1The church calling to mind former favours, 9complaineth of present evils: 17professing her integrity, 23she fervently prayeth for succour.
0To the chief 1Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.
1 See the annotations at Psalm 42 in the title.
1WE have heard with our ears, O God, our 2fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the 3times of old.
2 That is, our progenitors, forefathers, the one before and the other after.
3 Hebr. days of oldness.
2How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedsta4them; how thou didst 5afflict the people, and 6cast them out.
a Exod. 15:17; Psalm 80:8.
4 Namely, our forefathers.
5 Hebr. done evil to, that is, destroyed them, brought all manner of afflictions upon them.
6 Like unto a vine, spread abroad at large. See Psalm 80:8, 9, etc.
3For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm 7save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the 8light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
7 Or, gave them victory. See 2 Sam. 8 on verse 6.
8 That is, Thy gracious presence, favor and assistance. Compare Num. 6 on verse 25; Num. 6 on verse 26; Psalm 43 on verse 3.
4Thou art 9my King, O God: 10command deliverances 11for Jacob.
9 Thus the prophet speaks here and in the sequel, in the name of the church.
10 As Psalm 42:8. See Lev. 25 on verse 21.
11 That is, Jacob’s posterity, Thy people Israel.
5Through thee will we 12push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
12 A similitude taken from animals with horns. See Deut. 33 on verse 17.
6For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. 13Selah.
13 See Psalm 3 on verse 2.
9But thou hast castb off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
b Psalm 60:1; 74:1; 89:38; 108:11.
10Thou makest us to 14turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil 15for themselves.
14 That is, to flee before our enemies. Or, hast made us to turn backwards, and so in the sequel.
15 They spoil us of goods and chattels for their profit, enriching themselves with our property, which they have robbed.
11Thou hast given us like 16sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
16 Hebr. sheep of food, that is, such as are slain and eaten. Compare verse 22.
12Thou sellest thy people 17for nought, and dost not 18increase thy wealth by their price.
17 Hebr. for no goods or riches; or, for that which is no riches, yield no goods, that is, as for nothing; they are indeed delivered over to the enemy as sold merchandise, but without a price.
18 Hebr. does not multiply, or magnify, not in their prices; or, set them to strife for the price. The manner of speaking seems to be taken from a custom they had in selling, where usually the bidden price is raised if the merchandise is of any value, But the prophet implies that God’s people is sold away as if it were not worth the pains of asking more or making the buyer to bid more than he offered at first; that is to say, they were esteemed very little, yea far less than the very slaves who are not sold off straight for the first bidding, whose price is at least kept up a while, if not raised higher. Compare Deut. 28:68. Other, Thou makest no profit, or Thou dost not multiply (that is, enrich) Thyself not of their price, Thou gettest no advantage or gain of their price, because the enemy taking and carrying them away as for nothing, that the sale makes no return at all.
13Thou makest us a reproachc to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
c Psalm 79:4; 80:6; Jer. 24:9.
14Thou makest us a bywordd among the heathen, a 19shaking of the head among the people.
d object of scorn or derision
19 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 8; 2 Kings 19 on verse 21.
15My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
17All this is come upon us; yet have 20we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
20 This is to be understood of the faithful and loyal ones among the people, who lament here that they do not suffer as evil-doers and forsakers of God, but, on the contrary, that they adhere steadfastly to God and His Word as they yet further testify in verse 22.
18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy 21way;
21 That is, from the commandments, wherein Thou hast commanded us to walk.
19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of 22dragons, and covered us with the 23shadow of death.
22 Hereby may be understood the pagan tyrants. Hebr. of the dragon. Other, of the whales, that is, as in a sea, that is, in the greatest distresses, in extreme dangers.
23 See Psalm 23 on verse 4.
20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or 24stretched out our hands to a strange god;
24 To worship the same. Compare Exod. 9:29; 1 Kings 8:22; Psalm 143:6.
21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22Yea, 25fore thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
25 Because we will not forsake Thee, but to persevere in Thy covenant.
eRom. 8:36.
2326Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
26 Spoken of God after the manner of men, as elsewhere frequently, when God withdraws His help; otherwise He neither sleeps nor slumbers, Psalm 121:4.
24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25For our soul is bowed down to the 27dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
27 We are brought extremely low, oppressed, scorned, distressed and dismayed. Compare Psalm 113:7; 119:25. Likewise Lam. 3:29.
26Arise for our 28help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.
28 Other, a complete help for us, to express that the Hebrew word here used has a letter more than ordinarily added in the end. Compare Psalm 3 on verse 2; 63:7.