Psalms 35 commentary

It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in his sufferings, the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour temptation, all beseech the Almighty to appear in their behalf, and to vindicate their cause. We are apt to justify uneasiness at the injuries men do us, by our never having given them cause to use us so ill; but this should make us easy, for then we may the more expect that God will plead our cause. David prayed to God to manifest himself in his trial. Let me have inward comfort under all outward troubles, to support my soul. If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we need desire no more to make us happy. If God is our Friend, no matter who is our enemy. By the Spirit of prophecy, David foretells the just judgments of God that would come upon his enemies for their great wickedness. These are predictions, they look forward, and show the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom. We must not desire or pray for the ruin of any enemies, except our lusts and the evil spirits that would compass our destruction. A traveller benighted in a bad road, is an expressive emblem of a sinner walking in the slippery and dangerous ways of temptation. But David having committed his cause to God, did not doubt of his own deliverance. The bones are the strongest parts of the body. The psalmist here proposes to serve and glorify God with all his strength. If such language may be applied to outward salvation, how much more will it apply to heavenly things in Christ Jesus!

Call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse: this was the character of David's enemies. Herein he was a type of Christ. David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them in afflictions. We ought to mourn for the sins of those who do not mourn for themselves. We shall not lose by the good offices we do to any, how ungrateful soever they may be. Let us learn to possess our souls in patience and meekness like David, or rather after Christ's example.

Though the people of God are, and study to be, quiet, yet it has been common for their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. David prays, My soul is in danger, Lord, rescue it; it belongs to thee the Father of spirits, therefore claim thine own; it is thine, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if I were a stranger. He who exalted the once suffering Redeemer, will appear for all his people: the roaring lion shall not destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ, their Surety. They trust their souls in his hands, they are one with him by faith, are precious in his sight, and shall be rescued from destruction, that they may give thanks in heaven.

PSALM 35.

So long as Saul was the enemy of David, the nobles, and such as at that time bore any authority, had (according to the subservient spirit which always prevails in the courts of kings) eagerly conspired to destroy an innocent man. They had also succeeded in inducing the common people to participate with them in their hatred and cruelty, so that all of them, from the highest to the lowest, burned with implacable hatred against him. But as he knew that the greatest part of them were thoughtlessly impelled to this by error and folly, and ignorance of the true state of affairs, he accounts those only his enemies who, from deliberate malice and wickedness, endeavored in this way to please Saul, in order to obtain his favor. Against them he calls upon God for vengeance. And, first, as he was conscious of no crime, he alleges his innocence before God; and, secondly, as they sought to inflict unmerited punishment upon him, he implores God for deliverance. After he has complained of their impious cruelty, he calls down upon them the punishment which they deserved. Moreover, as in confident reliance upon the oracle of God, which had been spoken by Samuel, and the holy anointing, he hoped for a better issue, he intersperses throughout the psalm testimonies of his thankfulness. Finally, he concludes the psalm by saying, that after he has been delivered, he will celebrate the praises of God all his life.

A Psalm of David.

Psalm 35:1-3

1. Plead my cause, O Jehovah! with them that plead against me; fight against them who fight against me. 2. Take the shield and the buckler, and rise up for my help. 3. Bring forth the spear, and oppose my persecutors: say unto my soul, “I am thy salvation.”

1. Plead my cause, O Jehovah! As the enemies of David not only avowedly sought to take away his life, but also troubled him by calumny and misrepresentation, he pleads for the redress of both these grievances. In the first place, by appealing to God for his aid in defense of his cause, he intimates, that he has to do with wicked and maligning men. In the second place, by urging him to take up arms, he shows that he was grievously oppressed. It was a very dishonorable thing, that this holy man, alike eminent for his beneficence and inoffensiveness towards all men, and who by his courtesy and meekness had merited, both in public and private, the esteem and favor of all, was not permitted to escape the reproach and calumny of wicked men; but it is important for us to know this, and it sets before us a very profitable example. If even David did not escape the malice of wicked men, it ought not to seem wonderful or strange to us, if they blame and bite at us. The injuries they inflict upon us may be grievous and painful, but there is incomparable consolation presented to us in this consideration, that God himself interposes for our protection and defense against false accusations. Though calumniators, then, should arise, and tear us, as it were, to pieces, by falsely charging us with crimes, we need not be disturbed, so long as God undertakes to plead our cause against them. There can be no doubt, that in the second clause of the verse David implores God to resist the armed violence of his enemies. The amount of the whole is, that being falsely accused and cruelly persecuted, and finding no help at the hands of men, the Prophet commits the preservation of his life and his reputation to God.

PSALM 35

Psa 35:1-28. The Psalmist invokes God's aid, contrasting the hypocrisy, cunning, and malice of his enemies with his integrity and generosity. The imprecations of the first part including a brief notice of their conduct, the fuller exposition of their hypocrisy and malice in the second, and the earnest prayer for deliverance from their scornful triumph in the last, are each closed (Psa 35:9, 10, 18, 27, 28) with promises of praise for the desired relief, in which his friends will unite. The historical occasion is probably 1Sa 24:1-22.

1-3. God is invoked in the character of a warrior (Ex 15:3; De 32:41).

4. (Compare Psa 9:17).

devise my hurt--purpose for evil to me.

5-6. (Compare Psa 1:4)--a terrible fate; driven by wind on a slippery path in darkness, and hotly pursued by supernatural violence (2Sa 24:16; Ac 12:23).

7-8. net in a pit--or, "pit of their net"--or, "net-pit," as "holy hill" for "hill of holiness" (Psa 2:6); a figure from hunting (Psa 7:15). Their imprecations on impenitent rebels against God need no vindication; His justice and wrath are for such; His mercy for penitents. Compare Psa 7:16; 11:5, on the peculiar fate of the wicked here noticed.

10. All my bones--every part.

him that spoileth him--(Compare Psa 10:2).

11. False witnesses--literally, "Witnesses of injustice and cruelty" (compare Psa 11:5; 25:19).

12-14. Though they rendered evil for good, he showed a tender sympathy in their affliction.

spoiling--literally, "bereavement." The usual modes of showing grief are made, as figures, to express his sorrow.

15-16. On the contrary, they rejoiced in his affliction. Halting, or, "lameness," as in Psa 38:17 for any distress.

abjects--either as cripples (compare 2Sa 4:4), contemptible; or, degraded persons, such as had been beaten (compare Job 30:1-8).

I knew it not--either the persons, or, reasons of such conduct.

tear me, and ceased not--literally, "were not silent"--showing that the tearing meant slandering.

17. darling--(Compare Psa 22:20, 21).

18. (Compare Psa 22:22).

19. enemies wrongfully--by false and slanderous imputations.

wink with the eye--an insulting gesture (Pr 6:13).

without a cause--manifests more malice than having a wrong cause.

20. deceitful matters--or, "words of deceit."

quiet in the land--the pious lovers of peace.

21. On the gesture compare Psa 22:7; and on the expressions of malicious triumph, compare Psa 10:13; 28:3.

23-24. (Compare Psa 7:6; 26:1; 2Th 1:6). God's righteous government is the hope of the pious and terror of the wicked.

25. swallowed him up--utterly destroyed him (Psa 21:9; La 2:16).

26. clothed--covered wholly (Job 8:22).

27. favour ... cause--delight in it, as vindicated by Thee.

Let the Lord, &c.--Let Him be greatly praised for His care of the just.

28. In this praise of God's equitable government (Psa 5:8) the writer promises ever to engage.

Plead my cause, O Lord - Literally, Contend, Lord, with then that contend with me. The word is often used in a forensic or law sense.

Take hold of shield and buckler - Let them be discomfited in battle who are striving to destroy my life. It is by the shield and buckler of others, not any of his own that God overthrows the enemies of his people. This is spoken merely after the manner of men.

Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation - Give me an assurance that thou wilt defend both body and soul against my adversaries.

Let then be confounded - Let none of their projects or devices against me succeed. Blast all their designs.

The imprecations in these verses against enemies are all legitimate. They are not against the souls or eternal welfare of those sinners, but against their schemes and plans for destroying the life of an innocent man; and the holiest Christian may offer up such prayers against his adversaries. If a man aim a blow at another with a design to take away his life, and the blow would infallibly be mortal if it took place, and the person about to be slain see that by breaking the arm of his adversary he may prevent his own death, and thus save his enemy from actual murder; it is his duty to prevent this double evil by breaking the arm of the blood-thirsty man. It is on this principle that David prays against his adversaries in the first eight verses of this Psalm.

Let the angel of the Lord chase them - By angel we may either understand one of those spirits, whether good or bad, commonly thus denominated, or any thing used by God himself as the instrument of their confusion.

Let their way be dark - Let them lose their way, be entangled in morasses and thickets, and be confounded in all their attempts to injure me. All these phrases are military; and relate to ambushes, hidden snares, forced marches in order to surprise, and stratagems of different kinds.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit - The word שחת shachath, a pit, belongs to the second member of this verse, and the whole should be read thus: For without a cause they have hidden for me their net, without a cause they have digged a pit for my life. They have used every degree and species of cunning and deceit to ruin me.

Let his net that he hath hid - See the notes on Psa 7:15, Psa 7:16.

My soul - My life, thus saved: -

Shall be joyful in the Lord - I am so circumstanced at present as to be in the utmost danger of being destroyed by my foes; if I escape, it must be by the strong arm of the Lord; and to him shall the glory be given.

All my bones shall say - My life being preserved, all the members of my body shall magnify thy saving mercy.

Deliverest the poor - This is a general maxim: God is peculiarly mindful of the poor. Where secular advantages are withheld, there is the more need for spiritual help. God considers this, and his kind providence works accordingly.

False witnesses did rise up - There is no doubt that several of this kind were found to depose against the life of David; and we know that the wicked Jews employed such against the life of Christ. See Mat 26:59, Mat 26:60.

They laid to my charge things that I knew not - They produced the most unfounded charges; things of which I had never before heard.

To the spoiling of my soul - To destroy my life; so נפש nephesh should be translated in a multitude of places, where our translators have used the word soul.

When they were sick - This might refer to the case of Absalom, who was much beloved of his father, and for whose life and prosperity he no doubt often prayed, wept, and fasted.

My prayer returned into mine own bosom - Though from the wayward and profligate life they led, they did not profit by my prayers, yet God did not permit me to pray in vain. They were like alms given to the miserable for God's sake, who takes care to return to the merciful man tenfold into his bosom. The bosom is not only the place where the Asiatics carry their purses, but also where they carry any thing that is given to them.

Mourneth for his mother - כאבל אם caabel em, as a mourning mother. How expressive is this word!

But in mine adversity they reioiced - How David was mocked and insulted in the case of Absalom's rebellion by Shimei and others, is well known.

The abjects - נכים nechim, the smiters, probably hired assassins. They were everywhere lying in wait, to take away my life.

With hypocritical mockers in feasts - These verses seem to be prophetic of the treatment of Christ. They did tear me, and I knew it not. They blindfolded and buffeted him; they placed him in such circumstances as not to be able to discern who insulted him, except by a supernatural knowledge. With hypocritical mockers in feasts may also relate prophetically to our Lord's sufferings. Herod clothed him in a purple robe, put a reed in his hand for a scepter, bowed the knee before him, and set him at naught. Here their hypocritical conduct (pretending one thing while they meant another) was manifest, and possibly; this occurred at one of Herod's feasts.

My darling - יחידתי yechidathi, my only one, Psa 22:20. My united one, or He that is alone. Perhaps this may relate to Christ. See the note on Psa 22:20.

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation - I hope to be able to attend at the tabernacle with thy followers, and there publicly express my gratitude for the deliverance thou hast given me.

That are mine enemies - Saul and his courtiers.

They opened their mouth wide - Gaped upon me to express their contempt.

And said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it - They said, האח האח heach, heach, the last syllable in each word being a protracted strongly guttural sound, marking insult and triumph at the same time. It is the word which we translate Ah, Psa 35:25.

This thou hast seen - I have no need to adduce evidences of these wrongs; thou, to whom I appeal, hast seen them. Therefore,

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment - I have delivered my cause into thy hand, and appeal to thee as my Judge; and by thy decision I am most willing to abide.

Judge me, O Lord my God - The manner of his appeal shows the strong confidence he had in his own innocence.

Swallowed him up - בלענוהו billaanuhu, we have gulped him down.

Let them be ashamed - This may be a prophetic declaration against Saul and his courtiers. They were ashamed, confounded, clothed with shame, and dishonored. All these took place in Saul's last battle with the Philistines, where he lost his crown and his life, and came to a most dishonorable end.

Let them shout for joy and be glad - While my enemies are confounded, let my friends exult in the Lord; and let them all praise him for his marvellous kindness to me.

And my tongue shall speak - I, who am chiefly concerned, and who have received most, am under the greatest obligation; and it will require the constant gratitude and obedience of my whole life to discharge the mighty debt I owe.

Say - By thy spirit assuring me of it: and by thy providence effecting it.

Their way - By which they flee, being chased.

For - Out of mere malice.

My bones - My whole body, as well as my soul.

Returned - Although my fastings and prayers did them no good.

Gathered - They were so full of joy, that they could not contain it in their own breasts, but sought to communicate it to others. Abjects - Or, vile persons, either for the meanness of their condition, or for their wickedness. Knew not - While I had no suspicion of them. Tear me - My good name with calumnies, and reproaches and curses.

Mockers - They made themselves buffoons and jesters, and accustomed themselves to mock and deride David, that thereby they might gain admittance to the tables of great men, which was all they sought for.

Look on - Without affording me pity or help. Darling - My soul, Heb. my only one; which is now left alone and forsaken by my friends, and hath none to trust in but God.

I will - When I shall be restored to the liberty of the publick assemblies.

For - They breathe out nothing but threatenings and war; they use not open violence but subtile artifices, against me and my followers, who desire nothing more than to live quietly and peaceably.

Wide - To pour forth whole floods of scoffs and slanders. ha - An expression of joy and triumph. Our eye - What we have long desired and hoped for.

This - Thou also hast seen, all their plots and threats, and all my distresses and calamities. Keep not - Be not deaf, to my prayers. The same word signifies, both to be silent, and to be deaf.

Awake - To plead my cause against mine adversaries.

1. PLead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Seeing I am unable to right my self, and the Magistrates refuse to do me Justice, be thou my Patron and Protector.

Marginal references: Psal. 43. 1. & 119. 154. Lam. 3. 58.; Heb. implead me.

2. Take hold of shield and buckler , and stand up for mine help.

Therewith to cover and defend me. Comp. Psal. 91▪ 4. Prov. 2. 7.

3. Draw out also the spear , and stop the may against them that persecute me: say unto my soul , I am thy salvation.

Thy offensive Weapons. He alludes to the practise of Soldiers in Battel.

In which they are marching directly, and furiously against me. But divers Interpreters, both Hebrews and others, take this Hebrew word for a Noun, and render it a Sword, Or, as the Word may signifie, a close Weapo[illegible: 1+ letters] For the Psalmist here representing God as a man of War, and accordingly furnishing him with other Weapons, it seems not probable that he would omit this Weapon, which was most constantly and universally used.

(i. e.) Unto me; Either, 1. By thy Spirit assuring me of it: Or, 2. By thy Providence effecting it: for God's saying or speaking, is oft meant of his doing, because his Word is sufficient for the doing of whatsoever he pleaseth.

4. Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul; let them be turned back , and brought to confusion, that devise my hurt.

(i. e.) Frustrated in their wicked Designs, and hopes against me. Concerning this and the like, and following Imprecations, which may seem strange and severe, it must be Considered, 1. That they did not proceed from any passionate or revengeful Spirit in David towards his Enemies, from which how free he was, appears not onely from his own Words here, v. 12, 13, 14. but from the whole Course of his Life, and the frequent Instances mentioned in his History, of his meek and merciful Carriage to his Enemies, when they were in his Power, from his Zeal for God, and for Piety and Justice, to which they shewed themselves to be constant and implacable Adversaries, and by the Direction of the Prophetical Spirit of God, wherewith he was indued, which Spirit did exactly know the Condition of his Enemies, and that those▪ against whom they are Levelled, were hardened and [illegible: 1+ letters]ncurable, 2. That they contain nothing but a Prayer to God, that he would accomplish his own Threatnings, and execute his own Law of Retaliation, of Eye for Eye, and Tooth for Tooth, and so bring upon them the Evils, which they designed against him. Which also was of great and good use, both to glorifie Gods Justice, and to warn and reform other sinners, by the Terror of their Example, 3. That they may be taken only for predictions, as hath been observed before, upon the like Occasion.

Either, 1. Stopped or hindred in the Execution of their wicked Design. Or rather, 2. (which is more sutable to the Context) discomfited and put to flight, as this Phrase is frequently used, as Psal. 9. 3. and 70. 2. and 78. 9. Isa. 42. 17. Ier. 46. 5. 21.

Marginal references: Psal. 4[illegible: 1+ letters]. 15▪ & [illegible: 1+ letters]0. 3.; J[illegible: 1+ letters]r. 46. 5.

5. Let them be as chaff before the wind : and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

(i. e.) Dispersed and Chased from place to place, finding Rest and Safety no where.

Whom God use[illegible: 1+ letters]h to defend his people, and to destroy their Enemies.

Marginal references: Job 21. 18. Psal. 1. 4. Isa. 29. 5. Hos. 13. 3.

6. Let their way be dark and slippery , and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

By which they flee, being Chased, as was now said.

So as they can neither discern the right path, nor be able to stand in it, and much less to run away, especially from so swift a Persecutor as an Angel. Whereby they must unavoidably fall into their Enemies hands, and be destroyed.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] and [illegible: 1 word].; Psal. 73. 18. Jer. 23. 12.

7. For without cause have they hid for me their net, in a pit, which without cause they digged for my soul .

Out of meer Malice, without any injury or provocation on my part, and without any necessity on their parts. They are no Common, but the worst of Enemies; and therefore I may justly pray against them, as I do.

These Expressions aggravate their sins, and signifie that their Persecution of him was not the effect of a sudden Passion, but of a deep and habitual Hatred and Malice, and of an Evil design, carried on in a constant and continued Course with Deliberation, and Cunning, and Deceit, and that against his Soul or Life; for nothing less would sati[illegible: 1+ letters]fie them.

8. Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he hath hid, catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

(i. e.) Upon each of thine and mine implacable Enemies, of whom he hath hitherto spoken.

Marginal references: Heb. which [illegible: 1 word] knoweth [illegible: 1 word] of.; Psal. 7. 1[illegible: 1+ letters], 16. & 57. [illegible: 1+ letters]. Prov. 5. 22.

9. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD : it shall rejoyce in his salvation.

In and for his Glory and Service, which shall be advanced by this means, and for his Favour to me, otherwise I am far from rejoycing in their Calamities.

10. All my bones shall say , LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him!

(i. e.) My whole Body, by a Synecdoche, as Psal. 34. 20. as well as my Soul, mentioned v. 9. I will glorifie thee, both with my Soul, and with my Body.

Speech is ascribed to the Bones figuratively, as elsewhere they are said to Fear and to Rejoyce, Psal. 6. 2. and 51. 8. and as the Loins are said to Bless, Iob 31. 20. If they could speak they would express thy Praises, because having been dryed up with Sorrow, they are now refreshed by thy Mercy.

11. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not .

They accused me to Saul of Treachery and Designs, against his Crown and Life, and other Crimes whereof I was wholly innocent, and ignorant.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] of [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters] ed me.

12. They rewarded me evil for good , to the spoiling of my soul .

For the good Offices which I did to divers of them, when I ha[illegible: 1+ letters] Favour and Power in Saul's Court, and Camp.

(i. e.) To the stripping of my Person of all my Comforts and Hopes, and of my Life it self.

Marginal references: Psal. 38. [illegible: 1+ letters]0. & 109. 5.; Heb. d[illegible: 1+ letters]priving.

13. But as for me, when they were sick , my clothing was saccloth : I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom .

Or, in any other great Misery.

Which was the Habit of Mourners, Gen. 37. 34. Mat. 11. 21. Revel. 11. 3.

Heb. I afflicted my Soul (of which Phrase see Levit. 16. 29, 31. and 23. 27. 32. &c.) Partly with Fasting, and Partly, with Compassion and [illegible: 1+ letters]ervent Prayers for them.

According to this Translation the Sence may be this, And, or, But, Or, Although my Fastings and Prayers did them no good, neither abated their Malice, nor prevailed with God for them, so far as I desired, but returned to me without success, like a Gift sent to an uncivil Person, who disdainfully rejects it, and returns it to the Giver. But, 1. This is not true, that his Prayers returned empty to him, and did them no good, for they prevailed with God for their Recovery, as appears by the following Verses, 2. This doth not seem to suit well with the Context; for both in the foregoing and following Words, he is only describing what he did for them▪ and not what the Effects of it were, which he describes in the succeeding Verses. Others therefore render the Words otherwise, Either, 1. Thus, And my Prayer in my Bosom returned, (i. e) I did daily and frequently repeat my Prayers for them, and that not onely in publick when I joyned with others, in a Fast-day appointed for them, which might be done in Policy or for Ostentation, but also in secret, between God and my own Soul, and that with a sincere and hearty Affection: For what is done secretly and affectionately, is said to be done in the Bosom, Numb. 11. 12. Psal. 89. 50. Prov. 21. 14. although indeed there is in those places another Proposition; which may possibly alter the Case. Or, 2. (Which seems the truest Sence) and as for my Prayer (to wit, which I joyned with my Fasting on their behalf (let it return (nothing being more frequent than for Future Verbs, to be put Imperatively) into my own Bosom, (i. e.) If any shall think or say, that my Fasting for them was but Counterfeit or Politick, and that I did not pray for them, but rather against them, as I do in this Psalm, and that under all this shew I secretly wished their Death or Destruction; my earnest desire is, that the All-seeing and Heart-searching God would grant unto me, when I come into their Circumstances, the same things, which I begged for them, whether Good or Evil. And this Sence agrees with the Common use of this Phrase in Scripture, where whatsoever is repay'd to any Man, is said to be render'd into his Bosom, as Psal. 79. 12. Isa. 65. 6, 7. Ier. 32. 18. Luk. 6. 38. as elsewhere it is said, to return upon his Head.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 30. 25.; Or, [illegible: 1+ letters]licted,

14. I behaved my self as though he had been my friend, Or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother .

Heb. I walked, Either to him, to visit and Comfort him. Or, about the Streets▪ whither my Occasions led me. Though [illegible: 1+ letters]alking is oft put for a Man's Carriage or Conversation.

Went hanging down my Head, as Mourners used to do, Isa. 58. 5.

He mentions the Mother rather than the Father, Either, because her tender Affection and Care, and Kindness to him, had more won upon his Heart, and made him more sensible of the Loss; Or, because through the Depravation of Man's Nature, Children are many times less sensible of their Fathers loss; Or, Death because it is Compensated with some Advantage to themselves, which doth not usually happen upon the Mothers Death. Some render it, as a Mourning Mother, for the loss of her Son. But this doth not seem to suit so well with the Order of the Hebrew Words.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. w[illegible: 1+ letters]ked.; [illegible: 1 word]. as [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] a Bro [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word].

15. But in mine adversity they rejoyced, and gathered themselves together : yea, the abjects , gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not ; they did tear me , and ceased not .

Heb. in my Halting, (i. e.) When I was in great Danger, of falling into Mischief. When I had any Sickness, or ill success in my Affairs, and was almost lost: for such are said to Halt, Mich. 4. 6, 7. Zephan. 3. 19. See also, Psal. 38. 17. Ier. 20. 10.

To wit, against me, as it is expressed in the next Clause; Either, because they were so full of joy at the Tydings, that they could not contain it in their own Breasts, but sought to Communicate it to others: Or, that they might insult over me, and please and recreate themselves, and one another with Discourses about it: Or, that they might consult how to improve the advantage, which they now had against me, to my utter Destruction.

Or, vi[illegible: 1+ letters]e Persons, Either for the meanness of their Condition, Or, for their wickedness, for which they were worthy to be beaten, as the Phrase is, Deut. 25. 2. Where the Hebrew word is of the same Root with this. Or, the Lame, as this very Word is rendred, 2 Sam. 4. 4. and 9. 3. to wit, of their Feet, as it is there expressed. The Cripples that could not walk without Trouble and Pain, were as forward as any, to go to these Meetings upon this Occasion.

This may be added to express either, their Hypocrisie and Pretences, of Respect and Affection to him, by reason whereof he had no Suspition of them, nor of any such Practices of theirs; Or, his own Danger, that he did not know, and therefore could not prevent their Plots and Conspiracies against him. Heb. and I knew not. Which is by others, and well may be rendred thus, Even they whom I knew not, they whom I was so far from provoking by any Injury, that I never saw their Faces, nor heard of their Names.

(i. e.) My good Name with Scoffs and Calumnies, and Reproaches and Curses.

Heb. were not silent, (i e.) Did thus unweariedly and continually.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. H[illegible: 1+ letters]lting. [illegible: 1 word]. 38. 17.; [illegible: 1+ letters]ob 30. 1. 8. [illegible: 1 word].

16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts : they gnashed upon me with their teeth .

Or, Profan[illegible: 1+ letters], as this word signifies, Iob 8. 13. and 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 16. and 15. 34. and 17. 8. and, as some add in all other places.

Whose common Practice it is to scoff at and deride others, and me in particular.

Or, of or for a Cake: Or, a Morsel of Bread, as this Word signifies, 1 Kings 17. 12, 13: and 19. 6▪ By which he further shews what vile and worthless Persons these were, that would trangress for a Morsel of Bread, as it is said, Prov. 28. 21. They made themselves Buffoons and Jesters, and accustomed themselves to Mock and deride David, that thereby they might gain Admittance to the Acquaintance, and Tables of great Men, where they might fill their Bellies; which was all that they sought for, or got by it.

They used all Expressions of Rage and Hatred against me, among which this was one, Iob. 16. 9. Lament 2. 16. This they did to curry Favour with my great and potent Adversaries.

Marginal references: Heb. Cake.

17. LORD, how long wilt thou look on ? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

Like an idle Spectator, without affording me any Pity, or Help?

To wit, my Soul, as it is in the former Clause. Heb. my onely One: which is now left alone and forsaken by my Friends, and hath none to trust to but God. See on Psal. 22. 21.

Marginal references: Heb. my onely One.; Psal. 57. 4.

18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation : I will praise thee among * much people.

When I shall be restored to the Liberty of the publick Assemblies, and solemn Feasts.

Marginal references: Psal. 22. 25. & 40. 9, 10. & 111. 1.; † Heb. strong.

19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me, neither let them wink with their eye , that hate me without a cause.

(i. e.) Mock me or insult over me, as this Phrase signifies, Prov. 6. 13. and 10. 10.

Marginal references: Heb. falsly.; Psal. 69. 4. & 109. 3. & 119. 161. Lam. 3. 52. Joh. 15 25.

20. For they speak not peace : but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land .

They are Enemies to all peaceable Counsels, they breath out nothing but Threatnings and War.

They use not onely open Violence but Deceit, and subtil Artifices.

Against me, and my Followers, who desire nothing more than to Live quietly and peaceably, under Saul's Government.

21. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me , and said Aha, aha , our eye hath seen it z.

Either, 1. To devour me. It is a Metaphor taken from wild Beasts, when they come within reach of their Prey. Or 2. to pour forth whole Floods of Scoffs and Slaunders, and Contumelies.

An Expression of Joy and Triumph. See on Iob 39. 25 Psal. 40. 15. Heb. hath seen, to wit, what we have long desired, and hoped for. See the same or like Ellipsis, Psal. 54. 7. and 59. 10. and 112. 8.

Marginal references: Psal. 40. 15.

22. This thou hast seen , O LORD, keep not silence b: O LORD, be not far from me .

As they say they have seen, so my Comfort is, thou also hast seen, and dost observe all their Plots and Threats, and all my Distresses and Calamities, which I suffer for thy sake. Or, be not Deaf, to wit, to my Prayers. The same Word signifies, both to be silent, and to be Deaf. See on Psal. 28. 1.

Do not withdraw thy Favour and Help from me.

23. Stir up thy self and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause , my God and my Lord.

At last undertake to plead my Cause, against mine Adversaries.

24. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness , and let them not rejoyce over me.

Whereby thou usest and lovest to defend the Innocent, and to punish their Oppressors.

25. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it : let them not say, we have swallowed him up.

Heb. Aha, our Soul, (i. e.) Oh our Soul, cry Aha, an Expression of mirth, as before v. 21. Or, Aha, we have our Wish or Desire, as the Soul is taken, Psal. 41. 2. David is now as low, as we could wish him.

Marginal references: Heb. Ah, ah, our Soul.

26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together , that rejoyce at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour, that magnifie themselves against me.

As they gathered themselves together, to deride and oppose me, so do thou gather them together to destroy them. Or, in like manner, one as well as another: let the Proud and great Ones of them be disappointed and ashamed, as well as the meanest among them.

The same Ellipsis we have, Psal. 38. 16. and 55. 12. Ier. 48 26. Or, their Mouth, as it is expressed Obad. v. 12. So Ezek. 35. 13. That extol themselves and their Power, and look upon me with scorn and Contempt.

Marginal references: Verse 4. Psal. 40. 14.

27. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause : yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified , which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

That wish well to it, although they want either Strength or Courage to Plead it.

(i. e.) Exalted and praised for his Righteousness, and Truth and Goodness, manifested in my Deliverance. Mine Enemies great Design, is to magnifie themselves, v. 26. but my chief desire is, that God may be magnified.

Marginal references: Heb. my righteousness.

Call to Arms against Ungrateful Persecutors, Addressed to God

This Psalms 35 and Ps 34 form a pair. They are the only Psalms in which the name מלאך יהוה is mentioned. The Psalms that belong to the time of David’s persecution by Saul are the Psalms which are more especially pervaded by such retrospective references to the Tôra. And in fact this whole Psalm is, as it were, the lyrical expansion of that which David expresses before Saul in 1Sa 24:15. The critical opinion as to the authorship of this Psalm is closely allied with that respecting the author of Ps 40 and 69 to which Ps 35 is nearly related; cf. Psa 35:21, Psa 35:27 with Psa 40:16.; Psa 35:13 with Psa 69:11.; whereas the relation of Ps 71 to Ps 35 is decidedly a secondary one. Hitzig conjectures it to be Jeremiah; but Psa 35:1 are appropriate in the lips of a persecuted king, and not of a persecuted prophet. The points of contact of the writings of Jeremiah with our Psalm (Jer 18:19., Jer 23:12; Lam 2:16), may therefore in this instance be more safely regarded as reminiscences of an earlier writer than in Ps 69. Throughout the whole Psalm there prevails a deep vexation of spirit (to which corresponds the suffix  מו-, as in Ps 59; Psa 56:1-13; Psa 11:1-7; Psa 17:1-15; 22; Psa 64:1-10) and strong emotion; it is not until the second part, where the poet describes the base ingratitude of his enemies, that the language becomes more clam and transparent, and a more quiet sadness takes the place of indignation and rage.

Each of the three parts opens with a cry for deliverance; and closes, in the certain assumption that it will take place, with a vow of thanksgiving. The divisions cannot therefore be mistaken, viz., Psa 35:1, Psa 35:11, Psa 35:19. The relative numbers of the stichs in the separate groups is as follows: 6. 6. 5. 5. 7. 7. 5. 6. 6. 6. 5.

There are only a few Psalms of David belonging to the time of Saul’s persecution, which, like Ps 22, keep within the limits of deep inward grief; and in scarcely a single instance do we find him confining himself to the expression of the accursed fate of his enemies with prophetic certainty, as that which he confidently expects will be realised (as, e.g., in Psa 7:13-17). But for the most part the objective announcement of punishment is swallowed up by the force of his inmost feelings, and changed into the most importunate prayer (as in Psa 7:7; Psa 17:13, and frequently); and this feverish glow of feeling becomes still more harshly prominent, when the prayer for the revelation of divine judgment in punishment passes over into a wish that it may actually take place. In this respect Ps 7, 35, 69, 109 form a fearful gradation. In Ps 109, the old expositors count as many as thirty anathemas. What explanation can we give of such language coming from the lips and heart of the poet? Perhaps as paroxysms of a desire for revenge? His advance against Nabal shows that even a David was susceptible of such feelings; but 1Sa 25:32. also shows that only a gentle stirring up of his conscience was needed to dissuade him from it. How much more natural-we throw out this consideration in agreement with Kurtz - that the preponderance of that magnanimity peculiar to him should have maintained its ascendancy in the moments of the highest religious consecration in which he composed his Psalms! It is inconceivable that the unholy fire of personal passion could be here mingled with the holy fire of his love to God. It is in fact the Psalms more especially, which are the purest and most faithful mirror of the piety of the Old Testament: the duty of love towards one’s enemies, however, is so little alien to the Old Testament (Exo 23:4., Lev 19:18; Pro 20:22; Pro 24:17; Pro 25:21., Job 31:29.), that the very words of the Old Testament are made use of even in the New to inculcate this love. And from Ps 7, in its agreement with the history of his conduct towards Saul, we have seen that David was conscious of having fulfilled this duty. All the imprecatory words in these Psalms come, therefore, from the pure spring of unself-seeking zeal for the honour of God. That this zeal appears in this instance as zeal for his own person or character arises from the fact, that David, as the God-anointed heir of the kingdom, stands in antagonism to Saul, the king alienated from God; and, that to his mind the cause of God, the continuance of the church, and the future of Israel, coincide with his own destiny. The fire of his anger is kindled at this focus (so to speak) of the view which he has of his own position in the course of the history of redemption. It is therefore a holy fire; but the spirit of the New Testament, as Jesus Himself declare sin Luk 9:55, is in this respect, nevertheless, a relatively different spirit from that of the Old. That act of divine love, redemption, out of the open fountain of which there flowed forth the impulse of a love which embraces and conquers the world, was then as yet not completed; and a curtain then still hung before eternity, before heaven and hell, so that imprecations like Psa 69:20 were not understood,even by him who uttered them, in their infinite depth of meaning. Now that this curtain is drawn up, the New Testament faith shrinks back from invoking upon any one a destruction that lasts לעולם; and love seeks, so long as a mere shadow of possibility exists, to rescue everything human from the perdition of an unhappy future-a perdition the full meaning of which cannot be exhausted by human thought.

In connection with all this, however, there still remains one important consideration. The curses, which are contained in the Davidic Psalms of the time of Saul’s persecution, are referred to in the New Testament as fulfilled in the enemies of Jesus Christ, Act 1:20; Rom 11:7-10. One expression found in our Psalm, ἐμίσησάν με δωρεάν (cf. Psa 69:5) is used by Jesus (Joh 15:25) as fulfilled in Him; it therefore appears as though the whole Psalm ought to be, or at least may be, taken typically as the words of Christ. But nowhere in the Gospels do we read an imprecation used by Jesus against His own and the enemies of the kingdom of God; David’s imprecations are not suited to the lips of the Saviour, nor do the instances in which they are cited in the New Testament give them the impress of being His direct words: they are treated as the language of prophecy by virtue of the Spirit, whose instrument David was, and whose work the Scriptures are. And it is only in this sense that the Christian adopts them in prayer. For after the pattern of his Lord, who on the cross prayed “Father forgive them,” he desires that even his bitterest enemies may not be eternally lost, but, though it be only when in articulo mortis, that they may come to their right mind. Even the anathemas of the apostle against the Judaising false teachers and against Alexander the smith (Gal 1:9; Gal 5:12; 2Ti 4:14), refer only to temporal removal and chastisement, not to eternal perdition. They mark the extreme boundary where, in extraordinary instances, the holy zeal of the New Testament comes in contact with the holy fervour of the Old Testament.

Psa 35:1-3

The psalmist begins in a martial and anthropomorphical style such as we have not hitherto met with. On the ultima-accentuation of ריבה, vid., on Psa 3:8. Both את are signs of the accusative. This is a more natural rendering here, where the psalmist implores God to subjugate his foes, than to regard את as equivalent to עם (cf. Isa 49:25 with ib. Psa 27:8; Job 10:2); and, moreover, for the very same reason the expression in this instance is לחם, (in the Kal, which otherwise only lends the part. לחם, Psa 56:2., to the Niph. נלחם) instead of the reciprocal form הלּחם. It is usually supposed that לחם means properly vorare, and war is consequently conceived of as a devouring of men; but the Arabic offers another primary meaning: to press close and compact (Niph. to one another), consequently מלחמה means a dense crowd, a dense bustle and tumult (cf. the Homeric κλόνος). The summons to Jahve to arm, and that in a twofold manner, viz., with the מגן for warding off the hostile blow and צנּה (vid., Ps 5:13) which covers the body like a testudo - by which, inasmuch as it is impossible to hold both shields at the same time, the figure is idealised - is meant to express, that He is to make Himself felt by the foes, in every possible way, to their own confounding, as the unapproachable One. The ב of בּעזרתי (in the character of help turned towards me) is the so-called Beth essentiae,The Hebrew Beth essentiae is used much more freely and extensively than the Arabic, which is joined exclusively to the predicate of a simple clause, where in our language the verb is “to be,” and as a rule only to the predicate of negative clauses: laisa bi - hakı̂mim, he is not wise, or laisa bi - l - hakı̂mi, he is not the wise man. The predicate can accordingly be indeterminate or determinate. Moreover, in Hebrew, where this ב is found with the predicate, with the complement of the subject, or even, though only as a solecism (vid., Gesenius’ Thesaurus p. 175), with the subject itself, the word to which it is prefixed may be determinate, whether as an attribute determined by itself (Exo 6:3, בּאל שׁדּי), by a suffix (as above, Psa 35:2, cf. Psa 146:5; Exo 18:4; Pro 3:26), or even by the article. At all events no syntactic objection can be brought against the interpretations of בעשׁן, “in the quality of smoke,” Psa 37:20; cf. בּהבל, Psa 78:33, and of בּנּפשׁ, “in the character of the soul,” Lev 17:11. as in Exo 18:4; Pro 3:26; Isa 48:10 (tanquam argentum), and frequently. הריק has the same meaning as in Exo 15:9, cf. Gen 14:14, viz., to bring forth, draw forth, to draw or unsheath (a sword); for as a sword is sheathed when not in use, so a spear is kept in the δουροδόκη (Odyss. i. 128). Even Parchon understands סגר to mean a weapon; and the word σάγαρις, in Herodotus, Xenophon, and Strabo, a northern Asiatic, more especially a Scythian, battle-axe, has been compared here;Probably one and the same word with the Armenian sakr, to which are assigned the (Italian) meanings mannaja, scure, brando ferro, in Ciakciak’s Armenian Lexicon; cf. Lagarde’s Gesammelte Abhandlungen, 1866, S. 203. but the battle-axe was not a Hebrew weapon, and סגר, which, thus defectively written, has the look of an imperative, also gives the best sense when so taken (lxx σύγκλεισον, Targ. וּטרוק), viz., close, i.e., cut off, interclude scil. viam. The word has Dechî, because לקראת רדפי, “casting Thyself against my persecutors,” belongs to both the preceding summonses. Dachselt rightly directs attention to the similar sequence of the accents in Psa 55:19; Psa 66:15. The Mosaic figure of Jahve as a man of war (אישׁ מלחמה, Exo 15:3; Deu 32:41.) is worked out here with brilliant colours, under the impulse of a wrathful spirit. But we see from Psa 35:3 what a spiritual meaning, nevertheless, the whole description is intended to convey. In God’s intervention, thus manifested in facts, he would gladly hear His consolatory utterance to himself. The burden of his cry is that God’s love may break through the present outward appearance of wrath and make itself felt by him.

