Psalms 56 commentary

Be merciful unto me, O God. This petition includes all the good for which we come to throne of grace. If we obtain mercy there, we need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his free, rich mercy. We may flee to, and trust the mercy of God, when surrounded on all sides by difficulties and dangers. His enemies were too hard for him, if God did not help him. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his praises, and so we have reason to make them. As we must not trust an arm of flesh when engaged for us, so we must not be afraid of an arm of flesh when stretched out against us. The sin of sinners will never be their security. Who knows the power of God's anger; how high it can reach, how forcibly it can strike?

The heavy and continued trials through which many of the Lord's people have passed, should teach us to be silent and patient under lighter crosses. Yet we are often tempted to repine and despond under small sorrows. For this we should check ourselves. David comforts himself, in his distress and fear, that God noticed all his grievances and all his griefs. God has a bottle and a book for his people's tears, both the tears for their sins, and those for their afflictions. He observes them with tender concern. Every true believer may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and then I will not fear what man shall do unto me; for man has no power but what is given him from above. Thy vows are upon me, O Lord; not as a burden, but as that by which I am known to be thy servant; as a bridle that restrains me from what would be hurtful, and directs me in the way of my duty. And vows of thankfulness properly accompany prayers for mercy. If God deliver us from sin, either from doing it, or by his pardoning mercy, he has delivered our souls from death, which is the wages of sin. Where the Lord has begun a good work he will carry it on and perfect it. David hopes that God would keep him even from the appearance of sin. We should aim in all our desires and expectations of deliverance, both from sin and trouble, that we may do the better service to the Lord; that we may serve him without fear. If his grace has delivered our souls from the death of sin, he will bring us to heaven, to walk before him for ever in light.

PSALM 56

In this psalm David mixes complaint with prayer, and assuages the distress of his mind by meditation upon the mercy of God. He pray, that he may experience the divine help under the persecutions to which he was subjected by Saul, and his other enemies; and expresses his confidence of success. It is possible, however, that the psalm may have been written after the dangers to which he alludes were past, and in thanksgiving for a deliverance which he had already received.

To the chief musician upon the silent dove in distant places, The late learned Editor of Calmet, from comparing this title with verse 6 of the psalm preceding, had a suspicion that it is here misplaced, and belonged originally to that psalm.” — Williams’ Cottage Bible. Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.

The portion of history referred to in the title is recorded in 1 Samuel 21. Being driven from every hiding-place in which he had hitherto found safety, he fled to King Achish. He speaks here of having been apprehended; and that he was so, may be gathered from the inspired narrative, where Achish is represented as saying, “Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore, then, have ye brought him to me?” It is probable that they suspected him of some sinister design in the visit. He escaped upon that occasion by feigning madness; but this psalm proves that he must have been engaged in fervent supplication, and that faith was secretly in exercise even when he betrayed this weakness. He would not appear to have been under that inordinate agitation of mind, which instigates men to adopt methods of relief which are positively sinful; but in the desperate emergency to which he was reduced, he was compelled through fear to employ an artful device, which might save his life, although it would lower his dignity in the eyes of the world. If he lost the praise of magnanimity, it is at least apparent from this psalm, what a strenuous contest there was between faith and fear in his heart. The words, upon the silent dove, are supposed by some to have formed the commencement of a song well known at the time. Others have thought that David is here compared to a dove; and this conjecture is borne out by the propriety of the metaphor in his present circumstances, Harmer is of opinion, that the dove dumb in distant places is simply the name of the psalm. In support of this view, he quotes the titles of several Eastern books; a Persian metaphysical and mystic poem, called the Rose Bush; a collection of Floral Essays, the Garden of Anemonies; and a poem in which the Arabian prophet is celebrated for having given sight to a blind person, which is entitled the Bright Star. “The ancient Jewish taste.” he remarks, “may reasonably be supposed to have been of the same kind. Every one that reflects on the circumstances of David at the time to which the 56th psalm refers, and considers the Oriental taste, will not wonder to see that psalm entitled the Dove dumb in distant places.” — Observations, volume3, p. 147-149. especially as it is added, in distant places, for he had been driven to an enemy’s country by the fury of his persecutors. The meaning which some have attached to the word, translating it a palace, is farfetched. I have already given my views of the term Michtam. See volume1, p. 215. I would not pretend to say anything dogmatically on a point upon which even Hebrew interpreters are not agreed in opinion; but the probability is, that it was a particular kind of tune, or a musical instrument.

