1David in great danger prayeth to be saved from his enemies: 6he complaineth of their cruelty: 8he trusteth in God: 11he prayeth for the destruction of his enemies: 16he promiseth to praise God continually.
0To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, 1Michtam of David; whena Saul sent, and they watched the house to 2kill him.
1 See Psalm 16 in the title.
a 1 Sam. 19:11.
2 But David, by the good providence of God, being let out of the window by Michal, had escaped, 1 Sam. 19:12.
1DELIVER me from mine enemies, O my God: 3defend me from them that rise up against me.
3 Where I may be free and safe.
2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from 4bloody men.
4 See Psalm 5 on verse 6.
3For, lo, they lie in wait for my 5soul: the mighty are gathered against me; 6not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.
5 For my life or person.
6 That is, without having sinned against them or did something wrong to them, through no fault of mine.
4They run and 7prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help 8me, and 9behold.
7 To persecute me.
8 That is, to succor and rescue me in due place and season.
9 In what straight I am, and what mischief they plot against me.
5Thou therefore, O LORD God of 10hosts, the God of Israel, awake to 11visit all the 12heathen: be not merciful to 13any wicked transgressors. 14Selah.
10 See 1 Kings 18 on verse 15.
11 That is, to punish. See Gen. 21 on verse 1.
12 Bastard Israelites, who resemble the barbarous malice and bitterness of the Gentiles. Compare Psalm 54 on verse 3.
13 Hebr. be not gracious to all those, etc. Or thus: be not gracious to an unrighteous breaker of fidelity.
14 See Psalm 3 on verse 2.
6They 15return at evening: they make a noise like a 16dog, and go round about the city.
15 After they had sought me all day and found me not. Or, they turn to and fro, to entrap me somewhere.
16 Which barks and makes great noise, as he is pursuing or hunting a wild animal, or, being hungry, howls and cries for meat and he gets nothing. See verses 14, 15 and compare Psalm 22 on verse 16.
7Behold, they 17belch out with their mouth: swordsbare in their lips: forc18who, say they, doth hear?
17 Or, pour out, bubble, issue forth all manner of slanderous reports of me; of the Hebrew word here used, see Psalm 19 on verse 2, and compare Jer. 6:7, and below verse 12.
b Psalm 55:21; 57:4.
cPsalm 10:11; 94:7.
18 These are the words of the enemies, whereby they show that no fear of God restrains them, speaking even what they want, as if there were no God Who heard it. See Psalm 10:11; 94:7.
8But thou, O LORD, shaltd19laugh at them; thou shalt have all the 20heathen in derision.
dPsalm 2:4.
19 See Psalm 2 on verse 4.
20 See on verse 5.
9Because of 21his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.
21 Of mine enemy Saul, who is a great deal to strong and mighty for me, so that I am not able to make any resistance; this all I commend to Thee, and resolved to wait with patience, abiding and looking out for Thy help and protection, under which I am more safe than if I were secured in the highest and strongest fort. Compare verses 16, 17.
10The God 22of my mercy shall 23prevent me: God shall let me see my desire 24upon mine enemies.
22 Or, of my bountifulness, that is, my kind or bountiful God, Who is very gracious and tender unto me, and has shown His kindness towards me. Compare Jer. 2:2 with the annotation.
23 Or, treat, meet, that is, tenderly relieve me in due season.
24 Or, on them, namely, my heart’s desire or His vengeance. See Psalm 22 on verse 17; Psalm 54 on verse 7.
1125Slay them not, lest my people forget: 26scatter them by thy power; and 27bring them down, O Lord our shield.
25 That is, do not destroy them all at once and suddenly, but proportion Thy judgments to times and occasions in order that my people (over whom Thou hast anointed me king, or my countrymen), beholding the multiplicity of Thy judgments from time to time, may keep them better in remembrance, and be instructed by them.
26 Unto a spectacle.
27 Or, cause them to come down out of their high places and honors which made them so presumptuous to plot and practice all manner of mischief.
1228For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they 29speak.
28 Because there comes nothing forth out of their mouth but sin, (namely, speaking proudly, cursing and lying about me). Some do join and construe these words with the word forget in the previous verse in this manner: that my people do not forget how insolently they use to speak, and how it fares with them thereupon, namely that they are so taken therein, that one cannot sufficiently relate of their cursing and lying, (the cause of these heavy judgments upon them). Other, The sin of their mouths is the word of their lips, therefore let them, etc.; that is, it is nothing but falsehood and lies they utter, therefore, etc.
29 Which they daily throw out abroad in their open discourses without any fear or remorse, as verse 7. Other, they shall relate of the curse and of the leanness.
1330Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them 31know that God ruleth in 32Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
30 Namely, by degrees through various vexations, by comparison with verse 11.
31 That is, take notice, find by experience.
32 Among God’s people, the Israelites.
14And at evening 33let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
33 Here the prophet repeats almost the same words which are in verse 6, but in a deriding manner, out of an holy assured confidence of God’s righteous recompense, which would light upon his enemies.
15Let them 34wander up and down 35for meat, and 36grudge if they be not satisfied.
34 As verse 11.
35 Hebr. for to eat.
36 See the contrary. Prov. 19:23. Other, murmur, howl, grin, if they be not satisfied; as the Hebrew word is found to be used in both these significations.
16But I will sing of 37thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
37 In opposition to the strength of mine enemies, verse 9. Also in the following verse.
1738Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God 39of my mercy.
38 Thus the Hebrew word or particle el is sometimes taken. See Job 42 on verse 7; Psalm 2 on verse 7. Other, My strength is by thee, therefore shall I, etc.
39 As verse 10.