Here the earth is called on to join in resurrection joy and praise, and to celebrate “mercy and truth,” as risen Israel was now doing. Israel, and Israel’s living Head, had been heard chanting their several hallelujahs, and the nations are now, in their turn, called into this harmony and to take part in this holy music.
This Psalm, the shortest portion of the Book of God, is quoted, and given much value to, in Romans 15. And upon this it has been profitably observed, “it is a small portion of Scripture, and as such we might easily overlook it. But not so the Holy Ghost. He gleans up this precious little testimony which speaks of grace to the Gentiles, and presses it on our attention.”
And I may say, I have long delighted in the fact, that the Spirit in the course of the New Testament is often dragging into light, so to speak, some obscure corners of the old scriptures which might be naturally passed by—as Hos. 11:11When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1); Amos 5:26; 9:1126But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. (Amos 5:26)
11In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: (Amos 9:11); Hab. 1:55Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. (Habakkuk 1:5); Prov. 25:2222For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. (Proverbs 25:22); Nah. 1:1515Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off. (Nahum 1:15). But it helps to affirm the precious truth, that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The stars in that hemisphere of glories may differ in magnitude, but they are all equally the workmanship of one hand. There is, perhaps we may say, no portion of the Old Testament, that is not either expressly cited, or distinctly referred to, or silently glanced at in the New.