Psalm 56:1-4

1. Be merciful unto me, O God! for man swallows me up “Ou, me mangeant.” — Fr. marg. “Or, eating me.” he fighting against me, daily oppresseth me. 2. Mine enemies daily swallow me up: surely they be many “Ou, des puissans et robustes.” — Fr. marg. “Or, they be mighty and strong.” that fight against me, O Most High! The original word מרום, marom, here rendered “O Most High!” is literally loftily Dathe, Berlin, and Gesenius, render it superbly, proudly Cresswell, following Le Clerc, reads, from the highest places, and considers the meaning to be, that the foes of David made an incursion upon him, descending from the mountains, and forcing him again to supplicate Achish. Compare 1 Samuel 27:1, 2, 3. Horsley and Dr Adam Clarke read, “from on high;” by which the latter critic understands from “the place of authority, the court and cabinet of Saul.” He observes, on the word מרום, marom, “I do not think that this word expresses any attribute of God, or, indeed, is at all addressed to him.” “In Micah 6:6, however,” says Dr Morrison, “מרום seems to express the perfections of the divine character.” Calvin’s translation agrees with that of the Chaldee, of Aquila, and of our English Bible. 3. In the day that I was afraid, I did put my trust in thee. 4. In God I will praise his word; in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

1 Be merciful unto me, O God! for man swallows me up The verb here translated swallows me up, is rendered by French and Skinner, panteth after me. It is literally draweth in the air. It thus implies the intense desire of David’s enemies to get him into their hands, and to destroy him. It would be difficult to determine whether he speaks here of foreign or domestic enemies. When brought to King Achish he was as a sheep between two bands of wolves, an object of deadly hatred to the Philistines on the one hand, and exposed to equal persecutions from his own fellow-countrymen. He uses the indefinite term man in this verse, though in the next he speaks of having many enemies, the more forcibly to express the truth that the whole world was combined against him, that he experienced no humanity amongst men, and stood in the last necessity of divine help. The term daily would suggest that he refers more immediately to Saul and his faction. But in general, he deplores the wretchedness of his fate in being beset with adversaries so numerous and so barbarous. Some translate שאף, shaaph, to regard, but it is more properly rendered to swallow up, a strong expression, denoting the insatiable rage with which they assailed him. I have adhered to the common translation of לחם, lacham, though it also signifies to eat up, which might consist better with the metaphor already used in the preceding part of the verse. It is found, however, in the sense to fight against, and I was unwilling to depart from the received rendering. I shall only observe in passing, that those who read in the second member of the verse, many fighting with me, as if he alluded to the assistance of angels, mistake the meaning of the passage; for it is evident that he uses the language of complaint throughout the verse.

PSALM 56

Psa 56:1-13. Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim--literally, "upon the dove of silence" of distant places; either denoting a melody (see on Psa 9:1) of that name, to which this Psalm was to be performed; or it is an enigmatical form of denoting the subject, as given in the history referred to (1Sa 21:11, &c.), David being regarded as an uncomplaining, meek dove, driven from his native home to wander in exile. Beset by domestic and foreign foes, David appeals confidently to God, recites his complaints, and closes with joyful and assured anticipations of God's continued help.

1-2. would swallow--literally, "pants as a raging beast" (Ac 9:1).

3. in--or literally, "unto."

thee--to whom he turns in trouble.

4. in God ... his word--By His grace or aid (Psa 60:12; 108:13), or, "I will boast in God as to His word"; in either case His word is the special matter and cause of praise.

flesh--for mankind (Psa 65:2; Is 31:3), intimating frailty.

5-6. A vivid picture of the conduct of malicious enemies.

7. Shall they escape? &c.--or better, "Their escape is by iniquity."

cast ... people--humble those who so proudly oppose Thy servant.

8. God is mindful of his exile and remembers his tears. The custom of bottling the tears of mourners as a memorial, which has existed in some Eastern nations, may explain the figure.

9. God is for me--or, "on my side" (Psa 118:6; 124:1, 2); hence he is sure of the repulse of his foes.

12. I will render praises--will pay what I have vowed.

13. The question implies an affirmative answer, drawn from past experience.

falling--as from a precipice.

before God--in His favor during life.

Be merciful unto me - I am assailed both at home and abroad. I can go nowhere without meeting with enemies: unless thou who art the Fountain of mercy and the Most High, stand up in my behalf, my enemies will most undoubtedly prevail against me. They fight against me continually, and I am in the utmost danger of being swallowed up by them.

O thou Most High - מרום marom. I do not think that this word expresses any attribute of God, or indeed is at all addressed to him. It signifies, literally, from on high, or froen a high or elevated place: "For the multitudes fight against me from the high or elevated place;" the place of authority - the court and cabinet of Saul.

Most of the Versions begin the next verse with this word: "From the light of the day, though I fear, yet will I trust in thee." From the time that persecution waxes hot against me, though I often am seized with fear, yet I am enabled to maintain my trust in thee. Dr. Kennicott thinks there is a corruption here, and proposes to read: "I look upwards all the day long."

