The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought - Margin: “maketh frustrate.” The Hebrew word means to “break,” or to “annul.” The word here rendered “heathen” means “nations;” and the idea is that God, by his own overruling purpose and providence, frustrates the designs of the nations of the earth; that he carries forward his own designs and purposes in spite of theirs; that their plans avail nothing when they come in competition with his. their purposes must yield to His purpose. Compare Isaiah 8:9-10, note; Isaiah 19:3, note. All the plans and purposes of the nations of the earth that conflict with the purposes of God will be vain; all those plans, whatever they may be, will be made subservient under His providence to the promotion of His great designs.
He maketh the devices of the people of none effect - That is, He renders them vain, unsuccessful, ineffectual. The word “people” here is synonymous with “nations,” and the idea is, that whatever may be the thoughts and purposes of human beings, if they are opposed to the plans of God, or if they do not tend to promote His glory, they will be rendered futile or vain. God is a great and glorious Sovereign over all, and He will make everything subordinate to the promotion of His own great designs.