1David complaineth of his affliction: 7, 19and of the reproach and insults of his enemies: 13he prayeth for deliverance: 22he devoteth his enemies to destruction: 30he engageth to praise God with thanksgiving. 34The whole creation is called upon to praise God for his goodness to the church.
0To the 1chief Musician upon 2Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.
1 See the first annotation at Psalm 4 in the title.
2 See the second annotation at Psalm 45 in the title.
1SAVE me, O God; for the 3waters are come in unto my soul.
3 That is, excessive dangers threaten me with the loss of my life. See 2 Sam. 22 on verse 17. Also the verses 2, 14, 15.
2I sink in 4deep mire, 5where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods 6overflow me.
4 Hebr. mire of depth or abyss.
5 Hebr. and there is no standing, that is, no ground nor firmness to stand upon, I sink still deeper and deeper.
6 That is, threatens to carry me away. Here the word shibboleth is used, whereof Judges 12 on verse 6. Likewise below in verse 15.
3I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4They that hate me 7without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would 8destroy me, being mine enemies 9wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that 10which I took not away.
7 Hebr. in vain, for nothing.
8 Hebr. they that destroy me, that is, whoever are busy with it, seek to demolish, to eradicate, to cast down; he wants to say there is no shortage of them. Compare Psalm 56 on verse 1.
9 Hebr. for lies, falsehood.
10 David implies hereby that, for all his innocence, he was held and dealt withal as a guilty one or evil doer. This is likewise to be applied to Christ, Who bare none of His own, but only our sins, Isa. 53:4, 5, 6, 7, 8; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18. Some refer it to the Lord Christ, in this sense, that He suffered wrong for saying that He was the Son of God, whereas indeed He was God’s own and eternal Son, of one and the same substance with the Father and not having a bereaved Godhead. See John 19:7; Philip. 2:6.
5O God, thou knowest my 11foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
11 Whether I am guilty of the sins and evil practices which they lay to my charge; the wrong they do me is not unknown to thee. So Job 16:18: O earth, cover not thou my blood, namely, if I would have spilt any. Compare Psalm 38:5.
612Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
12 The godly (David will say) which hold it with me, and wait together with me for a good issue of my cause, according to Thy Word, and would be made ashamed if Thou wouldest forsake me; now my cause is not only theirs also, but even Thine own cause, seeing that both myself and they do rely on Thee, Thy Word for it, therefore, etc.
7Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
813I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
13 That is, no one will know me, no, not my nearest friends. Compare Job 19:13, 14, 15, 16; Psalm 27:10 with the annotations.
9Fora the zeal 14of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
a John 2:17; Rom. 15:3.
14 That is, to or for Thy house. These words are applied to our Lord Christ, John 2:17; Rom. 15:3.
10When I wept, and chastened my soul 15with fasting, that was to my 16reproach.
15 Or, in the fasting. The sense is: When I was humbling or afflicting my soul or person with fasting. Compare Psalm 35:13.
16 Hebr. reproaches.
11 I 17made 18sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
17 Hebr. have given.
18 See Gen. 37 on verse 34.
12They that 19sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the 20song of the 21drunkards.
19 Where the court of judgment is kept and the people gather to assemble. See Gen. 22 on verse 17.
20 Hebr. stringed instrument. See Job 30:9 with the annotation.
21 Hebr. schechar. See Lev. 10 on verse 10; that is, of drunkards. His meaning is: that at their drunken meetings they sang and played of him jeering and scornful songs.
13But as for 22me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in 23an acceptable time: O God, in the 24multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the 25truth of thy salvation.
22 As if he would say: I know no other refuge in all these grievances of mine, but to Thee.
23 Appointed in Thy wise and most gracious counsel, wherein Thou hast ordered and set the times and minutes when Thou wilt and shalt really prove, what favor Thou bearest to Thy children. Other, In the time of well-pleasing hear thou me, O God, according, etc. Compare Isa. 49:8; 2 Cor. 6:2.
24 Or, greatness.
25 That is, saving faithfulness, which requires that Thou hearest and helpest me according to Thy promises.
14Deliver me out of the 26mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
26 Compare Job 30:19; Psalm 40:2.
15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is 27good: turn unto me according to the 28multitude of thy tender mercies.
27 That is, pleasant, profitable, comfortable. Compare Psalm 63:3.
28 Or, greatness.
17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me 29because of mine enemies.