In God I will praise his word - באלהים belohim may mean here, through God, or by the help of God, I will praise his word. And, that he should have cause to do it, he says, "In God I have put my trust," and therefore he says, "I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." Man is but Flesh, weak and perishing; God is an infinite Spirit, almighty and eternal. He repeats this sentiment in the tenth and eleventh verses.

Every day they wrest my words - They have been spies on my conduct continually; they collected all my sayings, and wrested my words out of their proper sense and meaning, to make them, by inuendos, speak treason against Saul. They are full of evil purposes against me.

They gather themselves together - They form cabals; have secret meetings and consultations how they may most effectually destroy me, under the pretense of justice and safety to the state.

They hide themselves - They do all secretly.

They mark my steps - They are constantly at my heels.

They wait for my soul - They lie in wait for my life. Our translators have missed the meaning of נפש nephesh and ψυχε, - which generally signify the animal life, not the immortal spirit, - more than any other words in the Old or New Testament.

Shall they escape by iniquity? - Shall such conduct go unpunished? Shall their address, their dexterity in working iniquity, be the means of their escape? No. "In anger, O God, wilt thou cast down the people."

Thou tellest my wanderings - Thou seest how often I am obliged to shift the place of my retreat. I am hunted every where; but thou numberest all my hiding-places, and seest how often I am in danger of losing my life.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle - Here is an allusion to a very ancient custom, which we know long obtained among the Greeks and Romans, of putting the tears which were shed for the death of any person into small phials, called lacrymatories or urns lacrymales and offering them on the tomb of the deceased. Some of these were of glass, some of pottery, and some of agate, sardonyx, etc. A small one in my own collection is of hard baked clay.

Are they not in thy book? - Thou hast taken an exact account of all the tears I have shed in relation to this business; and thou wilt call my enemies to account for every tear.

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back - As soon as they know that I call upon thee, then, knowing that thou wilt hear and save, my enemies will immediately take flight. The cry of faith and prayer to God is more dreadful to our spiritual foes than the war-whoop of the Indian is to his surprised brother savages.

This I know - I have often had experience of the Divine interposition; and I know it will be so now, for God is with me. He who has God With him need not fear the face of any adversary.

, Psa 56:11

See on Psa 56:4 (note), where the same words occur.

Thy vows are upon me - I have promised in the most solemn manner to be thy servant; to give my whole life to thee; and to offer for my preservation sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.

Reader, what hast thou vowed to God? To renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful desires of the flesh; to keep God's holy word and commandment, and to walk before him all the days of thy life. These things hast thou vowed; and these vows are upon thee. Wilt thou pay them?

Thou hast delivered my soul from death - My life from the grave, and my soul from endless perdition.

My feet from falling - Thou hast preserved me from taking any false way, and keepest me steady in my godly course; and so supportest me that I may continue to walk before thee in the light of the living, ever avoiding that which is evil, and moving towards that which is good; letting my light shine before men, that they may see my good works, and glorify my Father which is in heaven. To walk before God is to please him; the light of the living signifies the whole course of human life, with all its comforts and advantages.

Will praise - I will praise the Lord for his word, for his promises of protection and deliverance, made to his people. Flesh - Infirm and mortal men, called flesh by way of contempt, as Psal 78:39 Isa 31:3.

They gather - After they have severally employed their thoughts against me, they meet together to compare them, and to put them in execution. Hide - They lurk secretly, that they may pry into my most private actions. Steps - That they may find some occasion to reproach me. Soul - Or, life, to take it away.

Escape - Shall they secure themselves by injurious and malicious practices. The people - These who are mine enemies.

Wanderings - How I have been hunted from place to place. Put - Regard and pity them. Are they not - But why do I pray to God to do that which he hath already done?

Thy vows - I had made vows to express my gratitude, and resolve to perform them.

Walk - That I may serve and glorify thee. The light - ln this life.

1. BE merciful unto me, O God, for man would swallow me up : he fighting daily oppresseth me.

(i. e.) Men, weak and miserable Men, as the Word signifies, whom thou canst Crush in an instant; Saul and his Courtiers, who have driven me hither; and now Achish and the Philistins, who have oft sought my Ruin, which now they have opportunity to Effect.

Like wild and Ravenous Beasts, rather then Men. Heb. hath swallowed me up. The thing is begun, and in a manner done, if thou dost not miraculously prevent it.

2. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me , O thou most High .

Heb. my Observers, that narrowly look to all my Paths, and Watch for my Haltings, and for an Opportunity to destroy me.

They trust to their great Numbers; wherein they know themselves to be much Superior to me.

