Jehovah Elohim, and serves therefore to show still more distinctly the condescension of God, whose revelation on this occasion was a prelude to ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο. _Luther_ has introduced into the main text a direct allusion to the incarnation of God in Christ. He translates, "This is the manner of a man who is God the Lord;" and adds, in a marginal note, the following remark: "This means, Thou speakest to me of such an eternal kingdom, in which no one can be king unless he be God and man at the same time, because he is to be my son and yet a king for evermore--which belongs to God alone." But this single circumstance is sufficient to overthrow this view:--that in the preceding, as well as in the subsequent context, Adonai Jehovah is always used in the vocative sense. Ver. 20. "_And what shall David say more unto Thee?_ (In the parallel passage: 'As regards the honour for Thy servant.') _And Thou knowest Thy servant, Lord Jehovah._" It is not necessary that David should make many words, in order to express his thanks, as his thankful heart lies open before God. In Ps. xl. 10, David also appeals to the testimony of the Omniscient as regards his thankful heart: "I preach righteousness in the great congregation; lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, Thou knowest,"--knowest how with my whole heart I am thankful for Thy great mercy. It is, in general, David's practice to appeal to God, the Searcher of hearts; compare, _e.g._, Ps. xvii. 3. 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 [Pg 146] 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._"