This Psalm celebrates the intervention of God. Jehovah-Adonai, on behalf of His earthly people, “God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered, and they that hate him shall flee before him.” Moses could ask God to do this when the ark of the Lord was lifted up for each journey in the wilderness. The psalmist here uses similar language, with this difference: Moses asks God to arise that the desired result may be obtained; the psalmist awaits in confidence its accomplishment, describing in the two following verses what the issue will be to the wicked and to the righteous. After this to verse 9 we have God's character set forth, as manifested in His actions, for which He is to be praised, and His majesty as displayed when marching before His people through the wilderness.
But the remembrance of His ways of old strengthens the hope in the hearts of His faithful people of yet further displays of power and goodness on behalf of the nation. The prophetic description of this forms the chief subject of the psalm, grounded on what is stated in verse 18, the ascension of Adonai leading captive captivity, and receiving gifts in the man, that Jehovah-God might dwell among them, The Church now enjoys gifts secured by His ascension. Israel also has gifts secured to her, but not yet to be enjoyed; so the psalmist from verse 9 to 24 speaks almost always in the future. This the Authorized Version in part fails to point out. So, I submit, we should read: “Thou, O God, wilt send a plentiful rain on thine inheritance.” On what is this hope based? His past dealings with them. “When weary, thou Last refreshed it;” moreover, it has been in former times the dwelling-place of His congregation. “Thy congregation hath dwelt therein.” Hence they draw the conclusion, and rightly, “Thou, O God, wilt prepare of thy goodness for the afflicted. Adonai will give a word, the armies who publish it shall be a great host. Kings with their armies shall flee, shall flee; she that tarrieth at home shall divide the spoil. If ye shall lie among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. When the Almighty scatters kings in her, she shall be as white as snow in Salmon.” Again, “God has desired to dwell in.” (Ver. 16.)
I would add that we have in this psalm nearly all the different names of God: El, Elohim (God); Shaddai (Almighty); Jehovah, Adonai, Jah (Lord). Elohim is the name of God in creation (Gen. 1); Shaddai and Jehovah, the names under which God revealed Himself respectively to Abraham and Israel. Adonai, as here described, is the One who has ascended up on high; but if ascended, He descended first into the lower parts of the earth. Yet He is Jehovah. (Ver. 20.) “To Jehovah Adonai belong the goings out to death.” Jab is first met with in Ex. 15:22The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. (Exodus 15:2), after the deliverance of the people from Pharaoh at the Red Sea. Often met with in the Psalms in the well-known compound, Hallelu-jah; it occurs also in Ex. 17:1616For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:16); twice in this Psa. 4; 18 also in Psa. 77:11; 89:8; 94:7, 12; 102:18; 115:17, 18; 118:5, 14, 17, 18, 19; 122:4; 130:3; 135:4; 150:611I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. (Psalm 77:11)
8O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? (Psalm 89:8)
7Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. (Psalm 94:7)
12Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law; (Psalm 94:12)
18This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. (Psalm 102:18)
17The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. 18But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 115:17‑18)
5I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. (Psalm 118:5)
14The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. (Psalm 118:14)
17I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 18The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: (Psalm 118:17‑19)
4Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. (Psalm 122:4)
3If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? (Psalm 130:3)
4For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. (Psalm 135:4)
6Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 150:6); and in Isa. 12:2; 26:4; 38:112Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)
4Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: (Isaiah 26:4)
11I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. (Isaiah 38:11). If we examine the context of most of the places where it occurs, I think we shall be persuaded it is not a mere abbreviation of Jehovah, but has a significance of its own, reminding His people that He has, and will, interpose in power on their behalf. So Jehovah characterizes God as the one true and self-existing Being (in opposition to the false gods of the heathen) who has made a covenant with Israel. Jah characterizes Him specially as the Deliverer of His people from Egypt in time past, who will deliver them from all their enemies again.