Who from thine high place beholdest all their Plots, and canst most easily disturb and blast them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee .

When I have the geatest Cause of Fear, I will relye upon thy Providence, and Promise for my Deliverance.

4. In God I will praise his word , in God I have put my trust, I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

The Sence is, Either, 1. I will praise or boast in the Lords word, or the Lord for his Word. Or, 2. With or by the Lord (i. e. By his Favour or Help) I will praise his Word. Or rather, 3. This, as I humbly conceive: There are many things to be praised and celebrated in God, his Power, and Wisdom, &c. but amongst all and above all, I shall at this time praise him for his Word, which he hath magnified above all his N[illegible: 1+ letters]ne, as is said, Psal. 138. 2. even for his Promises of Protection and Deliverance, made to his People in all their Exegencies, and particularly and especially, for that Promise of the Kingdom made to me; for which I will now Praise him, because I am as sure of its Accomplishment, as if I had it already in mine Hand.

Infirm and mortal Men, altogether unable to oppose thy infinite Majesty, called Flesh by way of Contempt, as Psal. 78. 39. Isa. 31. 3. Ier. 17. 5.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 10, 11.; [illegible: 1 word] 118. 6.; [illegible: 1 word] 13. 6.

5. Every day they wrest my words : all their thoughts are against me for evil .

They misconstrue and pervert my most innocent Expressions, and turn them into Matter of Calumny, wherewith they may incense Saul against me. Or, They perplex my Affairs.

It is their whole study to do me Mischief.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] Words [illegible: 1 word] Sorrow.

6. They gather themselves together , they hide themselves , they mark my steps when they wait for my soul .

After they have severally imployed their Thoughts against me, they meet together to Compare their Thoughts, and to put them in Execution.

They lurk secretly; Either, that they may Prie into all my most private Actions; Or, that they may surprize me with Mischief unawares Compare Psal. 10. 8. Prov. 1. 11.

(i. e.) All my goings and doings, that they may find some occasion to Reproach, or Entangle and so destroy me.

Or, Life, To wit, to take it away from me.

7. Shall they escape by iniquity ? in thine anger cast down thy people , O God.

Shall they secure themselves by such injurious and m[illegible: 1+ letters]litious Practises, whereby they do not onely vex me, but provoke and Despise thee? Shall they have Success instead of the Punishments which thou hast threatned, and they have deserved? God forbid. But the Words may be Read without an Interrogation, By their iniquity they hope to Escape; Or, they do Escape, at present: But Lord do not suffer them thus to escape.

This is opposed to their present Exaltation and Triumphs over poor David, and to their Hopes and Confidence of Safety and Success.

(i. e.) These People, of whom I am speaking, To wit, my Malitious and wicked Enemies, as well those Followers of Saul, as these Philistins amongst whom I now am.

8. Thou tellest my wandrings , put thou my tears into thy bottle : are they not [illegible: 1 word] thy book y?

Here I have been hunted from place to place, and am now driven hither.

Regard and Remember, and Pity them. But why do I pray to God to do that which I am well assured, he is of himself inclined to do, and hath already done?

Marginal references: Mal. 3. 16.

9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back : this I know, for God is for me.

When I have no other Arms or Force, which is my present Case, my Prayers shall be sufficient to overthrow mine Enemies.

10. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word .

What I have already engaged to do, v. 4. that I do again and again Promise to do, and I cannot sufficiently praise thy Goodness in making Promises, and thy Faithfulness in keeping them.

Marginal references: Vers. 4.

12. Thy vows are upon me , O God: I will render praises unto thee.

As I have prayed to thee, and am assured that thou wilst deliver me, so in Confidence thereof I have made Vows to express my Gratitude to thee, and I acknowledge my self obliged, and do resolve to perform them.

Marginal references: Psal. 61. 8.

13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death : wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling , that I may walk before God in the light of the living ?

Which my Enemies designed, and my extream Dangers threatned.

I am Confident that thou wilt deliver, because of thy Promises, and my former Experience.

(i. e.) That I may please and serve, and Glorifie thee, as this Phrase implies, Gen. 5. 24. Comp. with Heb. 11. 5. as also, Gen. 6. 9. and 17. 1, 1 Sam. 2. 30. which is the great End for which I desire Life.

Either, 1. In Heaven. Or rather, 2. In this Life, which is here opposed to the Death last mentioned, as it is, Iob 33. 30. which is called Light, Iob 3. 20. as Death is called Darkness, Iob 10. 21, 22. and o[illegible: 1+ letters]t elsewhere, and which is expressed, by beholding the Light, and the Sun, E[illegible: 1+ letters]eles. 11. 7.

Marginal references: Psal. 116. 8, 9.; Job. 33. 30.

