1The Psalmist complaineth to God of a powerful confederacy among the enemies of Israel: 9he prayeth against them.
0A Song or Psalm 1of Asaph.
1 Or, for Asaph. See Psalm 50 in the title.
1Keep2 not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
2 Hebr. there be no silence to thee. The psalmist prays that God would bestir Himself again to help His people and to avenge them upon their enemies. Thus the word of being silent is used likewise Judges 18:9. See the annotation at Psalm 109 on verse 1.
2For, lo, thine 3enemies 4make a tumult: and they that hate thee have 5lifted up the head.
3 The meaning is: Our enemies, which are likewise Thine enemies, because we are Thy people. Who these enemies were, see verses 6, 7, 8.
4 Namely, against us, as verse 3.
5 Namely, audacious and bold, as triumphing over Thee and over Thy people. In Judges 8:28 you have the similar expression.
3They have taken crafty counsel 6against thy people, and consulted 7against thy hidden ones.
6 Namely, against us, who are Thy people.
7 That is, against those who betake themselves to Thee for refuge, to be hid and secure under Thy shelter and protection. Or, whom Thou esteemest as Thy jewels, keeping them in faithful custody, and whose life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3:3.
4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off 8from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
8 Thus Moab and other neighboring nations consult together against Israel, and the same thing happened afterward to Moab himself, Jer. 48:2, 42.
5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate 9against thee:
9 That is, they have allied themselves together to make war upon God’s people. See Jer. 34:18, 19.
610The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and 11the Hagarenes;
10 That is, warriors, who live in tents. See the same expression Judges 7:13, 14; 2 Kings 7:7, 10; Jer. 6:3; Hab. 3:7. Or, understand here the families and generations of Edom, Ishmael, etc., which dwelled in tents.
11 Namely, the posterity of Hagar, Abraham’s handmaid, whereby are understood those who descended from Ishmael, the son of Hagar.
712Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the 13Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
12 That is, the Gebalites, who dwelled in the city or country of Gebal, situated in Phenice at Zidon. From Gebal or Gibla were those hewers of stone whom Solomon employed for the building of the temple, 1 Kings 5:18. See likewise of these men Ezek. 27:9.
13 That is, the Philistines. The land or country is taken for the people that dwelled therein.
8Assur also is joined with them: they 14have holpen 15the children of Lot. Selah.
14 Hebr. been an arm to, that is, a strong help; see of this kind of speaking likewise in Psalm 37:17; Jer. 17:5.
15 That is, the Moabites and Ammonites, mentioned previously, descendants from Lot, Gen. 19:37, 38. There is every appearance that there is express mention here made of Lot to show the unworthiness of their enterprise, that they, who descended from Abraham’s nephew, would seek to root out their own kinsmen.
916Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to 17Sisera, as to 18Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
16 That is, destroy them, as Thou didst the Midianites in former times, when they came to fight against our forefathers, Judges 7:13, 22.
17 See Judges 4:15; 5:19, 21, etc.
18Jabin, a king of the Canaanites; see Judges 4:2.
10Which perished at 19Endor: they became 20as dung for the earth.
19 A city situated at Kison, Taanach and the waters of Megiddo. See Joshua 17:11; Judges 5:19.
20 That is, they lay rotting above ground, and had no burial. See Jer. 8:2; 16:4.
1121Make their 22nobles like 23Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as 24Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
21 Hebr. Put.
22 See Job 12 on verse 21.
23Oreb and Zeeb were two princes of the Midianites, whom Gideon smote, Judges 7:25; 8:11, 12.
24 Zebah and Zalmunna, two kings of the Midianites, likewise overthrown by Gideon, Judges 8:21.
12Who said, Let us take to ourselves the 25houses of God in possession.
25 Namely, the land of Canaan where God dwelled in the midst of His people. See Exod. 15:13.
13O my God, make them 26like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
26 Other, whirlpool, that is, fickle and unsettled, so that they may not know what to do or what course or refuge to take.
1427As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth 28the mountains on fire;
27 See similar expression Deut. 32:22.
28 Understand the trees and brushes upon the mountains; or, understand the brimstony hills, which take fire of themselves.
15So persecute them with thy 29tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
29 See the annotation on Job 9 on verse 17.
16Fill their faces with shame; 30that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
30 That is, make them in spite of themselves to confess that Thou art mightier than they, and they must cry unto Thee when they feel Thy chastisements upon them. See Exod. 8:8; Psalm 18:41. Other, that men may seek thy name, that is, that the godly may have cause and encouragement thereby to put the more confidence in Thy goodness and omnipotence, and evermore make Thee their refuge.
17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
1831That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
31 Or, That it may be known, as verse 16.