Psa 35:4-8

Throughout the next two strophes follow terrible imprecations. According to Fürst and others the relation of בּושׁ and חפר is like that of erblassen, to turn pale (cf. Isa 29:22 with Psa 34:6), and erröthen, to turn red, to blush. בושׁ has, however, no connection with בוץ, nor has חפר, Arab. chfr, chmr, any connection with Arab. hmr, to be red; but, according to its radical notion, בּושׁ means disturbari (vid., Ps 6:11), and חפר, obtegere, abscondere (vid., Psa 34:6). יסּגוּ, properly “let them be made to fall back” (cf. e.g., Isa 42:17). On the figure on Psa 35:5 cf. Psa 83:14. The clauses respecting the Angel of Jahve, Psa 35:5 and Psa 35:6, are circumstantial clauses, viz., clauses defining the manner. דּחה (giving, viz., them, the push that shall cause their downfall, equivalent to דּחם or דּחם, Psa 68:28) is closely connected with the figure in Psa 35:6, and רדפם, with the figure in Psa 35:5; consequently it seems as though the original position of these two clauses respecting the Angel of Jahve had been disturbed; just as in Ps 34, the ע strophe and the פ strophe have changed their original places. It is the Angel, who took off Pharaoh’s chariot wheels so that they drave them heavily (Exo 14:25) that is intended here. The fact that this Angel is concerned here, where the point at issue is whether the kingship of the promise shall be destroyed at its very beginning or not, harmonises with the appearing of the מלאך ה at all critical junctures in the course of the history of redemption. חלקלקּות, loca passim lubrica, is an intensive form of expression for חלקות rof noisserp, Psa 73:18. Just as דּחה recalls to mind Ex 15, so רדפם recalls Judg 5. In this latter passage the Angel of Jahve also appears in the midst of the conquerors who are pursuing the smitten foe, incarnate as it were in Deborah.

Psa 35:9-10

This strophe, with which the first part of the song closes, contains the logical apodosis of those imprecatory jussives. The downfall of the power that is opposed to God will be followed by the joy of triumph. The bones of the body, which elsewhere are mentioned as sharing only in the anguish of the soul (Psa 6:3; Psa 31:11; Psa 32:3; Psa 51:10), are here made to share (as also in Psa 51:10) in the joy, into which the anxiety, that agitated even the marrow of the bones, is changed. The joy which he experiences in his soul shall throb through every member of his body and multiply itself, as it were, into a choir of praiseful voices. כּל with a conjunctive accent and without Makkeph, as also in Pro 19:7 (not כּל־, vid., the Masora in Baer’s Psalterium p. 133), is to be read cāl (with קמץ רחב, opp. קמץ חטוף) according to Kimchi. According to Lonzano, however, it is to be read col, the conjunctive accent having an equal power with Makkeph; but this view is false, since an accent can never be placed against Kametz chatuph. The exclamation מי כמוך is taken from Exo 15:11, where, according to the Masora, it is to be pointed מי כמוך, as Ben Naphtali also points it in the passage before us. The Dagesh, which is found in the former passage and is wanting here, sharpens and hardens at the same time; it requires that the expression should be emphatically pronounced (without there being any danger in this instance of its being slurred over); it does not serve to denote the closer connection, but to give it especial prominence. חזק ממּנוּ, stronger than he, is equivalent to: strong, whereas the other is weak, just as in Jer 31:11, cf. Hab 1:13, צדּיק ממּנוּ, righteous, whereas he is ungodly. The repetition of ועני is meant to say: He rescues the עני, who is אביון (poor) enough already, from him who would take even the few goods that he possesses.

Psa 35:11-16

The second part begins with two strophes of sorrowful description of the wickedness of the enemy. The futures in Psa 35:11, Psa 35:12 describe that which at present takes place. עדי חמס are μάρτυρες ἄδικοι (lxx). They demand from him a confession of acts and things which lie entirely outside his consciousness and his way of acting (cf. Psa 69:5): they would gladly brand him as a perjurer, as an usurper, and as a plunderer. What David complains of in Psa 35:12, we hear Saul confess in 1Sa 24:18; the charge of ingratitude is therefore well-grounded. שׁכול לנפשׁי is not dependent on ישׁלּמוּני, in which case one would have looked for כּשׁול rather than שׁכול, but a substantival clause: “bereavement is to my soul,” its condition is that of being forsaken by all those who formerly showed me marks of affection; all these have, as it were, died off so far as I am concerned. Not only had David been obliged to save his parents by causing them to flee to Moab, but Michal was also torn from him, Jonathan removed, and all those at the court of Saul, who had hitherto sought the favour and friendship of the highly-gifted and highly-honoured son-in-law of the king, were alienated from him. And how sincerely and sympathisingly had he reciprocated their leanings towards himself! By ואני in Psa 35:13, he contrasts himself with the ungrateful and unfeeling ones. Instead of לבשׁתּי שׁק, the expression is לבוּשׁי שׁק; the tendency of poetry for the use of the substantival clause is closely allied to its fondness for well-conceived brevity and pictorial definition. He manifested towards them a love which knew no distinction between the ego and tu, which regarded their sorrow and their guilt as his own, and joined with them in their expiation for it; his head was lowered upon his breast, or he cowered, like Elijah (1Ki 18:42), upon the ground with his head hanging down upon his breast even to his knees, so that that which came forth from the inmost depths of his nature returned again as it were in broken accents into his bosom. Riehm’s rendering, “at their ungodliness and hostility my prayer for things not executed came back,” is contrary to the connection, and makes one look for אלי instead of אל־חיקי. Perret-Gentil correctly renders it, Je priai la tête penchée sur la poitrine.

The Psalmist goes on to say in Psa 35:14, I went about as for a friend, for a brother to me, i.e., as if the sufferer had been such to me. With התחלּך, used of the solemn slowness of gait, which corresponds to the sacredness of pain, alternates שׁחח used of the being bowed down very low, in which the heavy weight of pain finds expression. כּאבל־אם, not: like the mourning (from אבל, like הבל from הבל) of a mother (Hitzig), but, since a personal אבל is more natural, and next to the mourning for an only child the loss of a mother (cf. Gen 24:67) strikes the deepest wound: like one who mourns (אבל־,According to the old Babylonian reading (belonging to a period when Pathach and Segol were as yet not distinguished from one another), כּאבל (with the sign of Pathach and the stroke for Raphe below = ä); vid., Pinsker, Zur Geschichte des Karaismus, S. 141, and Einleitung, S. 118. like לבן־, Gen 49:12, from אבל, construct state, like טמא) for a mother (the objective genitive, as in Gen 27:41; Deu 34:8; Amo 8:10; Jer 6:26). קדר signifies the colours, outward appearance, and attire of mourning: with dark clothes, with tearful unwashed face, and with neglected beard. But as for them - how do they act at the present time, when he finds himself in צלע (Psa 38:17; Job 18:12), a sideway direction, i.e., likely to fall (from צלע, Arab. ḍl‛, to incline towards the side)? They rejoice and gather themselves together, and this assemblage of ungrateful friends rejoicing over another’s misfortune, is augmented by the lowest rabble that attach themselves to them. The verb נכה means to smite; Niph. נכּא, Job 30:6, to be driven forth with a whip, after which the lxx renders it μάστιγες, Symm. πλῆκται, and the Targum conterentes me verbis suis; cf. הכּה בּלשׂון, Jer 18:18. But נכים cannot by itself mean smiters with the tongue. The adjective נכה signifies elsewhere with רגלים, one who is smitten in the feet, i.e., one who limps or halts, and with רוּח, but also without any addition, in Isa 16:7, one smitten in spirit, i.e., one deeply troubled or sorrowful. Thus, therefore, נכים from נכה, like גּאים from גּאה, may mean smitten, men, i.e., men who are brought low or reduced (Hengstenberg). It might also, after the Arabic nawika, to be injured in mind, anwak, stupid, silly (from the same root נך, to prick, smite, wound, cf. ichtalla, to be pierced through = mad), be understood as those mentally deranged, enraged at nothing or without cause. But the former definition of the notion of the word is favoured by the continuation of the idea of the verbal adjective נכים by ולא ידעתּי, persons of whom I have hitherto taken no notice because they were far removed from me, i.e., men belonging to the dregs of the people (cf. Job 19:18; Job 30:1). The addition of ולא ידעתי certainly makes Olshausen’s conjecture that we should read נכרים somewhat natural; but the expression then becomes tautological, and there are other instances also in which psalm-poesy goes beyond the ordinary range of words, in order to find language to describe that which is loathsome, in the most glaring way. פרע, to tear, rend in pieces, viz., with abusive and slanderous words (like Arab. qr‛ II) also does not occur anywhere else.

And what remarkable language we now meet with in Psa 35:16! מעוג does not mean scorn or buffoonery, as Böttcher and Hitzig imagine,The Talmudic עגה (לשׁון), B. Sanhedrin 101 b, which is said to mean “a jesting way of speaking,” has all the less place here, as the reading wavers between עגה (עגא) and אגא. but according to 1Ki 17:12, a cake of a round formation (like the Talmudic עגּה, a circle); לעג, jeering, jesting. Therefore לעגי מעוג means: mockers for a cake, i.e., those who for a delicate morsel, for the sake of dainty fare, make scornful jokes, viz., about me, the persecuted one, vile parasites; German Tellerlecker, Bratenriecher, Greek κνισσοκόλακες, ψωμοκόλακες, Mediaeval Latin buccellarii. This לעגי מלוג, which even Rashi interprets in substantially the same manner, stands either in a logical co-ordinate relation (vid., on Isa 19:11) or in a logical as well as grammatical subordinate relation to its regens חנפי. In the former case, it would be equivalent to: the profane, viz., the cake-jesters; in the latter, which is the more natural, and quite suitable: the profane (= the profanest, vid., Psa 45:13; Isa 29:19; Eze 7:24) among cake-jesters. The בּ is not the Beth of companionship or fellowship, to express which עם or את (Hos 7:5) would have been used, but Beth essentiae or the Beth of characterisation: in the character of the most abject examples of this class of men do they gnash upon him with their teeth. The gerund חרק (of the noise of the teeth being pressed together, like Arab. ḥrq, of the crackling of a fire and the grating of a file), which is used according to Ges. §131, 4, b, carries its subject in itself. They gnash upon him with their teeth after the manner of the profanest among those, by whom their neighbour’s honour is sold for a delicate morsel.

Psa 35:17-18

Just as the first part of the Psalm closed with wishes, and thanksgiving for their fulfilment, so the second part also closes with a prayer and thanksgiving. כּמּה (compounded of כּ, instar, and the interrogative מה which is drawn into the genitive by it; Aramaic כּמא, Arabic kam, Hebrew, like בּמּה, with Dag. forte conjunct., properly: the total of what?), which elsewhere means quot, here has the signification of quousque, as in Job 7:19. משּׁאיהם from שׁאה, the plural of which may be both שׁאים and שׁאות (this latter, however, does not occur), like the plural of אימה, terror, אימים and אימות. The suffix, which refers to the enemies as the authors of the destructions (Pro 3:25), shows that it is not to be rendered “from their destroyers” (Hitzig). If God continues thus to look on instead of acting, then the destructions, which are passing over David’s soul, will utterly destroy it. Hence the prayer: lead it back, bring that back, which is already well night borne away to destruction. On יהידה vid., Psa 22:21. The כּפירים, which is intended literally in Psa 34:11, is here emblematical. אודך is the cohortative. עצוּם as a parallel word to רב always refers, according to the context, to strength of numbers or to strength of power.

Psa 35:19-21

I the third part, Psa 35:19 the description of the godlessness of his enemies is renewed; but the soul of the praying psalmist has become more tranquil, and accordingly the language also is more clear and moves on with its accustomed calmness. שׁקר and חנּם are genitives, having an attributive sense (vid., on 2Sa 22:23). The verb קרץ signifies both to pinch = nip, Job 33:6 (cf. the Arabic karada, to cut off), and to pinch together, compress = to wink, generally used of the eyes, but also of the lips, Pro 16:30, and always as an insidiously malicious gesture. אל rules over both members of the verse as in Psa 75:6, and frequently. שׁלום in Psa 35:20 is the word for whatever proceeds from good intentions and aims at the promotion or restoration of a harmonious relationship. רגעי־ארץ (from רגע, cf. ענוי־ארץ, Psa 76:10, Zep 2:3, צפוּניך, Psa 83:4) are those who quietly and unostentatiously walk in the ways of God. Against such they devise mischievous, lying slanders and accusations. And with wide-opened mouth, i.e., haughty scorn, they cry, as they carouse in sight of the misfortune of those they have persecuted: now we have that which we have longed to see. האח (composed of ההּ and אח) is a cry of joy, and more especially of malignant joy at another’s hurt (cf. Eze 25:3).

Psa 35:22-24

The poet takes up this malignant “now our eye sees it” and gives another turn to it. With יהוה, alternates in Psa 35:22, Psa 35:23, cf. Psa 35:17, אדני, the pronominal force of which is revived in the combination אלחי ואדני (vid., Psa 16:2). חעיר, carrying its object within itself, signifies to stir, rouse up, and הקיץ, to break off, tear one’s self away, gather one’s self up from, sleep. “To my right,” viz., to prove it by facts; “to my cause,” to carry it on in my defence.

Psa 35:25-26

On the metonymical use of נפשׁ, like τὸ ὀρεκτικόν for ὄρεξις, vid., Psychol. S. 203 tr. p. 239. The climax of desire is to swallow David up, i.e., to overpower him and clear him out of the way so that there is not a trace of him left. בּלּענוּהוּ with ע before נ, as in Psa 132:6, and frequently; on the law of the vowels which applies to this, vid., Ewald, §60, a. שׂמחי רעתי is a short form of expression for רעתי שׂמחים (בּ) על. To put on shame and dishonour (Psa 109:29, cf. Ps 18), so that these entirely cover them, and their public external appearance corresponds with their innermost nature.

Psa 35:27-28

Those who wish that David’s righteousness may be made manifest and be avenged are said to take delight in it. When this takes place, Jahve’s righteousness is proved. יגדּל, let Him be acknowledged and praised as great, i.e., let Him be magnified! David desires that all who remain true to him may thus speak; and he, on his part, is determined to stir up the revelation of God’s righteousness in his heart, and to speak of that of which his heart is full (Psa 71:24).

Prayer for Divine Protection.

1 Plead my cause, O Lord , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. 2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. 3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. 4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. 5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. 7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. 8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord : it shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, Lord , who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

In these verses we have,

I. David's representation of his case to God, setting forth the restless rage and malice of his persecutors. He was God's servant, expressly appointed by him to be what he was, followed his guidance, and aimed at his glory in the way of duty, had lived (as St. Paul speaks) in all good conscience before God unto this day; and yet there were those that strove with him, that did their utmost to oppose his advancement, and made all the interest they could against him; they fought against him (v. 1), not only undermined him closely and secretly, but openly avowed their opposition to him and set themselves to do him all the mischief they could. They persecuted him with an unwearied enmity, sought after his soul (v. 4), that is, his life, no less would satisfy their bloody minds; they aimed to disquiet his spirit and put that into disorder. Nor was it a sudden passion against him that they harboured, but inveterate malice: They devised his hurt, laid their heads together, and set their wits on work, not only to do him a mischief, but to find out ways and means to ruin him. They treated him, who was the greatest blessing of his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it; they hunted him as a dangerous beast of prey; they digged a pit for him and laid a net in it, that they might have him at their mercy, v. 7. They took a great deal of pains in persecuting him, for they digged a pit (Ps. vii. 15); and very close and crafty they were in carrying on their designs; the old serpent taught them subtlety: they hid their net from David and his friends; but in vain, for they could not hide it from God. And, lastly, he found himself an unequal match for them. His enemy, especially Saul, was too strong for him (v. 10), for he had the army at his command, and assumed to himself the sole power of making laws and giving judgment, attainted and condemned whom he pleased, carried not a sceptre, but a javelin, in his hand, to cast at any man that stood in his way; such was the manner of the king, and all about him were compelled to do as he bade them, right or wrong. The king's word is a law, and every thing must be carried with a high hand; he has fields, and vineyards, and preferments, at his disposal, 1 Sam. xxii. 7. But David is poor and needy, has nothing to make friends with, and therefore has none to take his part but men (as we say) of broken fortunes (1 Sam. xxii. 2); and therefore no marvel that Saul spoiled him of what little he had got and the interest he had made. If the kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his anointed, who can contend with them? Note, It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with many mighty and malicious enemies: Christ himself is striven with and fought against, and war is made upon the holy seed; and we are not to marvel at the matter: it is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman.

II. His appeal to God concerning his integrity and the justice of his cause. If a fellow-subject had wronged him, he might have appealed to his prince, as St. Paul did to Cæsar; but, when his prince wronged him, he appealed to his God, who is prince and Judge of the kings of the earth: Plead my cause, O Lord! v. 1. Note, A righteous cause may, with the greatest satisfaction imaginable, he laid before a righteous God, and referred to him to give judgment upon it; for he perfectly knows the merits of it, holds the balance exactly even, and with him there is no respect of persons. God knew that they were, without cause, his enemies, and that they had, without cause, digged pits for him, v. 7. Note, It will be a comfort to us, when men do us wrong, if our consciences can witness for us that we have never done them any. It was so to St. Paul. Acts xxv. 10, To the Jews have I done no wrong. We are apt to justify our uneasiness at the injuries men do us by this, That we never gave them any cause to use us so; whereas this should, more than any thing, make us easy, for then we may the more confidently expect that God will plead our cause.