Cheerful Courage of a Fugitive

To Ps 55, which is Psa 56:7 gives utterance to the wish: “Oh that I had wings like a dove,” etc., no Psalm could be more appropriately appended, according to the mode of arrangement adopted by the collector, than Psa 56:1-13, the musical inscription of which runs: To the Precentor, after “The silent dove among the far off,” by David, a Michtam. רחקים is a second genitive, cf. Isa 28:1, and either signifies distant men or longiqua, distant places, as in Psa 65:6, cf. נעימים, Psa 16:6. Just as in Psa 58:2, it is questionable whether the punctuation אלם has lighted upon the correct rendering. Hitzig is anxious to read אלם, “Dove of the people in the distance;” but אלם, people, in spite of Egli’s commendation, is a word unheard of in Hebrew, and only conjectural in Phoenician. Olshausen’s אלם more readily commends itself, “Dove of the distant terebinths.” As in other like inscriptions, על does not signify de (as Joh. Campensis renders it in his paraphrase of the Psalms [1532] and frequently): Praefecto musices, de columba muta quae procul avolaverat), but secundum; and the coincidence of the defining of the melody with the situation of the writer of the Psalm is explained by the consideration that the melody is chosen with reference to that situation. The lxx (cf. the Targum), interpreting the figure, renders: ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων (from the sanctuary) μεμακρυμμένου, for which Symmachus has: φύλου ἀπωσμένου. The rendering of Aquila is correct: ὑπὲρ περιστερᾶς ἀλάλου μακρυσμῶν. From Ps 55 (Psa 56:7, cf. Psa 38:14) we may form an idea of the standard song designated by the words יונת אלם רחקים; for Ps 55 is not this song itself, and for this reason, that it belongs to the time of Absalom, and is therefore of later date than Psa 56:1-13, the historical inscription of which, “when the Philistines assaulted him in Gath” (cf. בּידם, 1Sa 21:14), carries us back into the time of Saul, to the same time of the sojourn in Philistia to which Ps 34 is assigned. Psa 56:1-13 exhibits many points of the closest intermingling with the Psalms of this period, and thus justifies its inscription. It is a characteristic possessed in common by these Psalms, that the prospect of the judgment that will come upon the whole of the hostile world is combined with David’s prospect of the judgment that will come upon his enemies: Psa 56:8; Psa 7:9; Psa 59:6 (12). The figure of the bottle in which God preserves the tears of the suffering ones corresponds to the sojourn in the wilderness. As regards technical form, Psa 56:1-13 begins the series of Davidic Elohimic Michtammı̂m, Psa 56:1. Three of these belong to the time of Saul. These three contain refrains, a fact that we have already recognised on Psa 16:1 as a peculiarity of these “favourite-word-poems.” the favourite words of this Psa 56:1-13 are (באלהים אהלל דבר)ו and לי (אדם) מה־יּעשׂה בשׂר.

Psa 56:1-4 אלהים and אנושׁ, Psa 56:2 (Psa 9:20; Psa 10:18), are antitheses: over against God, the majestic One, men are feeble beings. Their rebellion against the counsel of God is ineffective madness. If the poet has God’s favour on his side, then he will face these pigmies that behave as though they were giants, who fight against him מרום, moving on high, i.e., proudly (cf. ממּרום, Psa 73:8), in the invincible might of God. שׁאף, inhiare, as in Psa 57:4; לחם, as in Psa 35:1, with ל like אל, e.g., in Jer 1:19. Thus, then, he does not fear; in the day when (Ges. §123, 3, b) he might well be afraid (conjunctive future, as e.g., in Jos 9:27), he clings trustfully to (אל as in Psa 4:6, and frequently, Pro 3:5) his God, so that fear cannot come near him. He has the word of His promise on his side (דּברו as e.g., Psa 130:5); בּאלהים, through God will he praise this His word, inasmuch as it is gloriously verified in him. Hupfeld thus correctly interprets it; whereas others in part render it “in Elohim do I praise His word,” in part (and the form of this favourite expression in Psa 56:11 is opposed to it): “Elohim do I celebrate, His word.” Hitzig, however, renders it: “Of God do I boast in matter,” i.e., in the present affair; which is most chillingly prosaic in connection with an awkward brevity of language. The exposition is here confused by Psa 10:3 and Psa 44:9. הלּל does not by any means signify gloriari in this passage, but celebrare; and באלהים is not intended in any other sense than that in Ps 60:14. בּטח בּ is equivalent to the New Testament phrase πιστεύειν ἐν. לא אירא is a circumstantial clause with a finite verb, as is customary in connection with לא, Psa 35:8, Job 29:24, and עב, Pro 19:23.

