1The Psalmist longeth after the service of God in the temple: 5he encourageth his dejected soul to trust in God.
0To the chief 1Musician, 2Maschil, for the 3sons of Korah.
1 See the first annotation at Psalm 4 in the title. This we must understand as such that the prophet, having made this psalm (as most perceive) while he was fleeing before Saul, he delivered the same afterwards, when he came to be king and the ark was at Zion, to be sung solemnly in the house of God.
2 See the first annotation at Psalm 32 in the title. Other, An instruction of the children of Korah, for the musician, and so in some of the following psalms.
3 That is, the posterity of Korah, whose insurrection and destruction is described in Numbers 16. This Korah was a grandchild of Kohath, the son of Levi. Whoever has been the chief musician among the Kohathites in the house of God in David’s time, thereof see 1 Chron. 6:33.
1AS the 4harta5panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
4 Or, hind, in regard of the verb adjoined in the Hebrew is of the feminine gender, although the Hebrews have a peculiar word otherwise that signifies an hind.
a deer*
5 The Hebrew verb here used is found only in this place and in Joel 1:20, where it is ascribed to the beasts of the field in general to express their cry or call which every beast in his species makes after his kind when they are greatly athirst and long for water, however the thirst be caused, whether by want or scarcity of water in general, or by drying up of rivers, or by excessive heat, after their being hunted, and as David in his wandering exile was hunted indeed like a wild beast by Saul, wherein yet nothing so much grieved him, as his being deprived of the public pure worship of God, as is further declared in the sequel.
2Myb soul 6thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I 7come and appear before God?
b Psalm 63:1.
6 That is, longs excessively. Compare Psalm 63:1; Isa. 55:1; John 7:37; Rev. 22:17.
7 In the house of the Lord where the public worship of God is administered and where the ark of the covenant is, upon which God dwells, 2 Sam. 6:2.
3Myc tears have been my 8meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, 9Where is thy God?
c Psalm 80:5.
8 Hebr. bread; that is, I feed and satisfy myself with tears, as another with food. Compare Psalm 80:5.
9 That is, where is now the help of your God in Whom you have trusted? Also in verse 11, etc.
4When I remember these things, I pour out my soul 10in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I 11went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
10 Or, within myself, that is, I perish, succumb, my strength fails me, my heart melts away, and (as they say) is ready to break with grief. Compare Job 30:16; Lam. 2:12. By the pouring out of the heart is otherwise also understood the uttering forth all a man’s thoughts and desires by prayer, as 1 Sam. 1:15; Psalm 62:8.
11 Or, decently, stately, to tread softly. The Hebrew word is only found here and in Isa. 38:15, signifying, according to most opinions, the same which is here expressed. Other, walk on cheerfully.
5Whyd art thou 12cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the 13help of his 14countenance.
d Psalm 43:5.
12 Or, art thou bowed down. Here David describes his spiritual inward combat, which he had in this cross of his.
13 Or, I shall yet praise him; his face (that is, His gracious presence) is an assured or manifold salvation.
14 That is, which shall proceed from His gracious presence, which He shall show me yet according to His Word.
6O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of 15Jordan, and of the 16Hermonites, from the 17hill Mizar.
15 Some are of the opinion that David has an eye here to the three borders of Canaan, implying that whithersoever he were to be chased, yet he did and would think of God still, and take his refuge to Him, whether it were to the east of Canaan, where the Jordan is, or to the north, where the mountains of Lebanon and Hermon are, or to the south, where Judah is enclosed with less hills than the north. Nevertheless this may be a reason also of his dismay, that he, instead of partaking with the public solemnities of God’s worship, (as formerly he was wont to do) must wander about from place to place, in the uttermost borders of Israel; which makes some to render the words thus; because, or forasmuch as I remember thee.
16 That is, the hills of Hermon, or of the Hermonites, that is, those who live at that mountain. See of Hermon Deut. 3:8.
17 Other, out of the little hill, holding Mizar to be the proper name of a certain mountain.
718Deep calleth unto deep at the 19noise of thy 20waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
18 Or, Abyss calleth on abyss, that is, one abyss comes upon the other; one danger is no sooner past, but another comes in its place. The prophet implies thereby that God send him so many afflictions, that he is as one who sails through a tempestuous thunder-storm in a boisterous and turbulent sea, while it appears as if he shall sink at every stroke from the height into the abyss. Compare Psalm 107:24, 25, 26, etc.
19 Hebr. properly, voice; but the Hebrew word is used of all manner of noises.
20 Understand the gushing showers, which, being driven and agitated by the wind, do make such a boisterous noise as swift running waters, which gush down by channels or floodgates from the top to the bottom with great violence.
821Yet the LORD will 22command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night 23his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God 24of my life.
21 As if he said: This alone is which maintains me still day and night. without which I was but a lost man.
22 See of this kind of speaking, Lev. 25 on verse 21 and compare Psalm 44:4.
23 That is, the song of Him, Who gives me always cause to thank Him and to pray to Him. Compare Job 35:10; Isa. 30:29.
24 That is, Who wonderfully keeps me alive and preserves me in all dangers.
9I will say unto God 25my rock, Why hast thou 26forgotten me? why go I 27mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
25 That is, I will use this freedom with God, Who is my Rock (that is, my Refuge and Protection) that I address Him plaintively in this manner.
26 By the preceding words of faith, it appears that these are not words of unbelief, but import thus much: Since I believe that Thou art my Strength, why shouldest Thou then forget me? That is, delay Thy help, as if Thou hadst forgotten me? Compare Gen. 8 on verse 1; Psalm 43:2.
27 See Psalm 35 on verse 14.
10As with a 28sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
28 Or, with a stab of death, killing-dagger. Hebr. murdering, and consequently a sword or any such like murdering weapon (since they are instruments whereby someone is killed). His meaning is, that it is as grievous unto him as if they ran him through with a sword or stabbed him at the heart, for thus are the bones often taken for the body, the inward parts, the vigor, strength, ability and health of people. See Job 7 on verse 15; Psalm 35 on verse 10.
11Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the 29health of my countenance, and my God.
29 Hebr. deliverances. In verse 6 he has said that his help, salvation, his deliverance or preservation came from the face of God, or consisted in His loving countenance; here now the prophet says that God is the salvation of his (the prophet’s face) face, that is, on which he has his eyes or which is daily presented to his eyes. It seems he means to say that God does so constantly deliver, save, and preserve him, that he plainly sees it before his eyes and has it palpably demonstrated before him; without that, he might have often perished.