III. His prayer to God to manifest himself both for him and to him, in this trial. 1. For him. He prays that God would fight against his enemies, so as to disable them to hurt him, and defeat their designs against him (v. 1), that he would take hold of shield and buckler, for the Lord is a man of war (Exod. xv. 3), and that he would stand up for his help (v. 2), for he had few that would stand up for him, and, if he had ever so many, they would stand him in no stead without God. He prays that God would stop their way (v. 3), that they might not overtake him when he fled from them. This prayer we may put up against our persecutors, that God would restrain them and stop their way. 2. To him: "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation; let me have inward comfort under all these outward troubles, to support my soul which they strike at. Let God be my salvation, not only my Saviour out of my present troubles, but my everlasting bliss. Let me have that salvation not only which he is the author of, but which consists in his favour; and let me know my interest in it; let me have the comfortable assurance of it in my own breast." If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we have enough, we need desire no more to make us happy; and this is a powerful support when men persecute us. If God be our friend, no matter who is our enemy.

IV. His prospect of the destruction of his enemies, which he prays for, not in malice or revenge. We find how patiently he bore Shimei's curses (so let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him); and we cannot suppose that he who was so meek in his conversation would give vent to any intemperate heat or passion in his devotion; but, by the spirit of prophecy, he foretels the just judgments of God that would come upon them for their great wickedness, their malice, cruelty, and perfidiousness, and especially the enmity to the counsels of God, the interests of religion, and that reformation which they knew David, if ever he had power in his hand, would be an instrument of. They seemed to be hardened in their sins, and to be of the number of those who have sinned unto death and are not to be prayed for, Jer. vii. 16; xi. 14; xiv. 11; 1 John v. 16. As for Saul himself, David, it is probable, knew that God had rejected him and had forbidden Samuel to mourn for him, 1 Sam. xvi. 1. And these predictions look further, and read the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom, as appears by comparing Rom. xi. 9, 10. David here prays, 1. Against his many enemies (v. 4-6): Let them be confounded, &c. Or, as Dr. Hammond reads it, They shall be confounded, they shall be turned back. This may be taken as a prayer for their repentance, for all penitents are put to shame for their sins and turned back from them. Or, if they were not brought to repentance, David prays that they might be defeated and disappointed in their designs against him and so put to shame. Though they should in some degree prevail, yet he foresees that it would be to their own ruin at last: They shall be as chaff before the wind, so unable will wicked men be to stand before the judgments of God and so certainly will they be driven away by them, Ps. i. 4. Their way shall be dark and slippery, darkness and slipperiness (so the margin reads it); the way of sinners is so, for they walk in darkness and in continual danger of falling into sin, into hell; and it will prove so at last, for their foot shall slide in due time, Deut. xxxii. 35. But this is not the worst of it. Even chaff before the wind may perhaps be stopped, and find a place of rest, and, though the way be dark and slippery, it is possible that a man may keep his footing; but it is here foretold that the angel of the Lord shall chase them (v. 5) so that they shall find no rest, shall persecute them (v. 6) so that they cannot possibly escape the pit of destruction. As God's angels encamp against those that fight against him. They are the ministers of his justice, as well as of his mercy. Those that make God their enemy make all the holy angels their enemies. 2. Against his one mighty enemy (v. 8): Let destruction come upon him. It is probable that he means Saul, who laid snares for him and aimed at his destruction. David vowed that his hand should not be upon him; he would not be judge in his own cause. But, at the same time, he foretold that the Lord would smite him (1 Sam. xxvi. 10), and here that the net he had hidden should catch himself, and into that very destruction he should fall. This was remarkably fulfilled in the ruin of Saul; for he had laid a plot to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines (1 Sam. xviii. 25), that was the net which he hid for him under pretence of doing him honour, and in that very net was he himself taken, for he fell by the hand of the Philistines when his day came to fall.

V. His prospect of his own deliverance, which, having committed his cause to God, he did not doubt of, v. 9, 10. 1. He hoped that he should have the comfort of it: "My soul shall be joyful, not in my own ease and safety, but in the Lord and in his favour, in his promise and in his salvation according to the promise." Joy in God and in his salvation is the only true, solid, satisfying joy. Those whose souls are sorrowful in the Lord, who sow in tears and sorrow after a godly sort, need not question but that in due time their souls shall be joyful in the Lord; for gladness is sown for them, and they shall at last enter into the joy of their Lord. 2. He promised that then God should have the glory of it (v. 10): All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee? (1.) He will praise God with the whole man, with all that is within him, and with all the strength and vigour of his soul, intimated by his bones, which are within the body and are the strength of it. (2.) He will praise him as one of peerless and unparalleled perfection. We cannot express how great and good God is, and therefore must praise him by acknowledging him to be a non-such. Lord, who is like unto thee? No such patron of oppressed innocency, no such punisher of triumphant tyranny. The formation of our bones so wonderfully, so curiously (Eccl. xi. 5; Ps. cxxxix. 16), the serviceableness of our bones, and the preservation of them, and especially the life which, at the resurrection, shall be breathed upon the dry bones and make them flourish as a herb, oblige every bone in our bodies, if it could speak, to say, Lord, who is like unto thee? and willingly to undergo any services or sufferings for him.

Prayer for Deliverance; Sorrowful Complaints.

11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. 12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. 15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: 16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Two very wicked things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good his appeal to God against them—perjury and ingratitude.

I. Perjury, v. 11. When Saul would have David attainted of treason, in order to his being outlawed, perhaps he did it with the formalities of a legal prosecution, produced witnesses who swore some treasonable words or overt acts against him, and he being not present to clear himself (or, if he was, it was all the same), Saul adjudged him a traitor. This he complains of here as the highest piece of injustice imaginable: False witnesses did rise up, who would swear anything; they laid to my charge things that I knew not, nor ever thought of. See how much the honours, estates, liberties, and lives, even of the best men, lie at the mercy of the worst, against whose false oaths innocency itself is no fence; and what reason we have to acknowledge with thankfulness the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, to which it is owing that there is not more mischief done in that way than is. This instance of the wrong done to David was typical, and had its accomplishment in the Son of David, against whom false witnesses did arise, Matt. xxvi. 60. If we be at any time charged with what we are innocent of let us not think it strange, as though some new thing happened to us; so persecuted they the prophets, even the great prophet.

II. Ingratitude. Call a man ungrateful and you can call him no worse. This was the character of David's enemies (v. 12): They rewarded me evil for good. A great deal of good service he had done to his king, witness his harp, witness Goliath's sword, witness the foreskins of the Philistines; and yet his king vowed his death, and his country was made too hot for him. This is to the spoiling of his soul; this base unkind usage robs him of his comfort, and cuts him to the heart, more than anything else. Nay, he had deserved well not only of the public in general, but of those particular persons that were now most bitter against him. Probably it was then well known whom he meant; it may be Saul himself for one, whom he was sent for to attend upon when he was melancholy and ill, and to whom he was serviceable to drive away the evil spirit, not with his harp, but with his prayers; to others of the courtiers, it is likely, he had shown this respect, while he lived at court, who now were, of all others, most abusive to him. Herein he was a type of Christ, to whom this wicked world was very ungrateful. John x. 32. Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those do you stone me? David here shows,

1. How tenderly, and with what a cordial affection, he had behaved towards them in their afflictions (v. 13, 14): They were sick. Note, Even the palaces and courts of princes are not exempt from the jurisdiction of death and the visitation of sickness. Now when these people were sick, (1.) David mourned for them and sympathized with them in their grief. They were not related to him; he was under no obligations to them; he would lose nothing by their death, but perhaps be a gainer by it; and yet he behaved himself as though they had been his nearest relations, purely from a principle of compassion and humanity. David was a man of war, and of a bold stout spirit, and yet was thus susceptible of the impressions of sympathy, forgot the bravery of the hero, and seemed wholly made up of love and pity; it was a rare composition of hardiness and tenderness, courage and compassion, in the same breast. Observe, He mourned as for a brother or mother, which intimates that it is our duty, and well becomes us, to lay to heart the sickness, and sorrow, and death of our near relations. Those that do not are justly stigmatized as without natural affection. (2.) He prayed for them. He discovered not only the tender affection of a man, but the pious affection of a saint. He was concerned for their precious souls, and, since he helped them with his prayers to God for mercy and grace; and the prayers of one who had so great an interest in heaven were of more value than perhaps they knew or considered. With his prayers he joined humiliation and self-affliction, both in his diet (he fasted, at least from pleasant bread) and in his dress; he clothed himself with sackcloth, thus expressing his grief, not only for their affliction, but for their sin; for this was the guise and practice of a penitent. We ought to mourn for the sins of those that do not mourn for them themselves. His fasting also put an edge upon his praying, and was an expression of the fervour of it; he was so intent in his devotions that he had no appetite to meat, nor would allow himself time for eating: "My prayer returned into my own bosom; I had the comfort of having done my duty, and of having approved myself a loving neighbour, though I could not thereby win upon them nor make them my friends." We shall not lose by the good offices we have done to any, how ungrateful soever they are; for our rejoicing will be this, the testimony of our conscience.

2. How basely and insolently and with what a brutish enmity, and worse than brutish, they had behaved towards him (v. 15, 16); In my adversity they rejoiced. When he fell under the frowns of Saul, was banished the court, and persecuted as a criminal, they were pleased, were glad at his calamities, and got together in their drunken clubs to make themselves and one another merry with the disgrace of this great favourite. Well, might he call them abjects, for nothing could be more vile and sordid than to triumph in the fall of a man of such unstained honour and consummate virtue. But this was not all. (1.) They tore him, rent his good name without mercy, said all the ill they could of him and fastened upon him all the reproach their cursed wit and malice could reach to. (2.) They gnashed upon him with their teeth; they never spoke of him but with the greatest indignation imaginable, as those that would have eaten him up if they could. David was the fool in the play, and his disappointment all the table-talk of the hypocritical mockers at feasts; it was the song of the drunkards. The comedians, who may fitly be called hypocritical mockers (for which does a hypocrite signify but a stage-player?) and whose comedies, it is likely, were acted at feasts and balls, chose David for their subject, bantered and abused him, while the auditory, in token of their agreement with the plot, hummed, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. Such has often been the hard fate of the best of men. The apostles were made a spectacle to the world. David was looked upon with ill-will for no other reason than because he was caressed by the people. It is a vexation of spirit which attends even a right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, Eccl. iv. 4. And who can stand before envy? Prov. xxvii. 4.

Sorrowful Complaints; David's Appeal and Prayer to God.

17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. 18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. 19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. 20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. 21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. 22 This thou hast seen, O Lord : keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. 23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. 25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

In these verses, as before,

I. David describes the great injustice, malice, and insolence, of his persecutors, pleading this with God as a reason why he should protect him from them and appear against them. 1. They were very unrighteous; they were his enemies wrongfully, for he never gave them any provocation: They hated him without a cause; nay, for that for which they ought rather to have loved and honoured him. This is quoted, with application to Christ, and is said to be fulfilled in him. John xv. 25, They hated me without cause. 2. They were very rude; they could not find in their hearts to show him common civility: They speak not peace; if they met him, they had not the good manners to give him the time of day; like Joseph's brethren, that could not speak peaceably to him, Gen. xxxvii. 4. 3. They were very proud and scornful (v. 21): They opened their mouth wide against me; they shouted and huzzaed when they saw his fall; they bawled after him when he was forced to quit the court, "Aha! aha! this is the day we longed to see." 4. They were very barbarous and base, for they trampled upon him when he was down, rejoiced at his hurt, and magnified themselves against him, v. 26. Turba Remi sequitur fortunam, ut semper, et odit damnatos—The Roman crowd, varying their opinions with every turn of fortune, are sure to execrate the fallen. Thus, when the Son of David was run upon by the rulers, the people cried, Crucify him, crucify him. 5. They set themselves against all the sober good people that adhered to David (v. 20): They devised deceitful matters, to trepan and ruin those that were quiet in the land. Note, (1.) It is the character of the godly in the land that they are the quiet in the land, that they live in all dutiful subjection to government and governors, in the Lord, and endeavour, as much as in them lies, to live peaceably with all men, however they may have been misrepresented as enemies to Cæsar and hurtful to kings and provinces. I am for peace, Ps. cxx. 7. (2.) Though the people of God are, and study to be, a quiet people, yet it has been the common practice of their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. All the hellish arts of malice and falsehood are made use of to render them odious or despicable; their words and actions are misconstrued, even that which they abhor is fathered upon them, laws are made to ensnare them (Dan. vi. 4, &c.), and all to ruin them and root them out. Those that hated David thought scorn, like Haman, to lay hands on him alone, but contrived to involve all the religious people of the land in the same ruin with him.

II. He appeals to God against them, the God to whom vengeance belongs, appeals to his knowledge (v. 22): This thou hast seen. They had falsely accused him, but God, who knows all things, knew that he did not falsely accuse them, nor make them worse than really they were. They had carried on their plots against him with a great degree of secresy (v. 15): "I knew it not, till long after, when they themselves gloried in it; but thy eye was upon them in their close cabals and thou art a witness of all they have said and done against me and thy people." He appeals to God's justice: Awake to my judgment, even to my cause, and let it have a hearing at thy bar, v. 23. "Judge me, O Lord my God! pass sentence upon this appeal, according to the righteousness of thy nature and government," v. 24. See this explained by Solomon, 1 Kings vii. 31, 32. When thou art appealed to, hear in heaven, and judge, by condemning the wicked and justifying the righteous.

III. He prays earnestly to God to appear graciously for him and his friends, against his and their enemies, that by his providence the struggle might issue to the honour and comfort of David and to the conviction and confusion of his persecutors. 1. He prays that God would act for him, and not stand by as a spectator (v. 17): "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? How long wilt thou connive at the wickedness of the wicked? Rescue my soul from the destructions they are plotting against it; rescue my darling, my only one, from the lions. My soul is my only one, and therefore the greater is the shame if I neglect it and the greater the loss if I lose it: it is my only one, and therefore ought to be my darling, ought to be carefully protected and provided for. It is my soul that is in danger; Lord, rescue it. It does, in a peculiar manner, belong to the Father of spirits, therefore claim thy own; it is thine, save it. Lord, keep not silence, as if thou didst consent to what is done against me! Lord, be not far from me (v. 22), as if I were a stranger that thou wert not concerned for; let not me beheld afar off, as the proud are." 2. He prays that his enemies might not have cause to rejoice (v. 19): Let them not rejoice over me (and again, v. 24); not so much because it would be a mortification to him to be trampled upon the abjects, as because it would turn to the dishonour of God and the reproach of his confidence in God. It would harden the hearts of his enemies in their wickedness and confirm them in their enmity to him, and would be a great discouragement to all the pious Jews that were friends to his righteous cause. He prays that he might never be in such imminent danger as that they should say in their hearts, Ah! so would we have it (v. 25), much more that he might not be reduced to such extremity that they should say, We have swallowed him up; for then they will reflect upon God himself. But, on the contrary, that they might be ashamed and brought to confusion together (v. 26, as before, v. 4); he desires that his innocency might be so cleared that they might be ashamed of the calumnies with which they had loaded him, that his interest might be so confirmed that they might be ashamed of their designs against him and their expectations of his ruin, that they might either be brought to that shame which would be a step towards their reformation or that that might be their portion which would be their everlasting misery. 3. He prays that his friends might have cause to rejoice and give glory to God, v. 27. Notwithstanding the arts that were used to blacken David, and make him odious, and to frighten people from owning him, there were some that favoured his righteous cause, that knew he was wronged and bore a good affection to him; and he prays for them, (1.) That they might rejoice with him in his joys. It is a great pleasure to all that are good to see an honest man, and an honest cause, prevail and prosper; and those that heartily espouse the interests of God's people, and are willing to take their lot with them even when they are run down and trampled upon, shall in due time shout for joy and be glad, for the righteous cause will at length be a victorious cause. (2.) That they might join with him in his praises: Let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, by us and others, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. Note, [1.] The great God has pleasure in this prosperity of good people, not only of his family, the church in general, but of every particular servant in his family. He has pleasure in the prosperity both of their temporal and of their spiritual affairs, and delights not in their griefs; for he does not afflict willingly; and we ought therefore to have pleasure in their prosperity, and not to envy it. [2.] When God in his providence shows his good-will to the prosperity of his servants, and the pleasure he takes in it, we ought to acknowledge it with thankfulness, to his praise, and to say, The Lord be magnified.

IV. The mercy he hoped to win by prayer he promises to wear with praise: "I will give thee thanks, as the author of my deliverance (v. 18), and my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, the justice of thy judgments and the equity of all thy dispensations;" and this, 1. Publicly, as one that took a pleasure in owning his obligations to his God, so far was he from being ashamed of them. He will do it in the great congregation, and among much people, that God might be honoured and many edified. 2. Constantly. He will speak God's praise every day (so it may be read) and all the day long; for it is a subject that will never be exhausted, no, not by the endless praises of saints and angels.

PSAL. XXXV.

A Psalme of David.

PLead thou Iehovah with them that plead with me, war thou against them that war against me. Lay hold on the shield and buckler, and stand up for my helpe. And draw out the speare and sword to meet with my persecutors; say to my soule I am thy salvation. Let them be abashed and ashamed that seek my soule, let them be turned backward and confounded that thinke mine evill. Let them be as chaffe before the wind, and the Angell of Iehovah driving them. Let their way be darknesse and slippernesses, and the Angell of Iehovah pursuing them. For without cause they have hid for me the corruption of their net, without cause they have digged for my soule. Let tumultuous ruine come on him, he not aware; and let his net which he hath hidden catch him; with tumultuous ruine let him fall thereinto. And my soule shall be glad in Iehovah, shall joy in his salvation. All my bones shall say; Iohovah, who is like thee, that riddest free the poore afflicted from the stronger than himselfe, and the poore afflicted and needy from the spoiler of him? Witnesses of cruell wrong did rise up, things that I knew not they did aske of me. They repaied me evill for good, the bereaving of my soule. And I, when they were sicke, my cloathing was sackcloth; I afflicted my soule with fasting, and my prayer returned upon my bosome. I walked as if he had been a fellow-friend, as if he had been a brother to me: I bowed downe sad as hee that bewaileth his mother. But in my halting they rejoyced and were gathered together, the smiters were gathered together against me, and I knew it not: they rent and were not silent. With hypocrites, scoffers for a cake of bread, gnashing their teeth against me. Lord, how long wilt thou see? returne my soule from their tumultuous ruines, my alonely soule from the Lions. I will confesse thee in the great Church, I will praise thee among a mighty people. Let not them that are my enemies with falsity, rejoyce at me, them that are my haters without cause winke with the eye. For they speake not peace, and against the quiet ones of the earth they imagine words of deceits. And they have enlarged their mouth against me; they have said, aha, aha, our eye hath seene. Iehovah thou hast seene, cease not as deafe: O Lord, be not farre off from me. Stirre up and awake to my judgement, my God and my Lord, to my plea. Iudge me according to thy justice, Iehovah my God, and let them not rejoyce at me. Let them not say in their heart, aha our soule: let them not say, we have swallowed him up. Let them be abashed and confounded together that rejoyce at mine evill; let them be cloathed with bashfulnesse and shame that magnifie against me. Let them shout joyfully and rejoyce that delight my justice; and let them say continually, magnified be Iehovah, that delighteth the peace of his servant. And my tongue shall meditate thy justice, all the day thy praise.