Psa 56:5-7

This second strophe describes the adversaries, and ends in imprecation, the fire of anger being kindled against them. Hitzig’s rendering is: “All the time they are injuring my concerns,” i.e., injuring my interests. This also sounds unpoetical. Just as we say חמס תורה, to do violence to the Tôra (Zep 3:4; Eze 22:26), so we can also say: to torture any one’s words, i.e., his utterances concerning himself, viz., by misconstruing and twisting them. It is no good to David that he asseverates his innocence, that he asserts his filial faithfulness to Saul, God’s anointed; they stretch his testimony concerning himself upon the rack, forcing upon it a false meaning and wrong inferences. They band themselves together, they place men in ambush. The verb גּוּר signifies sometimes to turn aside, turn in, dwell (= Arab. jâr); sometimes, to be afraid (= יגר, Arab. wjr); sometimes, to stir up, excite, Psa 140:3 (= גּרה); and sometimes, as here, and in Psa 59:4, Isa 54:15 : to gather together (= אגר).  The Kerî reads יצפּונוּ (as in Psa 10:8; Pro 1:11), but the scriptio plena points to Hiph. (cf. Job 24:6, and also Psa 126:5), and the following המּה leads one to the conclusion that it is the causative יצפּינוּ that is intended: they cause one to keep watch in concealment, they lay an ambush (synon. האריב, 1Sa 15:5); so that המה refers to the liers-in-wait told off by them: as to these - they observe my heels or (like the feminine plural in Psa 77:20; Psa 89:52) footprints (Rashi: mes traces), i.e., all my footsteps or movements, because (properly, “in accordance with this, that,” as in Mic 3:4) they now as formerly (which is implied in the perfect, cf. Psa 59:4) attempt my life, i.e., strive after, lie in wait for it (קוּה like שׁמר, Psa 71:10, with the accusative = קוּה ל in Psa 119:95). To this circumstantial representation of their hostile proceedings is appended the clause על־עון פּלּט־למו, which is not to be understood otherwise than as a question, and is marked as such by the order of the words (2Ki 5:26; Isa 28:28): In spite of iniquity [is there]escape for them? i.e., shall they, the liers-in-wait, notwithstanding such evil good-for-nothing mode of action, escape? At any rate פּלּט is, as in Psa 32:7, a substantivized finitive, and the “by no means” which belongs as answer to this question passes over forthwith into the prayer for the overthrow of the evil ones. This is the customary interpretation since Kimchi’s day. Mendelssohn explains it differently: “In vain be their escape,” following Aben-Jachja, who, however, like Saadia, takes פלט to be imperative. Certainly adverbial notions are expressed by means of על, - e.g., על־יתר ,., abundantly, Psa 31:24; על־שׁקר, falsely, Lev. 5:22 (vid., Gesenius, Thesaurus, p. 1028), - but one does not say על־הבל, and consequently also would hardly have said על־און (by no means, for nothing, in vain); moreover the connection here demands the prevailing ethical notion for און. Hupfeld alters פלט to פּלּס, and renders it: “recompense to them for wickedness,” which is not only critically improbable, but even contrary to the usage of the language, since פלס signifies to weigh out, but not to requite, and requires the accusative of the object. The widening of the circle of vision to the whole of the hostile world is rightly explained by Hengstenberg by the fact that the special execution of judgment on the part of God is only an outflow of His more general and comprehensive execution of judgment, and the belief in the former has its root in a belief in the latter. The meaning of הורד becomes manifest from the preceding Psalm (Ps 55:24), to which the Psalm before us is appended by reason of manifold and closely allied relation.