29 Because they are so fierce, bitter and implacable, or, that they may not boast of my ruin to the dishonor of Thy holy Name.
19Thou hast known 30my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all 31before thee.
30 Which I must suffer from mine enemies undeservedly. Compare verse 5.
31 Are known unto Thee, and none of them hid before Thine eyes.
20Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21Theyb gave me also 32gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
b Mat. 27:34, 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:28, 29.
32 Or, poison, venomous herbs, something that was extremely bitter and hurtful. See Deut. 29:18; 32:32; Lam. 3:19; Hosea 10:4; Amos 6:12. By the water thereof, great and bitter affliction is signified, Jer. 8:14; 9:15; 23:15.
22Letc their 33table become a snare before them: and that which should have been 34for their welfare, let it become a trap.
c Rom. 11:9.
33 That is, their meat and drink, and whatsoever would serve for the entertaining and cherishing of man; wherewith the wicked are oftentimes ensnared and taken unto their ruin. See Rom. 11:9, and compare 2 Cor. 2:15, 16. This and the following prayers and wishes are prophecies of bodily and spiritual, temporal and everlasting punishments, which are to seize upon the obstinate enemies of God and of His church, and especially of our Lord Jesus Christ.
34 Hebr. recompenses, that is, a full revenge of God upon them, for what was said in the previous verse to have been practiced by them. Other, that which should serve for peace or welfare, or, become or be a trap for them.
23Let their eyesd be darkened, that they see not; and make their 35loins continually to shake.
d Isa. 6:9; 29:10; 44:18; Rom. 11:10.
35 Be without strength and vigor.
24Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger 36take hold of them.
36 That they feel Thy wrath.
25Lete their 37habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.
e Acts 1:20.
37 Or, their castle, fort, gallant magnificent structure.
26For they persecute him whom thou 38hast smitten; and they 39talk to the grief of those 40whom thou hast wounded.
38 That is, whom Thou dost chastise Fatherly, or try and exercise him, they do fall upon, ready to destroy him. Compare further (concerning our Lord Christ) Isa. 53:4, 5; Mat. 26:31.
39 That is, therewith they scoff and jeer.
40 That is, those whom Thou dost cause to suffer for Thee, or, for Thy Name’s sake. Compare verse 33 and, touching the manner of speaking, Psalm 37:22.
2741Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy 42righteousness.
41 Hebr. give, put; that is, let them fall from the one sin into the other; give them over into a reprobate mind, etc. See Rom. 1:24, 28; 11:8; 1 Thes. 2:16; 2 Thes. 2:11. Likewise Mat. 23:32. Some do understand by iniquity the punishment of it; as if he said: Add punishment to their punishment.
42 To be justified before Thee and absolved from their sins. See John 12:39, 40; Rom. 10:3; Philip. 3:9; but continue in their unbelief and die in their sins, John 8:24.
28Let them be 43blotted out of the book 44of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
43 That is, (as the words following do declare) let it appear that they do not belong to the number of Thine elect, and are not written down among them by Thee, notwithstanding, that they, both by themselves and others, are held to be of the people of God, and accounted among them; but do Thou cut them off, etc. Thus Job 39:17 depriving of wisdom and not impart understanding, the one is explained by the other. See further hereof Exod. 32 on verses 32, 33, and compare Psalm 22:30; 87:6. Likewise Isa. 4:3; Ezek. 13:9; Rom. 11:20.
44 Or, of life.
29But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31This also shall please the LORD 45better than an 46ox or bullock that hath 47horns and hoofs.
45 Or, more acceptable; that is, more pleasing.
46 That is, offerings of beasts. See Psalm 40:6; 50:13, 14, 15.
47 See Lev. 11 on verse 3.
32The 48humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
48 See Psalm 10 on verse 17; Psalm 22 on verse 26.
33For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his 49prisoners.
49 Hebr. captives, that is, His faithful servants, whom He permits to be afflicted for His Name’s sake. Compare verse 26; Eph. 3:1.
34Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that 50moveth therein.
50 See Gen. 1 on verse 21.
35For God will save 51Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that 52they may dwell there, and have 53it in possession.
51 That is, His church. See Psalm 2 on verse 6.
52 Namely, those meek ones, who seek God, His servants and lovers, verse 32, and in the sequel.
53 Namely, Zion; and so in the next verse.
36The 54seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
54 That is, their posterity. See Psalm 22 on verse 30.