Annotations. PLead] This properly is to contend or debate a matter with many words, as the next word, war or fight, is with deeds. But Gods pleading o[illegible: 1 span]imes is in action; as he pleaded Davids cause against Nabal, when he slew him, 1 Sam. 25. 39. And as here David prayeth, so God elsewhere promiseth to plead with those that plead with his people, Isa. 49. 25. warre] which in the originall tongue hath the name of cutting, biting or devouring, for warres devoure and consume many. So the sword is said to have a mouth, that is, an edge, Iob 1. 15. Heb. 11. 34. and to eat, that is, to kill and consume, 2 Sam. 11. 25. Vers. 3. drawout] or, as the Hebrew phrase is, empty, that is, unshead; the like is of the sword, Exod. 15. 9. Levit. 26. 33. sword] or close weapon, as the name signifieth. This interpretation seemeth best, because of the Hebrew pause, which joyneth this word with the former, speare: thus also these two weapons of offence are answerable to the former two of defence, the shield and buckler: and of this Hebrew name Segor, the Greeke Sagaris (and perhaps the Latine Securis,) seemeth to be borowed, for a sword or axe. And in Iob 28. 15. this word is used for a close treasure, or stored gold; as here for a close weapon. Otherwise wee may reade according to the Greeke, and other versions, close thou, or stop, to wit, the way or passage. Vers. 4. that seeke my soule] that is, my life to take it away: for so this phrase commonly meaneth, as Psal. 38. 13. and 54. 5. and 70. 3. Exod. 4. 19. Mat. 2. 20. and sometime is so explained, as Psal. 63. 10. 1 King. 19. 10. they seeke my soule to take it away. Yet somtime this phrase intendeth seeking the soule for ones good, as Psal. 142. 5. turned backward] a token of feare, shame, and discomfiture, as Psal. 129. 5. and 40. 15. and 70. 3. and 9. 4. Isa. 42. 17. Ier. 46. 5. Vers. 6. Darknesse, &c.] that is, most darke and slippery: meaning, fearfull, dangerous, troublesome, &c. Nahum 1. 8. Psal. 88. 7. and 107. 9. Prov. 4. 19. So elsewhere it is said, their way shall be unto them us slippernesses in the darknesse; they shall be driven and fall therein, Ier. 23. 12. Vers. 7. the corruption, &c.] that is, their corrupting pernicious net, or their insnaring corruption: or understanding the word in, we may reade, they hid their not for me in a pit, (or, in a corrupting ditch;) as Psal. 7. 16. have digged] to wit, a pit to fallin; so Iob 6. 27. Or, have diligently searched, and laid wait. So digging is used for seeking, Iob 3. 21. and 39. 32. Vers. 8. tumultuous ruine] calamitie, wasting or desolation that is with noise and sonnd as of waters, Isa. 17. 12, 13. So Psal. 63. 10. Prov. 1. 27. Vers. 10. my bones] that is, my strong and solid members (as the Chaldee translateth it members,) delivered out of danger: meaning that with all his strength he would praise God: So the bones are said to rejoyce, Psal. 51. 10. the loines to blesse, Iob 31. 20. the spoiler] or robber, that by open violence taketh away. Compare Iob 5. 15. Vers. 11. of cruellwrong] that is, cruell, violent, or (as the Greeke saith,) unjust witnesses. So Exod. 23. 1. Deut. 19. 16. Vers. 12. the bereaving of] that is, to deprive, bereave or rob me of my soule or life; or, to bereave my soule of comfort. The word properly signifieth the bereaving or losse of children. Vers. 13. s[illegible: 1 letter]ck[illegible: 1 letter]loth] used to bee worne in signe of sorrow, Psal. 69. 12. Gen. 37. 34. Mat. 11. 21. Rev. 11. 3. Here [illegible: 1 word] are to understand the word was, on gave, as is expressed, Psal. 69. 12. even as the word afflicted, here expressed, is there understood, Psal. 69. 11. with fasting] another signe and cause of sorrow: wherefore mourning & fasting are used for the same, Matt. 9. 15. with Mark. 2. 19. returned up on [illegible: 1 word] bosome] or, into my bosome. The meaning may be, I prayed [illegible: 1 letter]ften for them, secretly, and with hearty laving affection. For, the returning of the prayer seemeth to meane the often minding and repeating of it; the bosome signifieth secrecie, Prov. 21. 14. and 17. 23. Psal. 89. 51. and inward affection, Num. 11. 12. Ioh. 1. 18. Or wee may reade it thus; Let my prayer returne into thy bosome, that is, I wished no worse to them than to my selfe, let me receive of God such good as I prayed for them. See Psal. 79. 12. Vers. 14. sad] or blacke, to wit, in blacke and mournfull attire, and with sad and heavy countenance, as the Greeke here translateth it, Scuthropazon, which word the new testament also useth, Matt. 6. 16. Luke. 24. 17. So after in Psal. 38. 7. and 42. 10. and 43. 2. bewaileth his mother] mourneth at her funerall. In this case the affections are most strong. Therefore the Priests were permitted to mourne for such, Levit. 21. 1, 2, 3. Vers. 15. my halting] that is, my calamitie and infirmitie, whereby I seemed ready to fall. So in Psal. 38. 18. Ier. 20. 10. the smiters] that smote me with the tongue, as Ier. 18. 18. and as here followeth, they rent, &c. The Seventy in Greeke turne it Scourges, alluding (as I thinke) to the scourge of the tongue, as Iob 5. 21. and another Greeke version hath plectai, smiters. It may also be read the smitten, that is, abjects, vile persons, Iob 30. 8. (as the Chaldee expresseth it, the wicked;) or understand smitten on their feet, as 2 Sam. 4. 4. that is, lame, so faining themselves: or smitten in spirit, as Esai. 66. 2. that is, grieved in outward shew. they rent] to wit, me with reproaches, as Matt. 7. 6. or rent their garments, counterfeiting sorrow for me, Iob 2. 12. Vers. 16. hypocrites] or, close dissemblers, which outwardly cover and cloke their wickednesse, wherewith inwardly they are defiled, Matt. 23. 27, 28. or which have their hearts covered, Iob 36. 13. The Greeke also (from whence our English word hypocrisie is borrowed,) signifieth an under judgement, that is, dissimulation. scoffers] or, of scoffes, that is, men that make scoffs; as in Psal. 36. 12. pride is for proud persons. for a cake of bread] that is, for good cheare, for their bellies: or, at their belly cheare, at banquets. So Solomon speaketh of some that will transgresse for a peece of bread, Prov. 28. 21. The originall word Mag[illegible: 1 letter]nog is a cake, 1 King. 17. 12. and as bread is used for all food, Psal. 136. 25. so a cake seemeth to be used for all juncates or dainty meats; as in Hos. 7. Ephraim is likened to a cake, and their enemies to banketters that greedily eat them up, verse 8, 9. so here David matcheth his adversaries with hypocriticall and scoffing parasites, whose God was their belly, as Phil. 3. 19. Or wee may figuratively take this word for a mocke jest, or mer[illegible: 1 letter]ment, and so reade it, with hypocriticall jesting scoffers: and this the Greeke favoureth, saying, they mocked me with mockage. gnashing] or, they gnashed: Hebr. to gnash; but a word thus indefinite, following another with person, is it selfe of the same, by proprietie of the Hebrew tongue. So Psal. 49. 15. their teeth] the teeth of them and him, that is, of every of them. See Psal. 2. 3. Vers. 17. returne] or, reduce, restore stay my soule or life: so Iob 33. 30. alonely] or solitarie, desolate soule: See Psal. 23. 21,—23. Vers. 18. a mightie people] or, a strong, to wit, in number, that is, a great multitude. The word Ghnatsum, as it is mighty in strength, Psal. 135. 10. Prov. 30. 26. so is it many in number, Psal. 40. 6. 13. and 105. 24. and 137. 17. Vers. 19. enemies with falsitie] that is, for a false cause; or (as the Greeke explaineth it) unjustly. winke] make secret signes by the winking of the eye, which argueth both privie and scoruefull gesture; therefore this alwaies is a signe of evill, Prov. 10. 10. and 6. 13. not peace] that is, not peaceably or friendly, which yet some hypocrites doe, Psal. 28. 3. or, not speake to come to any sound composition, or peaceable end which one may trust unto. But God speaketh peace to his people, Psal. 85. 9. words of deceits] deceitfull words or things. Vers. 21. hath seene] or, seeth, to wit, the evill of David, or, that which we desired. In speeches of evill cases, often the Hebrew useth silence. So after in Psal. 54. 9. and 59. 11. and 118. 7. Vers. 23. to my judgement] that is, to judge and avenge me of mine enemies: so after, to my plea, is, to plead my cause, as vers. 1. Vers. 25. aha our soule] that is, aba[illegible: 2 letters] have our desire. Soule is sometime put for desire, Psal. 41. 3. Vers. 26. cloathed with bashfulnesse] meaning their confusion on every side, when nothing but their shame appeareth and so continueth. So Psal. 109. 29. and 132. 18. Iob 8. 22. that magnifie] to wit, their mouthes, as is expressed, Hobad. 1. 12. Ezek. 35. 13. that is, speake great things and boastfully, as the Greeke explaineth. So after in Psal. 38. 17. and 55. 13. delight my justice] whom my justice and innocency pleaseth or delighteth, and the defence thereof.

PSAL. XXXV.

VErſ. 1. Plead my cauſe, O Lord] We may ſafely pray the ſame, when oppreſſed with calumnies, and falſe accuſations, as now David was by Sauls Sycophants, or (as others think) when he was in great heavineſſe, and even heart-ſick; after that Amnon had defiled Tamar, and Abſolom had ſlain Amnon; his diſaffected ſubjects, ſuch as Shimei, inſulted over him, and ſaid, it was juſt upon him for the matter of Uriah, and other miſcarriages; which they wrongfully charged him with. See a promiſe in this caſe, Iſa. 49.21.

Fight againſt them, &c.] Or, devoure them that devoure mee; for in Niphal only it ſignifieth to fight.

Verſ. 2. Take hold of ſhield and buckler] Jehovab is a man of war, Exod. 15.5. and ſo he is here ſtirred up to harneſs himſelf: Not that he needeth weapons defenſive, as here, or offenſive, as verſ. 3. for he can deſtroy his enemies, ſole nutu ac flatu, with a nod, or a blaſt: But this is ſpoken after the manner of men, and for our better apprehenſion of Gods readineſſe to relieve his diſtreſſed ones.

Verſ. 3. Draw out alſo the ſpear] viz. That thy contending and appearing for mee, may appear to be ſufficient and glorious.

And ſtop the way] Heb. And ſtop, viz. the doores, as Gen. 19.6, 10. & 2 King. 6.32. leſt the malecontents come in and kill mee. Or, ſhut mee up from my perſecutors, that they find mee not; like as afterwards, God hid Jeremy and Baruch, when ſought for to the ſlaughter.

Say unto my ſoul I am thy ſalvation] Facito ut haec animula te ſibi teſt antem audiat, &c. Inwardly perſwade my heart to firm affiance in thee, amidſt all mine afflictions.

Verſ. 4. Let them be confounded and put to ſhame] Here David beginneth his imprecations; which yet non maledicens dixit ſed vaticinantis more praedixit, ſaith Theodoret, he doth not utter as curſing, but as propheſying rather. If we ſhall at any time take upon us thus to imprecate (as we may in ſome caſes) we muſt ſee to it, firſt that our cauſe be good. Secondly, that we do it not out of private revenge; but meerly for the glory of God. Thirdly, ut ne voculam quidem niſinobis praeunte Dei, non carnis, ſpiritu effundamus, that we utter not a ſyllable this way, but by the guidance of Gods good Spirit.

Verſ. 5. Let them be as chaffe] Facti ſint à corde ſu[illegible: 1 letter] fugitivi, Let them flye before their own conſciences, reſtleſſe and uncertain whither to turn themſelves.

And let the Angel of the Lord chaſe them] It may be underſtood both of the evill Angels, and of the good; ready at Gods command to do execution upon his enemies. Chaffe driven before the wind may reſt againſt a wall; but where ſhall they reſt who are chaſed by an Angel? where ſhall the ungodly and the ſinner appear, 1 Pet. 4.18? Surely no where.

Verſ. 6. Let their way be dark and ſlippery] Heb. Darkneſſe and ſlipperineſſe. If a man have neither light, nor firm footing, and a feirce enemy at his heeles,See Jer. 23.1[illegible: 1 letter] what ſhift can he make for himſelf? The word rendred ſlippery is of a double form (like that libbi ſecharchar, my heart panteth or beateth about, throbbeth, Pſal. 38.10.) to increaſe the ſignification. The ſoul of a wicked man is as in a ſling, 1 Sam. 25.29. violently toſſed about.

Verſ. 7. For without cauſe have they hid for mee, &c.] The Wicked are ſo acted and agitated by the Devill their task-maſter, that though they have no cauſe to work miſchief to the Saints, yet they muſt do it; the old enmity, Gen. 3. ſtill worketh: But this rendreth their deſtruction certiorem & celeriorem, more ſure and more ſwift.

Verſ. 8. Let deſtruction come upon him at unawars] i.e. Upon the whole rabble of them, as if they were all but one man. Or, elſe he ſtriketh at ſome chieftain amongſt them. Let his deſtruction be as ſuddain as ſignal.

Verſ. 9. And my ſoul ſhall be joyfull in the Lord] This was that he aimed at in his foregoing imprecations, viz. the glory and praiſe of God, and not his own reaking his teen upon his enemies.

Verſ. 10. All my bones ſhall ſay Lord, who is like unto thee?] Not my ſoul only, but my body alſo ſhall joyn in this joyfull acclamation; yea my bones ſhall ſay, &c. that is, whatſoever ſtrength and vigour is in mee, it ſhall be ſpent in celebrating thy praiſes. Or, although I have nothing left mee but skin and bones, ſo poor am I grown, yet I will not be wanting to the work.

Verſ. 11. Falſe witneſſes did riſe up] So they did afterward againſt the Lord Chriſt, and ſundry of his faithfull ſervants, as St. Paul, Athanaſius, Enſtathius Biſhop of Antioch, Alſted. Chronol. Act. & Mon. (falſely accuſed of Adultery, and depoſed, about the end of Conſtantine the great's reign) Cranmer charged with Adultery, hereſy and treaſon; Philpot with paricide; Latimer with ſedition; whereof he was ſo innocent, that he feared not to ſay in a Sermon before the King, as for ſedition, for ought that I know, methinks I ſhould not need Chriſt, if I may ſo ſay.

They laid to my charge things that I knew not] Such as whereof I was not only innocent, but ignorant alſo. The Hebrew is, They asked mee, and ſo would have, by cunningly contrived queſtions, made mee mine own accuſer.

Verſ. 12. They rewarded mee evill for good] To render good for evill is divine; good for good is humane; evill for evill is brutiſh; but evill for good is deviliſh.

To the ſpoyling of my ſoul] i.e.Intentant caedem. Kimchi. To the depriving mee of that life which I have ſo often hazarded, to ſave theirs. Or, this their deviliſh dealing with mee, erat mihi quaſi mors amarum, was as bitter as death to mee.

Verſ. 13. But as for mee, when they were ſick] i.e. Any way afflicted, when they ayled any thing.

My cloathing was ſackcloath] I put my ſelf in mourners habit; Incedebam atratus, to teſtifie my good affection to ward them.

I humbled my ſoul with faſting] In die deſignato, in a ſolemn day ſet apart for the purpoſe; Kimchi. De Elia & jejunio cap. 8. as the a with a pathach ſheweth. Jejunium eſt humilit as mentis, miſerationis expenſa, charit at is illecebra, allevamentum infirmitatis, alimentum ſalut is, ſaith Ambroſe, Faſting is the affliction of the ſoul, the coſt of compaſſion, &c.

And my prayer returned into mine own boſome] i. e. Though they had no benefit by it, yet my ſelf had;2 Sam. 1.22. for no faithfull prayer is ineffectuall; like Jonathans bow, it never returneth empty. I received the fruit of my prayers for them upon my boſome.

Verſ. 14. I behaved my ſelf as though he had been, &c.] My Brother a thouſand times. This was much to do to an enemy; but poſſibly all this might be before they fell out.

I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth, &c.] The Mother is uſually moſt dearly-beloved, and not without cauſe; as having been ante partum oneroſa, in part[illegible: 1 letter] doloroſa, poſt partum laborioſa. Kimchi. Or, as a ſuckling cryeth in the loſſe of his Nurſe.

Verſ. 15.Morbus eſt ſic dictus quia incedere nequit niſi cum dolore quaſi claudicando. Aben-Ezra. Dum illum ride[illegible: 1 letter], pene factus ſum ille. Epiſt. 9. lib. 2. But in mine adverſity] Heb. In my halting; when through weakneſſe I could not but halt before my beſt friends, as we ſay.

Yea the abjects gathered themſelves together] Claudi congregati ſunt, & ſecundum claudicationem meam claudicabant, ut me deriderent, So the Syriack ſenſeth it. They halted as I did, by way of deriſion; but they ſhould have known, firſt, that mocking is catching, as we ſay; Tully confeſſeth, that whiles he laughed at one Hircus a very ridiculous man, he became as bad almoſt himſelf. Secondly, That ſuch cruell mockings, are grievous ſins, and ſuch as God ſeverely puniſheth. Some render it the Smiters, that is, the tongue-ſmiters, as Jer. 18.18. Others, the ſmitten, that is, the abjects, the vile perſons; the baſeſt can mock, as did Tobiah the Servant, Neh. 2.19. and thoſe Peſts, Pſal. 1.1.

And I knew it not] Or, Such as I knew not, took no notice of, they were ſo baſe; See the like, Job 30.8.

They did tear mee] ſc. With their tongues, as doggs toſſe and tear carrion with their teeth, Scindunt illud quod reparare nequeunt, non per poenitentiam, ſaith Kimchi. They tear that which they cannot make good again, no not by repentance, viz. my good name. Or. they rent, ſc. their garments, as if they had been very ſorry for mee, as Gen. 37.34. Job 2.12. This they did, as Auſtin speaketh, ſimulatione miſeriae, non compaſſione miſericordiae, out of deep diſſimulation.

Verſ. 16. With Hypocriticall mockers in feaſts] Cum ſannionibus placentae v[illegible: 1 letter]lcibi, with hypocriticall mockers for a cake, or dainties; there is an elegancy in the origiginall (which ſheweth it to be proverbiall) and cannot be engliſhed. R. Solomon telleth us here, that they who delighted in flatteries, gave their flatterers cakes baked with honey, to make them the more to flatter them. Solomon telleth of ſome that will tranſgreſſe for a peece or bread, Prov. 28.21. So thoſe paraſiticall Prophets,Menſarii ſcur [illegible: 3 letters]. Ezek. 13.19. Or, I am made their table-talk, as Hoſ: 7.8. ſcornfully deriding mee at their feaſts, and in their cups.

Verſ. 17. Lord how long wilt thou look on] i.e. carry thy ſelf as a Spectator of my miſeries, and a tolerator of mine enemies, thoſe architects of mine afflictions.