Psa 56:8-11

What the poet prays for in Psa 56:8, he now expresses as his confident expectation with which he solaces himself. נד (Psa 56:9) is not to be rendered “flight,” which certainly is not a thing that can be numbered (Olshausen); but “a being fugitive,” the unsettled life of a fugitive (Pro 27:8), can really be numbered both by its duration and its many temporary stays here and there. And upon the fact that God, that He whose all-seeing eye follows him into every secret hiding-place of the desert and of the rocks, counteth (telleth) it, the poet lays great stress; for he has long ago learnt to despair of man. The accentuation gives special prominence to נדי as an emphatically placed object, by means of Zarka; and this is then followed by ספרתּה with the conjunctive Galgal and the pausal אתּה with Olewejored (the   of which is placed over the final letter of the preceding word, as is always the case when the word marked with this double accent is monosyllabic, or dissyllabic and accented on the first syllable). He who counts (Job 31:4) all the steps of men, knows how long David has already been driven hither and thither without any settled home, although free from guilt. He comforts himself with this fact, but not without tears, which this wretched condition forces from him, and which he prays God to collect and preserve. Thus it is according to the accentuation, which takes שׂימה as imperative, as e.g., in 1Sa 8:5; but since שׂים, שׂימה ,שׂים, is also the form of the passive participle (1Sa 9:24, and frequently, 2Sa 13:32), it is more natural, in accordance with the surrounding thoughts, to render it so even in this instance (posita est lacrima mea), and consequently to pronounce it as Milra (Ewald, Hupfeld, Böttcher, and Hitzig). דמעתי (Ecc 4:1) corresponds chiastically (crosswise) to נדי, with which בנאדך forms a play in sound; and the closing clause הלא בּספרתך unites with ספרתּה in the first member of the verse. Both Psa 56:9 and Psa 56:9 are wanting in any particle of comparison. The fact thus figuratively set forth, viz., that God collects the tears of His saints as it were in a bottle, and notes them together with the things which call them forth as in a memorial (Mal 3:16), the writer assumes; and only appropriatingly applies it to himself. The אז which follows may be taken either as a logical “in consequence of so and so” (as e.g., Psa 19:14; Psa 40:8), or as a “then” fixing a turning-point in the present tearful wandering life (viz., when there have been enough of the “wandering” and of the “tears”), or “at a future time” (more abruptly, like שׁם in Psa 14:5; 36:13, vid., on Psa 2:5). בּיום אקרא is not an expansion of this אז, which would trail awkwardly after it. The poet says that one day his enemies will be obliged to retreat, inasmuch as a day will come when his prayer, which is even now heard, will be also outwardly fulfilled, and the full realization of the succour will coincide with the cry for help. By זה־ידעתּי in Psa 56:10 he justifies this hope from his believing consciousness. It is not to be rendered, after Job 19:19 : “I who know,” which is a trailing apposition without any proper connection with what precedes; but, after 1Ki 17:24 : this I know (of this I am certain), that Elohim is for me. זה as a neuter, just as in connection with ידע in Pro 24:12, and also frequently elsewhere (Gen 6:15; Exo 13:8; Exo 30:13; Lev 11:4; Isa 29:11, cf. Job 15:17); and לי as e.g., in Gen 31:42. Through Elohim, Psa 56:11 continues, will I praise דּבר: thus absolutely is the word named; it is therefore the divine word, just like בּר in Psa 2:12, the Son absolutely, therefore the divine Son. Because the thought is repeated, Elohim stands in the first case and then Jahve, in accordance with the Elohimic Psalm style, as in Psa 58:7. The refrain in Psa 56:12 (cf. Psa 56:5) indicates the conclusion of the strophe. The fact that we read אדם instead of בּשׂר in this instance, just as in Psa 56:11 דּבר instead of דּברו (Psa 56:5), is in accordance with the custom in the Psalms of not allowing the refrain to recur in exactly the same form.

Psa 56:12-13

In prospect of his deliverance the poet promises beforehand to fulfil the duty of thankfulness. עלי, incumbent upon me, as in Pro 7:14; 2Sa 18:11. נדריך, with an objective subject, are the vows made to God; and תּודות are distinguished from them, as e.g., in 2Ch 29:31. He will suffer neither the pledged שׁלמי נדר nor the שׁלמי תּודה to be wanting; for - so will he be then able to sing and to declare - Thou hast rescued, etc. The perfect after כּי denotes that which is then past, as in Psa 59:17, cf. the dependent passage Psa 116:8. There the expression is ארצות החיּים instead of אור החיּים (here and in Elihu’s speech, Job 33:30). Light of life (Joh 8:12) or of the living (lxx τῶν ζώντων) is not exclusively the sun-light of this present life. Life is the opposite of death in the deepest and most comprehensive sense; light of life is therefore the opposite of the night of Hades, of this seclusion from God and from His revelation in human history. Before Falling Asleep in the Wilderness

The Psalms that are to be sung after the melody אל־תּשׁחת (Psa 57:1-11, Psa 58:1-11, 59 Davidic, 75 Asaphic) begin here. The direction referring to the musical execution of the Psalm ought properly to be אל־תשׁחת (אל); but this is avoided as being unmelodious, and harsh so far as the syntax is concerned. The Geneva version is correct: pour le chanter sur Al taschchet. There is no actual reference in the words to Deu 9:26, or 1Sa 26:9 (why not also to Isa 65:8?).

The historical inscription runs: when he fled from Saul, in the cave. From the connection in the history from which this statement is extracted, it will have been clear whether the Psalm belongs to the sojourn in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam. 22) or in the labyrinthine cave upon the alpine heights of Engedi, “by the sheep-folds” (1 Sam. 24), described in Van de Velde's Journey, ii. 74-76.

