people close to it. But two things are here to be lamented:-