Reſcue my ſoul from their deſtructions] i. e. Their ſnares and ambuſhes, whereby they ſeek to deſtroy me.

My darling from the Lions] See the Note on Pſal. 22.20.

Verſ. 18. I will give thee thanks in the great Congregation] For examples ſake to others; for Magnates magnetes. Acts 18.8. when Criſpus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved, many of the Corinthians beleeved alſo. Great men are the Looking-glaſſes of the Country, according to which moſt men dreſs themſelves: many eyes are upon them; they had need therefore to be exact, for they are ſure to be exemplary.

Verſ. 19. Neither let them wink with the eye] Which is the geſture of a malicious Scoffer, Prov. 6.13. & 10.10.Ne amarulenter Ludificentur me. Trem:

Verſ. 20. For they ſpeak not peace] Which yet God doth to his people, Pſa. 85.9. and that is their comfort; I am for peace, ſaith David elſewhere, but when I ſpeak of it, they are for war, Pſal. 120.7.

Againſt the quiet of the Land] i.e. Againſt my ſelf, and ſuch as I am, who ſtudy to be quiet, and to do our own buſineſs, 1 Theſ. 4.11. affecting rather quietneſs from the World, than acquaintance with it.

Verſ. 21. They opened their mouth] As if the very banks of blaſphemy had been broken down.

Our eye bath ſeen] Eye for eyes, unleſs we would ſay that all the wicked are ſo conjoyned, that they may ſeem to have but one Eye, Heart, Head, &c. and then they ſay as Hannibal did, when he ſaw a ditch full of mans bloud, O formoſum ſpectaculum! O gallant fight! O rem regiam, as Valeſus ſaid, when he had ſlain three hundred Proteſtants.

Verſ. 22. This thou haſt ſeen, O Lord] This anſwereth to that before, verſ. 21. Our eye hath ſeen it, as Aben-Ezra obſerveth. So doth

Keep not ſilence] To that, they opened their mouth wide againſt me. Ibid.

Verſ. 23. Stir up thy ſelf, and awake] This is the ſame in effect with the beginning of the Pſalm; to ſhew his ardour and intention of affection.

Verſ. 24. According to thy righteouſneſs] i.e. for the honour of thy Juſtice, wherein elſe thou art likely to ſuffer.

And let them not rejoyce over me] For I quarter Armes, as I may ſo ſay, with thee, Lord; and my diſgrace will reflect upon thee.

Verſ. 25. Ah, ſo would we have[illegible: 1 letter]t] Heb. Ah, ah, our ſoul; that is, our deſire: we are voti compotes.

We have ſwallowed him up] As Swine do ſwill, or ravenous beaſts their prey.

Verſ. 26. Let them be aſhamed, &c.] They ſhall ſo: and this prayer againſt the Churches enemies ſhall ſtill ſpeak effectually.

Verſ. 27. Let them ſhout for joy, &c.] He concludeth with hearty prayer for the Church, as he doth in divers other Pſalms.

That favour my righteous cauſe] Though perhaps they dare do no more than inwardly favour it, and by their prayers to God promote it.

Let them ſay continually, &c.] Let them have continual cauſe to praiſe God for this ſweet property, that he delighteth in his peoples proſperity, and afflicteth them not from his heart, nor grieveth the Children of men, but for their greateſt good, Lam. 3.35.

Verſ. 28. And my tongue, &c.] I do ſolemnly promiſe that thy praiſes ſhall never dye on my hand, &c.

"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me." Plead against those who plead against me; strive with my strivers; contend with my contenders. If they urge their suit in the law-court, Lord, meet them there, and beat them at their own weapons. Every saint of God shall have this privilege: the accuser of the brethren shall be met by the Advocate of the saints. "Fight against them that fight against me." If my adversaries try force as well as fraud, be a match for them; oppose thy strength to their strength. Jesus does this for all his beloved —for them he is both intercessor and champion; whatever aid they need they shall receive from him, and in whatever manner they are assaulted they shall be effectually defended. Let us not fail to leave our case into the Lord's hand. Vain is the help of man, but ever effectual is the interposition of heaven. What is here asked for as a boon, may be regarded as a promise, to all the saints; in judgment they shall have a divine advocate, in warfare a divine protection.

"Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help." In vivid metaphor the Lord is pictured as coming forth armed for battle, and interposing himself between his servant and his enemies. The greater and lesser protections of providence may be here intended by the two defensive weapons, find by the Lord's standing up is meant his active and zealous preservation of his servant in the perilous hour. This poetic imagery shows how the Psalmist realised the existence and power of God; and thought of him as a real and actual personage, truly working for his afflicted.

"Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me." Before the enemy comes to close quarters the Lord can push them off as with a long spear. To stave off trouble is no mean act of lovingkindness. As when some valiant warrior with his lance blocks up a defile, and keeps back a host until his weaker brethren have made good their escape, so does the Lord often hold the believer's foes at bay until the good man has taken breath, or clean fled from his foes. He often gives the foes of Zion some other work to do, and so gives rest to his church. What a glorious idea is this of Jehovah blocking the way of persecutors, holding them at the pike's end, and giving time for the hunted saint to elude their pursuit! "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Besides holding off the enemy the Lord can also calm the mind of his servant by express assurance from his own mouth, that he is, and shall be, safe under the Almighty wing. An inward persuasion of security in God is of all things the most precious in the furnace of persecution. One word from the Lord quiets all our fears.

"Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul." There is nothing malicious here, the slandered man simply craves for justice, and the petition is natural and justifiable. Guided by God's good spirit the Psalmist foretells the everlasting confusion of all the haters of the righteous. Shameful disappointment shall be the portion of the enemies of the gospel, nor would the most tender-hearted Christian have it otherwise: viewing sinners as men, we love them and seek their good, but regarding them as enemies of God, we cannot think of them with anything but detestation, and a loyal desire for the confusion of their devices. No loyal subject can wish well to rebels. Squeamish sentimentality may object to the strong language here used, but in their hearts all good men wish confusion to mischief-makers.

"Let them be as chaff before the wind." They were swift enough to attack, let them be as swift to flee. Let their own fears and the alarms of their consciences unman them so that the least breeze of trouble shall carry them hither and thither. Ungodly men are worthless in character, and light in their behaviour, being destitute of solidity and fixedness; it is but just that those who make themselves chaff should be treated as such. When this imprecation is fulfilled in graceless men, they will find it an awful thing to be for ever without rest, without peace of mind, or stay of soul, hurried from fear to fear, and from misery to misery. "And let the angel-of the Lord chase them." Fallen angels shall haunt them, good angels shall afflict them. To be pursued by avenging spirits will be the lot of those who delight in persecution. Observe the whole scene as the Psalmist sketches it: the furious foe is first held at bay, then turned back, then driven to headlong flight, and chased by fiery messengers from whom there is no escape, while his pathway becomes dark and dangerous, and his destruction overwhelming.

"Let their way be dark and slippery." What terrors are gathered here! No light, no foothold, and a fierce avenger at their heels! What a doom is appointed for the enemies of God! They may rage and rave today, but how altered will be their plight ere long! "And let the angel of the Lord persecute them." He will follow them hot-foot, as we say, never turning aside, but like a trusty pursuivant serving the writ of vengeance upon them, and arresting them in the name of unflinching justice. Woe, woe, woe, unto those who touch the people of God; their destruction is both swift and sure.

In this verse the Psalmist brings forward the gravamen of his charge against the servants of the devil. "For without cause" —without my having injured, assailed, or provoked them; out of their own spontaneous malice "have they hid for me their net in a pit," even as men hunt for their game with cunning and deception. Innocent persons have often been ruined by traps set for them, into which they have fallen as guilelessly as beasts which stumble into concealed pits, and are taken as in a net. It is no little thing to be able to feel that the enmity which assails us is undeserved —uncaused by any wilful offence on our part. Twice does David assert in one verse that his adversaries plotted against him "without cause." Net-making and pit-digging require time and labour, and both of these the wicked will expend cheerfully if they may but overthrow the people of God. Fair warfare belongs to honourable men, but the assailants of God's church prefer mean, ungenerous schemes, and so prove their nature and their origin. We must all of us be on our guard, for gins and pitfalls are still the favourite weapons of the powers of evil.

"Let destruction come, upon him at unawares." This tremendous imprecation is frequently fulfilled. God's judgments are often sudden and signal. Death enter the persecutor's house without pausing to knock at the door. The thunderbolt of judgment leaps from its hiding-place, and in one crash the wicked are broken for ever. "And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall." There is a lex talionis with God which often works most wonderfully. Men set traps and catch their own fingers. They throw up stones, and they fall upon their own heads. How often Satan outwits himself, and burns his fingers with his own coals! This will doubtless be one of the aggravations of hell, that men will torment themselves with what were once the fond devices of their rebellious minds. They curse and are cursed; they kick the pricks and tear themselves; they pour forth floods of fire, and it burns them within and without.

"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord." Thus rescued, David ascribes all the honour to the Judge of the right; to his own valorous arm he offers no sacrifice of boasting. He turns away from his adversaries to his God, and finds a deep unbroken joy in Jehovah, and in that joy his spirit revels. "It shall rejoice in his salvation." We do not triumph in the destruction of others, but in the salvation given to us of God. Prayer heard should always suggest praise. It were well if we were more demonstrative in our holy rejoicings. We rob God by suppressing grateful emotions.

As if the tongue were not enough to bless God with, David makes every limb vocal—"All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee?" His whole anatomy he would make resonant with gratitude. Those bones which were to have been broken by my enemies shall now praise God; every one of them shall bring its tribute, ascribing unrivalled excellence to Jehovah the Saviour of his people. Even if worn to skin and bone, yet my very skeleton shall magnify the Lord, "which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him." God is the champion, the true knight-errant of all oppressed ones. Where there is so much condescension, justice, kindness, power, and compassion, the loftiest songs should be rendered. Come, dear reader, have you not been delivered from sin, Satan, and death, and will not you bless the Redeemer? You were poor and weak, but in due time Christ sought you, and set you free. O magnify the Lord today, and speak well of his name.

"False witnesses did rise up." This is the old device of the ungodly, and we must not wonder if it be used against us as against our Master. To please Saul, there were always men to be found mean enough to impeach David. "they laid to my charge things that I knew not." He had not even a thought of sedition; he was loyal even to excess; yet they accused him of conspiring against the Lord's anointed. He was not only innocent, but ignorant of the fault alleged. It is well when our hands are so clean that no trace of dirt is upon them.

"They rewarded me evil for good." This is devilish; but men have learned the lesson well of the old Destroyer, and practise it most perfectly. "To the spoiling of my soul." They robbed him of comfort, and even would have taken his life had it not been for special rescues from the hand of God. The wicked would strip the righteous naked to their very soul: they know no pity. There are only such limits to human malice as God himself may see fit to place.

"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth." David had been a man of sympathy; he had mourned when Saul was in ill health, putting on the weeds of sorrow for him as though he were a near and dear friend. His heart went into mourning for his sick master. "I humbled my soul with fasting." He prayed for his enemy, and made the sick man's case his own, pleading and confessing as if his own personal sin had brought on the evil. This showed a noble spirit in David, and greatly aggravated the baseness of those who now so cruelly persecuted him. "And my prayer returned into mine own bosom." Prayer is never lost: if it bless not those for whom intercession is made, it shall bless the intercessors. Clouds do not always descend in showers upon the same spot from which the vapours ascended, but they come down somewhere; and even so do supplications in some place or other yield their showers of mercy. If our dove find no rest for the sole of her foot among our enemies, it shall fly into our bosoms and bring an olive branch of peace in its mouth. How sharp is the contrast all through this Psalm between the righteous and his enemies! We must be earnest to keep the line of demarcation broad and clear.

"I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother:" I waited on him assiduously, comforted him affectionately, and sympathised with him deeply. This may refer to those days when David played on the harp, and chased away the evil spirit from Saul. "I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. He bowed his head as mourners do. The strongest natural grief was such as he felt when they were in trouble. The mother usually wins the deepest love, and her loss is most keenly felt; such was David's grief. How few professors in these days have such bowels of compassion; and yet under the gospel there should be far more tender love than under the law. Had we more hearty love to manhood, and care for its innumerable ills, we might be far more useful; certainly we should be infinitely more Christ-like. "He prayeth best that loveth best."

"But in mine adversity they rejoiced." In my halting they were delighted. My lameness was sport to them. Danger was near, and they sang songs over my expected defeat. How glad are the wicked to see a good man limp! "Now," say they, "he will meet with his downfall." "And gathered themselves together," like kites and vultures around a dying sheep. They found a common joy in my ruin, and a recreation in my sorrow, and therefore met together to keep the feast. They laid their heads together to devise, and their tongues to deceive. "Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me." Those who deserved horsewhipping, fellows the soles of whose feet were needing the bastinado, came together to plot, and held hole and corner meetings. Like curs around a sick lion, the mean wretches taunted and insulted one whose name had been their terror. The very cripples hobbled out to join the malicious crew. How unanimous are the powers of evil; how heartily do men serve the devil; and none decline his service because they are not endowed with great abilities! "I knew it not." It was all done behind my back. What a fluster the world may be in, and the cause of it all may not even know that he has given offence. "They did tear me, and ceased not." It is such dainty work to tear to pieces a good man's character, that when slanderers have their hand in they are loath to leave off. A pack of dogs tearing their prey is nothing compared with a set of malicious gossips mauling the reputation of a worthy man. That lovers of the gospel are not at this time rent and torn as in the old days of Mary, is to be attributed to the providence of God rather than to the gentleness of men.

"With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth." Like professional buffoons who grin around the banquet to make sport, so they made a business of jeering at the good man; not, however, out of mirth, but from violent, insatiable hatred. Like cake-scoffers, or men who will jeer for a bit of bread, these hireling miscreants persecuted David in order to get a bellyful for themselves from Saul's table: having moreover an inward grudge against the son of Jesse because he was a better man than themselves.

Very forcibly might our Lord have used the words of these verses! Let us not forget to see the Despised and Rejected of men here painted to the life. Calvary and the ribald crew around the cross seem brought before our eyes.

"Lord, how long wilt thou look on?" Why be a mere spectator? Why so neglectful of thy servant? Art thou indifferent? Carest thou not that we perish? We may thus reason with the Lord. He permits us this familiarity. There is a time for our salvation, but to our impatience it often seems to be very slow in coming; yet wisdom has ordained the hour, and nothing shall delay it. "Rescue my soul from their destructions." From their many devices; their multiplied assaults, be pleased to set me free. "My darling," my lovely, only, precious soul, do thou rescue "from the lions." His enemies were fierce, cunning, and strong as young lions; God only could deliver him from their jaws, to God he therefore addresses himself.

"I will give thee thanks in the great congregation." Notable deliverances must be recorded, and their fame emblazoned. All the saints should be informed of the Lord's goodness. The theme is worthy of the largest assembly; the experience of a believer is a subject fit for an assembled universe to hear of. Most men publish their griefs, good men should proclaim their mercies. "I will praise thee among much people." Among friends and foes will I glorify the God of my salvation. Praise —personal praise, public praise, perpetual praise —should be the daily revenue of the King of heaven. Thus, for the second time, David's prayer ends in praise, as indeed all prayer should.

He earnestly prays that as they have no cause for their enmity, they may have no cause for triumph either in his folly, sin, or overthrow. "Neither let them wink with the eye that hale me without a cause." The winking of the eye was the low-bred sign of congratulation at the ruin of their victim, and it may also have been one of their scornful gestures as they gazed upon him whom they despised. To cause hatred is the mark of the wicked, to suffer it causelessly is the lot of the righteous. God is the natural Protector of all who are wronged, and he is the enemy of all oppressors.

"For they speak not peace." They love it not; how can they speak it? They are such troublers themselves that they cannot judge others to be peaceable. Out of the mouth comes what is in the heart. Riotous men charge others with sedition. "They devise deceitful mailers against them that are quiet in the land." David would fain have been an orderly citizen, but they laboured to make him a rebel. He could do nothing aright, all his dealings were misrepresented. This is an old trick of the enemy to brand good men with S.S on their cheeks, as sowers of sedition, though they have ever been a harmless race, like sheep among wolves. When mischief is meant, mischief is soon made. Unscrupulous partisans could even charge Jesus with seeking to overturn Caesar, much more will they thus accuse his household. At this very hour, those who stand up for the crown rights of King Jesus are called enemies of the church, favourers of Popery, friends of Atheists, levellers, red republicans, and it were hard to say what besides. Billingsgate and Babylon are in league.

"Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me." As if they would swallow him. Uttering great lies which needed wide mouths. They set no bounds to their infamous charges, but poured out wholesale abuse, trusting that if all did not stick, some of it would. "And said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it." Glad to find out a fault or a misfortune, or to swear they had seen evil where there was none. Malice has but one eye; it is blind to all virtue in its enemy. Eyes can generally see what hearts wish. A man with a mote in his eye sees a spot in the sun. How like a man is to an ass when he brays over another's misfortunes! how like to a devil when he laughs a hyaena-laugh over a good man's slips! Malice is folly, and when it holds a festival its tones and gestures far exceed all the freaks and mummeries of the Lord of misrule.

"This thou hast seen, O Lord." Here is comfort. Our heavenly Father knows all our sorrow. Omniscience is the saint's candle which never goes out. A father will not long endure to see his child abused. Shall not God avenge his own elect? "Keep not silence." Rebuke thine enemies and mine, O Lord. A word will do it. Clear my character, comfort my heart. "O Lord, be not far from me." Walk the furnace with me. Stand in the pillory at my side. The sweet presence of God is the divine cordial of the persecuted; his painful absence would be their deepest misery.

"Stir up thyself." Be upon thy mettle. Prove that thou art no indifferent witness to all this infamy. "Awake to rail judgment." Take the sceptre and summon the great assize; vindicate justice, avenge oppression. Do not tarry as men do who sleep. "Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord." He claims a nearness to his God, he holds him with both hands; he leaves his case with the righteous Judge. He begs that the suit may be brought on, heard, tried, and verdict given. Well is it for a man when his conscience is so clear that he dares to make such an appeal.

The appeal is here repeated; the plaintiff feels that the joy of his accusers will be short-lived as soon as impartial justice rules. The oppressors' wrong, the proud man's contumely, the fool's grimace —all, all will cease when the righteous Lord sits down upon the judgment seat.

"Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up." Disappoint them of their prey when their mouths are ready to swallow it. Saints are too dear a morsel for the powers of evil; God will not give his sheep over to the wolfish jaws of the persecutors. Just when they are tuning their pipes to celebrate their victory, they shall be made to laugh on the other side of their mouths. They are all too sure, and too boastful; they reckon without their host: little do they dream of the end which will be put to their scheming. Their bird shall be flown, and they themselves shall be in the trap. The prayer of this text is a promise. Even before the lips of the wicked can frame a speech of exultation, they shall be disappointed; their heart-speech shall be forestalled, their wishes frustrated, their knavish tricks exposed.

