The 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.
The Lord is my strength and song, х `aaz (H5794)] - denotes strength, also glory, praise; and the import of the clause is commonly taken to be this: my glory and song is Jah ( Yaah (H3050)); and (the waw consecutive in an explanatory statement) = for He is to me for salvation - i:e., Yahweh is the burden of my song of praise for the great deliverance granted to me. [Hengstenberg prefers the primary meaning of `aaz (H5794), as expressing the covenant relation of God to Israel, and considers the meaning to be, "He is my strength and song" - i:e., my mighty and glorious helper; and the latter clause, "and He is become my salvation," as the consequence which proceeded from that relation. Wªzimraat (H2176), and song, from the root verb zaamar (H2167), to hum or complain, so that zimraat (H2176) signifies a song or psalm accompanied by a musical instrument. Yaah (H3050) is derived by some from yaa'aah (H2969), to be beautiful, excellent; and is considered by others to be an Egyptian word which is used in several ancient works. But Tholuck ('Bib. Repos.,' January, 1834) has successfully proved that the writings referred to speak not of an Egyptian deity, but of the God of Israel; and it is now generally agreed among scholars that Yaah (H3050) is the abbreviated form of Yahweh (H3068) (Jehovah), or the more ancient Yahweeh (Jahve). It occurs chiefly in poetry, and most frequently in refrains and doxologies.]
This clause is quoted, Psalms 118:14; Isaiah 12:2, and applied both by David and Isaiah to the spiritual salvation. The deliverance of the Israelites from a grinding servitude-from the sword of their infuriated enemy, and from the imminent perils of the deep-was owing entirely to Yahweh's protection; and therefore their united tribute of gratitude and praise was justly due to Him who had been the great and only source of their "salvation."
He is my God, х zeh (H2088)] - He (this Being whom I have just mentioned) is emphatic, importing that of all gods, He is the sole object of my adoration and praise.
I will prepare him an habitation, х wª'anweehuw (H5115)]. The verb х naawaah (H5115)] signifies to sit or rest; hence, х naaweh (H5116)], a habitation. But in the Hiphil it is used to denote extolling, celebrating with praises; and the Septuagint has doxasoo, I will glorify. This is the proper translation of the word here; and the clause, preserving the parallelism, will stand thus:
`He is my God. and I will glorify Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him.'
"My father's God" - i:e., the God of my father Abraham, to whom the promise recorded (Genesis 15:14) had been fulfilled.