Here is the eternal result of all the laborious and crafty devices of the Lord's enemies. God will make little of them, though they "magnified themselves;" he will shame them for shaming his people, bring them to confusion for making confusion, pull off their fine apparel and give them a beggarly suit of dishonour, and turn all their rejoicing into weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Truly, the saints can afford to wait.

"Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause." Even those who could not render him active aid, but in their hearts favoured him, David would have the Lord reward most abundantly. Men of tender heart set great store by the good wishes and prayers of the Lord's people. Jesus also prizes those whose hearts are with his cause. The day is coming when shouts of victory shall be raised by all who are on Christ's side, for the battle will turn, and the foes of truth shall be routed. "Yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified." He would have their gladness contributory to the divine glory; they are not to shout to David's praise, but for the honour of Jehovah. Such acclamations may fitly be continued throughout time and eternity. "Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant." They recognised David as the Lord's servant, and saw with pleasure the Lord's favour to him. We can have no nobler title than "servant of God," and no greater reward than for our Master to delight in our prosperity. What true prosperity may be we are not always best able to judge. We must leave that in Jesus' hand; he will not fail to rule all things for our highest good.

"For by his saints it stands confessed.

That what he does is always best."

Unceasing praise is here vowed to the just and gracious God. From morning till evening the grateful tongue would talk and sing, and glorify the Lord. O for such a resolve carried out by us all!

Whole Psalm. Bonar entitles this Psalm, "The awful utterance of the Righteous One regarding those that hate him without cause;" and he makes the following remarks thereupon: —"Throughout the endless day of eternity the Lord Jesus shall himself speak the Father's 'praise,' and shall put marked emphasis on his 'righteousness' —that righteousness which shall have been exhibited, both in the doom of those who hated the offered Redeemer, and in the salvation of those who received him. There is nothing in all this wherein his own may not fully join, especially on that day when their views of justice shall be far clearer and fuller than now. On that day we shall be able to understand how Samuel could hew Agag in pieces, and the godly hosts of Israel slay utterly in Canaan man and woman and child, at God's command. We shall be able, not only fully to agree in the doom, 'Let them be confounded,' etc., but even to sing, 'Amen, Hallelujah,' over the smoke of torment. Rev. 19:1, 2. We should in some measure now be able to use every verse of this Psalm in the spirit in which the Judge speaks it, we feeling ourselves his assessors in judging the world. 1Cor. 6:2. We shall, at all events, be able to use it on that day when what is written here shall be all accomplished." —Andrew A. Bonar.

"Plead my cause, O God, with them that strive with me." 1. Doth the world condemn thee for thy zeal in the service of God? Reproachfully scorn thee for thy care to maintain good works? not blush to traduce thee with imputations of preciseness, conceited singularity, pharisaical hypocrisy? Oh but if thy conscience condemn thee not all this while, if that be rectified by the sacred word of God, if thou aim at his glory in pursuing thine own salvation, and side not with the disturbers of the church, go on, good Christian, in the practice of piety, discourage not thyself in thy laudable endeavours, but recount with comfort that the Lord is thy judge (1Cor. 4:4), with a scio cui crediderim, "I know whom I have believed." 2Tim. 1:12.

2. Art thou wrongfully adjudged in the erroneous courts of men? are truth and righteousness gone aside from their proper places? Is equity neglected, and poverty overlaid? Well, have patience awhile, cheer up thy fainting spirits, there is a God that beholdeth the innocency of thy cause, unto whom thou hast liberty to make thy last appeal: "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me." Or,

3. Art thou otherwise injured by the hands of malicious men? and doth a penurious estate disable thee to sue for amends? Doth a Nimrod oppress thee? A Laban defraud thee? A covetous landlord gripe thee? Well, yet take not the matter into thine own hands by attempting unlawful courses; presume not to be judge in thine own cause, for default of a present redress; but often remember what the apostle taught his Thessalonians: "It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you." —Isaac Craven's Sermon at Paul's Cross, 1630.

"Plead," etc. More literally, litigate, O Lord, with them that litigate against me, contend against them that contend with me; i.e., avenge me of mine adversaries. —Daniel Cresswell, D.D., F.R.S., in "The Psalms of David according to the Book of Common Prayer: with Critical and Explanatory Notes," 1843.

"Shield and buckler." The word rendered "shield" is in the Hebrew text מגן, magen, which was a short buckler intended merely for defence. The word rendered "buckler" is עגּה tsinnah; it was double the weight of the magen, and was carried by the infantry; the magen, being lighter and more manageable, was used by the cavalry. The tsinnah answered to the scutum, and the magen to the clypeus, among the Romans. The word tsinnah, means that kind of shield from the middle of which there arose a large boss, surmounted by a dagger, and which was highly useful both as a defensive and an offensive weapon in ancient warfare. —James Anderson, note to Calvin in loc.

"Draw out the spear, and stop the way." The spear in the days of Saul and David was a favourite weapon. (See 1 Chron. 11). A valiant man bravely defending a narrow pass might simply with his lance keep back a pursuing host, and give time for his friends to escape. Very remarkable were the feats of valour of this sort performed in Oriental warfare. David would have his God become his heroic defender, making his enemies pause. —C. H. S.

"Draw out;" or, as the Hebrew phrase is, empty, that is unsheath the like is of the sword. Exod. 15:9; Levit. 26:33. —Henry Ainsworth.

"Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Observe, 1. That salvation may be made sure to a man. David would never pray for that which could not be. Nor would Peter charge us with a duty which stood not in possibility to be performed. 2Pet. 1:10. "Make your election sure." And to stop the bawling throats of all cavilling adversaries, Paul directly proves it: "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Cor. 13:5. We may then know that Christ is in us. If Christ be in us, we are in Christ; if we be in Christ, we cannot be condemned, for (Rom. 8:1) "There is no damnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." But I leave this point that it may be sure, as granted; and come to ourselves that we may make it sure. The Papists deny this, and teach the contrary, that salvation cannot be made sure; much good do it them, with their sorry and heartless doctrine! If they make that impossible to any which God hath made easy for many, "into their secret let not my soul come." Gen. 49:6. Observe, 2. That the best saints have desired to make their salvation sure. David that knew it, yet entreats to know it more. "I know thou favourest me" (Psalm 41:11); yet here still, dic animae, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." A man can never be too sure of his going to heaven. —Thomas Adams.

"Say unto my soul."

1. God may speak with his own voice; and thus he gave assurance to Abraham, "Fear not, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Gen. 15:1. If God speak comfort, let hell roar horror.

2. He may speak by his works: actual mercies to us demonstrate that we are in his favour, and shall not be condemned. "By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me."

3. He may speak by his Son. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28.

4. He may speak by his Scripture; this is God's epistle to us, and his letters patent, wherein are granted to us all the privileges of salvation. A universal si quis; "Whosoever believes, and is baptised, shall be saved."

5. He may speak by his ministers, to whom he hath given "the ministry of reconciliation." 2 Cor. 5:19.

6. He doth speak this by his Spirit: he "sendeth forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6.

By all these voices God says to his elect, "I am your salvation." . . ."My." There is no vexation to the vexation of the soul; so no consolation to the consolation of the soul . . .. Let this teach us to make much of this "My." Luther says there is great divinity in pronouns. The assurance that God will save some is a faith incident to devils. The very reprobates may believe that there is a book of election; but God never told them that their names were written there. The hungry beggar at the feast-house gate smells good cheer, but the master doth not say, "This is provided for thee." It is small comfort to the harbourless wretch to pass through a goodly city, and see many glorious buildings, when he cannot say, Haec mea domus, I have a place here. The beauty of that excellent city Jerusalem, built with sapphires, emeralds, chrysolites, and such precious stones, the foundation and walls whereof are perfect gold (Rev. 21), affords a soul no comfort, unless he can say, Mea civitas, I have a mansion in it. The all-sufficient merits of Christ do thee no good, unless, tua pars et portio, he be thy Saviour. Happy soul that can say with the Psalmist, "O Lord, thou art my portion!" Let us all have oil in our lamps, lest if we be then to buy, beg, or borrow, we be shutout of doors like the fools, not worthy of entrance. Pray, "Lord, say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." . . . Who? What? To whom? When? Who? The Lord! To the Lord David prays. He hath made a good choice, for there is salvation in none other. "Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help." Hos. 13:9. The world fails, the flesh fails, the devil kills. Only the Lord saves what? Salvation. A special good thing; every man's desire. I will give thee a lordship, saith God to Esau. I will give thee a kingdom, saith God to Saul. I will give thee an apostleship, saith God to Judas. But, I will be thy salvation, he says to David, and to none but saints. To whom? "My salvation." Not others only, but "thine." A man and a Christian are two creatures. He may be a man that hath reason and outward blessings; he is only a Christian that hath faith, and part in the salvation of Christ. God is plentiful salvation, but it is not ordinary to find a cui —to whom. Much of heaven is lost for lack of a hand to apprehend it when? In the present, "I am." Sum, non sufficit quod ero. It is comfort to Israel in captivity that God says, Ero tua redemptio, I will redeem thee; but the assurance that quiets the conscience is this, "I am thy salvation." As God said to Abraham, "Fear not, I am with thee." Deferred hope faints the heart. Whatsoever God forbears to assure us of, oh, pray we him not to delay this, "Lord, say to our souls, I am your salvation." —Condensed from Thomas Adams.

"Let them be confounded and put to shame." Here David beginneth his imprecations, which yet, saith Theodoret, he doth not utter as cursing, but as prophesying rather. If we shall at any time take upon us thus to imprecate (as we may in some cases), we must see to it, first, that our cause be good; secondly, that we do it not out of private revenge, but merely for the glory of God; thirdly, that we utter not a syllable this way, but by the guidance of God's good Spirit. —John Trapp.

Verses 4-8, 26. How are we to account for such prayers for vengeance? We find them chiefly in four Psalms, the seventh, thirty-fifth, sixty-ninth, and one-hundred and ninth, and the imprecations in these for in a terrible climax. In the last no less than thirty anathemas have been counted. Are these the mere outbursts of passionate and unsanctified feeling, or are they the legitimate expression of a righteous indignation? Are they to be excused as being animated by the "spirit of Elias?" a spirit not unholy indeed, but far removed from the meekness and gentleness of Christ; or are they the stereotyped forms in which the spirit of devotion may utter itself? Are they Jewish only, or may they be Christian also? An uninstructed fastidiousness, it is well known, has made many persons recoil from reading these Psalms at all. Many have found their lips falter when they have been called to join in using them in the congregation, and have either uttered them with bated breath and doubting heart, or have interpreted them in a sense witlely at variance with the letter. Some have tried to reconcile them with a more enlightened conscience, by regarding such words not as the expression of a wish, but as the utterance of a prediction; the Hebrew optative, which is distinct enough from the simple future, absolutely forbids this expedient. Others again would see in them expressions which may lawfully be used in the soul's wrestling against spiritual enemies. And finally, some would defend them as utterances of righteous zeal for God's honour, and remind us that if we do not sympathise with such zeal, it may be not because our religion is more pure, but because our hearts are colder.

Now the real source of the difficulty lies in our not observing and bearing in mind the essential difference between the Old Testament and the New. The older dispensation was in every sense a sterner one than the new. The spirit of Elias, though not an evil spirit, was not the spirit of Christ. "The Son of Man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9:56. And through him his disciples are made partakers of the same spirit. But this was not the spirit of the older economy. The Jewish nation had been trained in a sterner school. It had been steeled and hardened by the discipline which had pledged it to a war of extermination with idolaters: and however necessary such a discipline might be, it would not tend to foster the gentler virtues; it is conceivable how even a righteous man, under it, feeling it to be his bounden duty to root out evil wherever he saw it, and identifying, as he did, his own enemies with the enemies of Jehovah, might use language which to us appears unnecessarily vindictive. To men so trained and taught, what we call "religious toleration," was a thing not only wrong, but absolutely inconceivable.

It may be quite true that we find revenge forbidden as directly in the Old Testament as in the New, as, for instance, in Lev. 19:18, "Thou shalt not avenge," etc., though even there there is a limitation, "against the children of thy people." And it maybe no less true that we find instances of imprecation in the New; as when St. Paul says (2 Tim. 4:14), "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works," or when he exclaims (Acts 23:3), "God will smite thee, thou whited wall;" or, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema." But even these expressions are very different from the varied, deliberate, carefully-constructed, detailed anathemas of the Psalms. And our Lord's denunciations, to which Hengstenberg refers, are in no way parallel. They are not curses upon individuals, but in fact solemn utterances of the great truth, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." But after all, whatever may be said of particular passages, the general tone which runs through the two covenants, is unquestionably different. To deny this is not to honour Moses, but to dishonour Christ. Matt. 5:43; Matt. 19:8. On the other hand, we must not forget that these imprecations are not the passionate longing for personal revenge. The singer undoubtedly sees in his enemies the enemies of God and his church. They that are not with him are against God. And because the zeal of God's house even consumes him, he prays that all the doers of iniquity may be rooted out. The indignation therefore is righteous, though it may appear to us wrongly directed, or excessive in its utterance.

Once more, the very fact that a dark cloud hid God's judgment in the world to come from the view of the Old Testament saints, may be alleged in excuse of this their desire to see him take vengeance on his enemies here. How deeply the problem of God's righteousness exercised their minds, is abundantly evident from numerous places in the Psalms. They longed to see that righteousness manifested. It could be manifested, they thought, only in the evident exaltation of the righteous, and the evident destruction of the wicked here. Hence, with their eye always fixed on temporal recompense, they could even wish and pray for the destruction of the ungodly. The awful things of the world to come were to a great extent hid from their eyes. Could they have seen these, then surely their prayer would have been not, "Let the angel of the Lord persecute them," "Blot them out of thy book;" but rather with him who hung upon the cross; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." —J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Verses 4, 8, 26. David was about as devoid of vindictiveness as any public character who can well be named. His conduct in relation to Saul, from first to last displayed a singularly noble spirit, far removed from anything like the lust of vengeance; and the meekness with which he endured the bitter reproaches of Shimei, bore witness to the same spirit after his accession to the throne. . . . . . .

When David's whole career is intelligently and fairly reviewed, it leaves on the mind the impression of a man possessed of as meek and placable a temper as was ever associated with so great strength of will, and such strong passions. Even in the heats of sudden resentment, he was not apt to be hurried into deeds of revenge. Such being the case, it would certainly have been a strange and unaccountable thing if he had shown himself less the master of his own spirit in unaccountable thing if he had shown himself less the master of his own spirit in poems composed in season of retirement and communion with God, especially since these very poems express a keen sense of the heinousness of the sin that has been laid to his charge. He can affirm regarding his implacable enemies, "As for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother' I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother." Psalm 35:13, Psalm 35:14. "O Lord, my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy): let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth." Psalm 7:3-5. Surely one ought to think twice before putting on the imprecations an interpretation which would make them utterly incongruous with these appeals, uttered almost in the same breath. —William Binnie, D.D.

"As chaff." Literally, "As the thistledown." —John Morison.

"Let their way be dark and slippery." A horrible way! Darkness alone who feareth not? A slippery way alone who avoids not? In a dark and slippery way, how shalt thou go? where set foot? These two ills are the great punishments of men-darkness, ignorance; a slippery way, luxury. "Let their way be darkness and slipping; and let the angel of the Lord persecute them," that they be not able to stand. For anyone in a dark and slippery way, when he seeth that if he move his foot he will fall, and there is no light before his feet, haply resolving to wait until light come; but here is the angel of the Lord persecuting them. —Augustine.

"Slippery." Margin, as in Heb., slipperiness. This is a circumstance which adds increased terror to the image. It is not only a dark road, but a road made slippery by rains; a road where they are in danger every moment of sliding down a precipice where they will be destroyed. —Albert Barnes.

"They hid for me their net in a pit." As if David had said that they had dug a pit, and covered and hid its mouth with a net, that I might pass upon it and fall into it. —Kimchi.

"Let destruction come upon him at unawares." Or a storm, such as is caused in the Eastern countries by a south wind, very sudden, violent, and destructive. —John Gill.

"Let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall." By giving Ahithophel rope enough, the Lord preserved David from perishing. Who will not admire that Goliath should be slain with his own sword, and that proud Haman should hold Mordecai's stirrup, and be the herald of his honour? The wicked shall be undone by their own doings; all the arrows that they shoot at the righteous shall fall upon their own pates. Maxentius built a false bridge to drown Constantine, but was drowned himself. Henry the Third of France was stabbed in the very same chamber where he had helped to contrive the cruel massacre of the French Protestants. And his brother, Charles the Ninth, who delighted in the blood of the saints, had blood given him to drink, for he was worthy. It is usual with God to take persecutors in the snares and pits that they have laid for his people, as many thousands in this nation have experienced; and though Rome and her confederates are this day a-laying of snares and traps and a-digging of pits for the righteous, who will rather burn than bow to their Baal, yet do but wait and weep, and weep and wait a little, and you shall see that the Lord will take them in the very snares and pits that they have laid and digged for his people. —Condensed from Thomas Brooks.

"Let his net that he hath hid catch himself." Thou fool, who opposest thy counsels to those of the Most High. He who devises evil for another, falls at last into his own pit, and the most cunning finds himself caught by what he had prepared for another. But virtue without guile, erect like the lofty palm, rises with greater rigour when it is oppressed. —Pietro Metastasio, 1698-1782.

"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord," etc. While some ascribe to fortune, and others to their own skill, the praise of their deliverance from danger, and few, if any, yield the whole praise of it to God, David here declares that he will not forget the favour which God had bestowed upon him. My soul, says he, shall rejoice, not in a deliverance of the author of which it is ignorant, but in the salvation of God. To place the matter in a still stronger light, he assigns to his very bones the office of declaring the divine glory. As if not content that his tongue should be employed in this, he applies all the members of his body to the work of setting forth the praises of God. The style of speaking which he employs is hyperbolical, but in this way he shows unfeignedly that his love to God was so strong that he desired to spend his sinews and bones in declaring the reality and truth of his devotion. —John Calvin.

"All my bones," etc. These words contain the most vivid description of the highest delight which by the whole soul and body should be experienced and openly manifested. He mentions his soul (Psa —35:9) and all his bones as about to take part in the joy, to indicate that he most heartily and with his whole body was about to rejoice, and that the joy which he would manifest would not be of an ordinary character, but of the highest order, so that each several bone should sing forth the praises of God. —Hermon Venema, 1697-1787.

"All my bones." In the Scriptures emotions are generally ascribed to the viscera, the bones are usually regarded as passive; in this place and Psa —51:8, and in these two places only, exulting joy is attributed to the bones. Ordinary experience shows us that the intestines have sympathy with our passionate excitements, but we have no consciousness of the bones becoming sympathetically sensitive. The expression therefore is highly poetical, and indicates that the joy intended would be far beyond ordinary and common delight; it would be so profound that even the most callous part of the human frame would partake of it. Doubtless the poetry has a basis of truth in it, for though we may not perceive it, there is most assuredly a true and real sympathy with our mental states in every particle of bone and muscle, as well as in those tender organs which are more apparently affected. —C. H. S. Thoughts suggested by a passage in "Biblical Psychology," by Franz Delitzsch.

"All my bones." That is, whatsoever strength and rigour is in me it shall be spent in celebrating thy praises. Or, although I have nothing left me but skin and bones, so poor am I grown, yet I will not be wanting to the work. —John Trapp.

My bones are riving through my skin, and yet all my bones are praising him. "I said, I am cast out of thy sight, but I will look again towards thy holy temple." —Thomas Halyburton, 1674-1711.

"They laid to my charge things that I knew not." You will say, Why does God permit wicked people to lay to the charge of the godly such things as they are clear of? God if he pleased could prevent it, and stop the mouths of the wicked, that they should not be able to speak against his children? Answer —As all things work for the best to them that love God, so this works for the good of God's people. God doth permit it for the good of his people, and thus he frustrates the hopes of the wicked: they intend evil against the godly, and God disposes of it for good. As Joseph said to his brethren, "You intended evil against me, and God disposed of it for good;" so we may say to such as falsely slander God's people, You intended evil against the people of God, but God disposes of it for good. There is a fivefold good that God brings out of it to his people. First, God doth by this means humble them, and brings them to examine what is amiss; so that though they be clear of that crime laid to their charge, yet they will then examine whether there be nothing else amiss betwixt God and them; they will search their hearts, and walk more humbly, and cleave more close to the Lord. Secondly, God doth by this means bring them oftener upon their knees, to seek unto him, to plead their cause, and to clear their innocency. How oft did the prophet speak unto God when the wicked did falsely accuse him; how did he make his moan at the throne of grace unto God, beseeching him to plead his cause, and to keep him close in his way, that the wicked might not rejoice at his downfall! So when God's people see that it is that which the wicked would have, that which is their joy, to see the godly fall into such and such a sin; then the godly will pray more earnestly with David, Lord, lead me in a right path because of my observers; then they will be earnest with God to keep them from falling into that sin that the wicked desire they might fall into; and this is a second good that comes of it. Thirdly, God doth use the reproach of the wicked as a preventing medicine against that crime which the wicked lay to their charge. The godly have unrenewed nature as well as renewed, and if God should leave them never so little to themselves, they are not their own keepers, they might fall into that sin which the wicked lay to their charge: and every godly man and woman may say when they are falsely accused, It is God's mercy that I did not fall into that sin that lay to my charge. God doth use wicked people's tongues as a warning against such a sin, that when they see how the wicked joy at a brat of their own hatching, then they consider, if the wicked thus joy without a cause, what would they do if they had just cause? Well, by the help of God this shall be a warning to me for ever to watch against that sin: for the time to come I will pray more against that particular sin than I have done, and watch more against that sin than I have done; through God's help they shall never have occasion to rejoice over me in that kind. Truly, I verily believe many a child of God can say by experience, I never should have prayed and watched against such a sin so much, had not God used the tongues of the wicked as preventing physic: I knew not my own heart, but that I might have fallen into such and such a sift had not God by this means hedged up my way with thorns; and this is the third good comes of it. Fourthly, God doth by this means exercise the graces of his people by letting them undergo bad report as well as good report: he tries whether they will cleave close to him in all conditions, as Psalm 44:15-17. Fifthly, God doth by this means teach them how to judge of others when they are falsely accused. For the time to come they will not receive a false report against their neighbour; they will know the truth of a thing before they believe it, and they know how to comfort others in the like condition; and thus God disposes of it for good, and thus God makes the wicked the servant of his people in that very thing which the wicked think to wrong them most in; for he uses the wicked as the rod and wisp, to scour off the rust of their graces and to correct their security; and when the rod hath done its office then it is thrown into the fire: and thus you see how God disposes of the wicked's false accusations of his people for good. —Zephaniah Smyth's Sermon, "The Malignant's Plot," 1647.

"They rewarded me evil for good." For the good David did in killing Goliath, and slaying his ten thousands of the Philistines, and thereby saving his king and country, Saul and his courtiers envied him, and sought to slay him; so our Lord Jesus Christ, for all the good he did to the Jews, by healing their bodies of diseases, and preaching the gospel to them for the benefit of their souls, was rewarded with reproaches and persecutions, and at last with the shameful death of the cross; and in like manner are his people used, but this is an evil that shall not go unpunished; see Prov. 17:13. —John Gill.

"To the spoiling of my soul." They robbed not his body of goods but his soul of consolation. They bereaved his soul (that is the word), like a widow who loses her children in whom she delighted and found succour. They were not content with injuring his estate, but they were for ruining the man himself by their undeserved malice, they attacked him in name and reputation, which were as dear to him as his sons and daughters, or even as his soul. It is evermore an injury to the soul to be attacked with slander, it puts a man into a warring attitude, endangers his peace of mind, imperils his enjoyment of quiet contemplation, and tends to interrupt his communion with God. Thus the spiritual nature is despoiled and suffers bereavement. —C. H. S.

"My prayer returned into, or was directed to, my bosom." Of the many interpretations that are given of this passage, that appears to me the most probable which derives it from the posture of the worshipper; who standing with his head inclined downward toward his bosom, turned away his attention from all external objects, and uttered his mournful and earnest requests, as if they were directed to his own bosom. Such a posture of devotion is in use both among Jews and Mohammedans. —Koehler in Reporter. Lit. Orient.; and Reland de Relig. Mohammedica, quoted by Walford in loc.

(last clause) We may read it thus: Let my prayer return into my bosom; that is, I wished no worse to them than to myself: let me receive of God such good as I prayed for them. See Psa —79:12. —Henry Ainsworth.

"For his mother." On account of the plurality of wives in an Eastern household, the sons are usually far more attached to their mother than their father. Their father they share with a numerous band of half-brothers, who are envious of them, or of whom they are jealous, but their mother is all their own, with her they are brought up in childhood; she takes their part in youth, in the numerous battles of the harem; and on their part when they are grown up, they love her intensely, and hence their mourning at her decease is of the bitterest kind. —C.H.S.

"His mother." Mahomet was once asked what relation had the strongest claim upon our affection and respect; when he instantly replied, "The mother, the mother, the mother."

(last clause). Bewaileth his mother: mourneth at her funeral. In this case the affections are most strong. Therefore the priests were permitted to mourn for such. Lev. 21:1, Lev. 21:2, Lev. 21:3. —Henry Ainsworth.

"But in mine adversity they rejoiced," etc. —Do not glory in your neighbour's ruins. The fire-fly leaps and dances in the fire, and so do many wicked men rejoice in the sufferings of others. Such as rejoice in the sufferings of others are sick of the devil's disease; but from that disease the Lord deliver all your souls. 'Tis sad to insult over those whom God hath humbled; 'tis high wickedness to triumph over those to whom God hath given a cup of astonishment to drink. Such as make the desolations of their neighbours to be the matter either of their secret repast, or open exultation, such may fear that the very dregs of divine wrath are reserved for them. 'Tis bad playing upon the harp because others have been put to hang their harps upon the willows. We must not pray with him in the tragedy, but it may rain calamities; nor with Clemens' Gnostic, Give me calamities that I may glory in them. There cannot be a greater evidence of a wicked heart, than for a man to be merry because others are in misery. "He that is glad at calamities (that is, at the calamities of others) shall not be unpunished." Prov. 17:5. If God be God, such as congratulate our miseries instead of condoling them, shall be sure to be punished with the worst of punishments; for such do not only sin against the law of grace, but also against the very law of nature; the law of nature teaching men to sympathise with those that are in misery, and not to rejoice over them because of their miseries. O, sirs, do not make others' mourning your music, do not make others' tears your wine; as you would not be made drunk at last with the wine of astonishment. —Thomas Brooks.

"But in mine adversity they rejoiced," etc. Marvellous prophecy of the cross! second only, if indeed second, to that in the twenty-second Psalm. Still closer to the history if we take the Vulgate: the scourges were gathered together upon me. Even so, O Lord Jesus, the ploughers ploughed upon thy back, and made long furrows: precious furrows for us, where are sown patience for the present life, and glory in the next; where are sown hope that maketh not ashamed, and love that many waters cannot quench. "The very abjects." Even those worst of abjects, who said, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are;" who had set the poor sinner before the Lord, with their "Moses in the law commanded that such should be stoned." "Making mouths at me." And is it not wonderful that, well knowing the prophecy, yet the chief priests and scribes should have so fulfilled it, as that it should be written concerning them. "They that passed by mocked him, wagging their heads"?—Lewis de Grenada, 1504-1588.

"In mine adversity they rejoiced." Now, as men often relent at seeing the misfortunes of their enemies, so that they cease to hate or persecute those who are already miserably wretched, it was all evidence of the very cruel and fierce spirit by which David's former friends were actuated against him, when, upon seeing him cast down and afflicted, they were rather by this incited furiously and insolently to assail him. —John Calvin.

"The abjects." The very abjects (Prayer Book Version). The Hebrew word Nechim, thus translated, comes from a verb signifying to be smitten. Hence, in the Septuagint it is rendered scourges. But it may also be rendered, with Jerome, smiters, and may mean smitten with the tongue. Com. Jer —18:18. Another of its meanings is, according to Buxtorf, the wry-legged, the lame; and so it is used in 2Sa —4:4; 2Sa —9:3; whence the epithet of Necho was given to one of the Pharaohs who halted in his gait. Our translators seem to have understood the word in this last sense, as a term of contempt. —Daniel Cresswell.

David, having showed how compassionate he was to his enemies in their affliction (Psa —35:14), he presently shows (Psa —35:15), how incompassionate, or barbarously cruel rather, his enemies were to him in his. "Abjects" are vile persons, men smitten in their estates and credits; yea, often as slaves or ill servants smitten with cudgels or whips. So a learned translator renders the Psalm, The smitten gathered against me; that is, vile men who deserve to be beaten and cudgelled. —Joseph Caryl.

"With hypocritical mockers in feasts." Some cannot be merry, but it must be with Scripture; if they want a little diversion, the saints must be the subject of their discourse! they can vent their profane jests upon the word of God; this is their pastime over their cups upon the ale-bench. How ready they are with their contumelious reflections; they have learnt their father's dialect, they are accusers of the brethren, their speech bewrays them to be Hellians. You know that in ordinary, we can tell what countryman a person is by his speech, every country having almost a peculiar idiom; so it is here, these scoffers at religion by speaking the language of hell, let us understand whence they are. They have, it may be, a little wit, which they set off with a sort of an air in rhetorical raillery, and oh, how quick and sharp when they are upon this subject! These scoffing Ishmaelites are seated in the devil's chair, somewhat above their brethren in iniquity, as most deserving the place; and there is less ground to hope that such persons will be savingly wrought upon who arrive to such a height in sin as to make a mock of it, and to sport with holiness, than of others. Persons are got a great way towards hell when they mock at what is serious, and that with delight. This the Lord will visit for in his due time; for he knows who they are that so dishonour him by reproaching them that are his. —Oliver Heftwood.

"Hypocritical mockers in feasts."  בּהגפי לעגי מעוג Very difficult. The word מעוג, in 1 Kings 17:12, the only other passage where it occurs, means "a cake." Hence לעגי מעוג is interpreted by Gesenius and other to mean, hangers-on at the tables of the rich (lit. "cake-mockers") whose business it was, by witticisms and buffoonery to make entertainment for the guests, and who got their dinner in return, like the Gr ψωμοκόλακες, κνισοκόλακες, and the Medieval Latbuccellarii. Then the words would mean, "Amongst the profanest." —J. J. Stewart Perowne. (Would not our word loafers be somewhat analogous to these cake-eaters of antiquity!) —C. H. S.

"Hypocritical mockers." David aggravates the sin of those jeering companions who made him their table-talk, and could not taste their cheer except seasoned with some salt jest quibbled out at him, with this, that they were "hypocritical mockers;" they did it slily, and wrapped up their scoffs, it is like in such language as might make some think, who did not well observe them, that they applauded him. There is a way of commending which some have learned to use when they mean to cast the greatest scorn upon those they hate bitterly, and these hypocritical mockers deserve the chair to be given them from all other scorners. —William Gurnall.

"Mockers in feasts." If it were known at a feast that there was any one present or absent, whom the host disliked, it was customary for the guests to "make fun of them," and use sarcastic language respecting them. These are the "hypocritical mockers in feasts." —John Gadsby.

Satan no sooner spies our wanderings, but he presently runs with a complaint to God, filing bills against us in the star-chamber of heaven, where the matter would go hard with us, but for the Great Lord Chancellor of peace, our Advocate Jesus Christ. As God keeps all our tears in a bottle, and registereth the very groans of our holy passion in a book, so Satan keeps a record of our sins, and solicits justice against us. Were God like man, subject to passions, or incensible by the suggestions of the common barrator, woe were us. But he will hear one son of truth before ten thousand fathers of lying. No matter what the plaintiff libelleth, when the judge acquitteth. We have forfeited our estates by treason, and the busy devil begs us; but there is one that steps in, and pleads a former grant, and that both by promise and purchase. "Lord, rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions." Lord Jesus, challenge thine own; let not Satan enter upon by force or fraud, what thou hast bought with thine own blood. —Thomas Adams.

"My darling." In Poole's Synopsis the critics explain this name for the soul, as my only one, my solitary one, desolate, deserted, and destitute of human hope. Such is the soul under sore affliction. See Psa —22:21. "From the lions." Daniel in the den was literally where David was spiritually. Shut in among fierce, cruel, and angry creatures, and himself defenceless, having no weapon but prayer, no helper but the Lord. The people of God may be exposed to the lions of hell, and their roarings may grievously affright them; but the soul which is their "darling" is also God's dear one, and therefore they shall be rescued. —C.H.S.

"Wink with the eye." Showing pleasure in their eyes because of my evil. —Francis Vatablus. 1545.

"Wink the eye." This was a sign which malicious persons made to each other when the object of their malice was gained, scornfully twisting their eyes together. The Hebrew word here has no sufficiently expressive substitute in English. —Benjamin Weiss.

"Our eye hath seen." Eye for eyes, unless we would say that all the wicked are so conjoined, that they may seem to have but one eye, heart, head. —John Trapp.

Yet, O ye saints, divulge not these things to wicked men; whisper them softly one to another, with fear and trembling, lest some profane wretch or other overhear you, and take that for encouragement that was only meant for caution. What is more common than for the vilest sinners to plead for their excuse, or warrant rather, the foul miscarriages of God's dearest saints? Thus the drunkard looks upon holy Noah as a pot-companion, whereby he discovers his nakedness in a worse sense than ever Cham did; and thus the unclean sensualist quotes David, and calls him in to be the patron of his debauchery. Certainly, if there be any grief that can overcast the perfect joys of the saints in heaven, it is that their names and examples should, to the great dishonour of God, be produced by wicked and sinful men, to countenance their grossest sins and wickednesses. But let such know, that God hath set up these in his church to be monuments of his mercy, to declare to humble and penitent sinners how great sins he can pardon; yet if any hereupon imbolden themselves in sin, instead of being set up as monuments of mercy, God will set them up as pillars of salt. —Ezekiel Hopkins (Bishop).

He who rejoices in another's fall rejoices in the devil's victory. —Ambrose, quoted in Nichol's Proverbs.

They gape and drawe their mouthes in scorneful wise,

And erie, fie, fie, wee sawe it with our eyes.

But thou their deed, (O Lord!) dost also see;

Then bee not silent soe, nor farr from mee. —Sir John Davies.

They gape and drawe their mouthes in scorneful wise,

And erie, fie, fie, wee sawe it with our eyes.

But thou their deed, (O Lord!) dost also see;

Then bee not silent soe, nor farr from mee. —Sir John Davies.

"My God and my Lord." The cry of Thomas when he saw the wounds of Jesus. If he did not count our Lord to be divine, neither does David here ascribe Deity to Jehovah, for there is no difference except in the order of the words and the tongue in which they were spoken, the meaning is identical. What words they are, with their two eyes seeing Jehovah in two aspects yet as one, grasping him with two hands in the double "my" to one heart, for the word is but one, bowing before him on both knees to worship him in lowliest reverence. Well might Nouet, in his exposition of the words as used by Thomas, exclaim, "Oh, sweet word, I will say it all my life long; I will say it in the hour of death; I will say it in eternity." —C. H. S.

"O Lord my God." O Jehovah my God; here is another precious word. He takes Jehovah to be his God, in opposition to those who make idols, or riches, or their own lusts their god. He claims a full possession of all that is in the great I am. Even though he views him as a judge he lays the hand of faith upon his God, and flinches not even before the blaze of his righteousness. It is a noble word, a grand utterance of faith; he who can pronounce that word "my" from his inmost soul in such a connection may well laugh to scorn all his enemies. —C.H.S.

"Let them not say we have swallowed him up." And even if they could, like Jonah's whale, they would soon be sickened of their feast. A living child of God were more easily swallowed than digested by the malice of hell. —C.H.S.

See how the hearts of the saints have been drawn out against their persecutors. Prayers are the arms that in times of persecution the saints have still had recourse to. The Romans being in great distress were put so hard to it, that they were fain to take the weapons out of the temples of their gods to right with their enemies, and so they overcame them: so when the people of God have been hard put to it by reason of afflictions and persecutions, the weapons that they have fled to have been prayers and tears, and with these they have overcome their persecutors. —Thomas Brooks.

"My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." See now I have made a discourse something longer; ye are wearied. Who endureth to praise God all the day long? I will suggest a remedy whereby thou mayest praise God all the day long if thou wilt. Whatever thou dost, do well, and thou hast praised God. When thou singest a hymn, thou praisest God, but what doth thy tongue, unless thy heart also praise him? Hast thou ceased from singing hymns, and departed that thou mayest refresh thyself? Be not drunken, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou go away to sleep? Rise not to do evil, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou transact business? Do no wrong, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou till thy field? Raise not strife, and thou hast praised God. In the innocency of thy works prepare thyself to praise God all the day long. —Augustine.

Jesus our Advocate and Champion; our friend in the courts of heaven and the battles of earth.

Jesus armed as the defender of the faithful.

Enemies kept at arm's length. How the Lord does this, and the blessedness of it to us.

(last clause). Full assurance. An assurance positive, personal, spiritual, present, divine, complete, coming by a word from God.

(last clause). Heaven made sure.—Thomas Adams' Sermon.

The everlasting confusion of the devil.

The horrible pilgrimage of the ungodly.

The trinity of dangers in the pathway of the wicked, their way dark with ignorance, and slippery with temptation, while behind them is the avenger.

Destruction at unawares, an awful topic.

Joy in God and in his salvation.

A matchless God, and his matchless grace —these are the themes. An experienced heart, thoroughly quickened —this is the songster; and from this cometh matchless music. The music of a shattered harp.

The meanness, cruelty, sinfulness, and commonness of slander.

How a soul may be robbed.

Christian sympathy even for the froward.

(last clause). Personal benefit of intercessory prayer.

Verses 13-14. Compassion to the sick.—C. Simeon.

The shameful conspiracy of men against our Lord Jesus at his passion.

The limit of divine endurance.

The duty, blessedness, and seasonableness of public praise.

Omniscience pleaded, a word sought for, presence requested, action entreated, affiance urged as a claim.

The ungodly man's delight, and the righteous, man's refuge.

The convict dress of the wicked—"clothed with shame," etc.

Verse 27 (last clause). What is that prosperity in which the Lord hath pleasure?

A blessed theme, a fitting tongue, an endless speech.