How manifold are the points in which these Psalms belonging to the time of Saul run into one another! Psa 57:1-11 has not merely the supplicatory “Be gracious unto me, Elohim,” at the beginning, but also שׁאף applied in the same way (Psa 57:4; Psa 56:2.), in common with Psa 56:1-13; in common with Ps 7, <, כבודי = נפשׁי (Psa 57:9; Psa 7:6); the comparison of one’s enemies to lions and lionesses (Psa 57:5; Psa 7:3); the figure of the sword of the tongue (Psa 57:5; Psa 59:8, cf. Psa 52:4); with Psa 52:1-9 the poetical expression הוות (Psa 57:2; Psa 52:4); with Ps 22 the relation of the deliverance of the anointed one to the redemption of all peoples (Psa 57:10; Psa 22:28.). Also with Psa 36:1-12 it has one or two points of contact, viz., the expression “refuge under the shadow of God’s wings” (Psa 57:2, Psa 36:8), and in the measuring of the mercy and truth of God by the height of the heavens (Psa 57:11, Psa 36:6). Yet, on the other hand, it has a thoroughly characteristic impress. Just as Psa 56:1-13 delighted in confirming what was said by means of the interrogatory הלא (Psa 57:9, 14), so Psa 57:1-11 revels in the figure epizeuxis, or an emphatic repetition of a word (Psa 57:2, Psa 57:4, Psa 57:8, Psa 57:9). Psa 108:1-13 (which see) is a cento taken out of Psa 57:1-11 and Psa 60:1-12.

The strophe-schema of Psa 57:1-11 is the growing one: 4. 5. 6; 4. 5. 6.The Syriac version reckons only 29 στίχοι (fetgome); vid., the Hexaplarian version of this Psalm taken from Cod. 14,434 (Add. MSS) in the British Museum, in Heidenheim’s Vierteljahrsschrift, No. 2 (1861).

Here also the Michtam is not wanting in its prominent favourite word. A refrain of a lofty character closes the first and second parts. In the first part cheerful submission rules, in the second a certainty of victory, which by anticipation takes up the song of praise.

Prayer for Help under Oppression; Confidence in God.

1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

David, in this psalm, by his faith throws himself into the hands of God, even when he had by his fear and folly thrown himself into the hands of the Philistines; it was when they took him in Gath, whither he fled for fear of Saul, forgetting the quarrel they had with him for killing Goliath; but they soon put him in mind of it, 1 Sam. xxi. 10, 11. Upon that occasion he changed his behaviour, but with so little ruffle to his temper that then he penned both this psalm and the 34th. This is called Michtam—a golden psalm. So some other psalms are entitled, but this has something peculiar in the title; it is upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, which signifies the silent dove afar off. Some apply this to David himself, who wished for the wings of a dove on which to fly away. He was innocent and inoffensive, mild and patient, as a dove, was at this time driven from his nest, from the sanctuary (Ps. lxxxiv. 3), was forced to wander afar off, to seek for shelter in distant countries; there he was like the doves of the valleys, mourning and melancholy; but silent, neither murmuring against God nor railing at the instruments of his trouble; herein a type of Christ, who was as a sheep, dumb before the shearers, and a pattern to Christians, who, wherever they are and whatever injuries are done them, ought to be as silent doves. In this former part of the psalm,

I. He complains to God of the malice and wickedness of his enemies, to show what reason he had to fear them, and what cause, what need, there was that God should appear against them (v. 1): Be merciful unto me, O God! That petition includes all the good we come to the throne of grace for; if we obtain mercy there, we obtain all we can desire, and need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his free rich mercy. He prays that he might find mercy with God, for with men he could find no mercy. When he fled from the cruel hands of Saul he fell into the cruel hands of the Philistines. "Lord" (says he), "be thou merciful to me now, or I am undone." The mercy of God is what we may flee to and trust to, and in faith pray for, when we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers. He complains, 1. That his enemies were very numerous (v. 2): "They are many that fight against me, and think to overpower me with numbers; take notice of this, O thou Most High! and make it to appear that wherein they deal proudly thou art above them." It is a point of honour to come in to the help of one against many. And, if God be on our side, how many soever they are that fight against us, we may, upon good grounds, boast that there are more with us; for (as that great general said) "How many do we reckon him for?" 2. That they were very barbarous: they would swallow him up, v. 1 and again v. 2. They sought to devour him; no less would serve; they came upon him with the utmost fury, like beasts of prey, to eat up his flesh, Ps. xxvii. 2. Man would swallow him up, those of his own kind, from whom he might have expected humanity. The ravenous beasts prey not upon those of their own species; yet a bad man would devour a good man if he could. "They are men, weak and frail; make them to know that they are so," Ps. ix. 20. 3. That they were very unanimous (v. 6): They gather themselves together; though they were many, and of different interests among themselves, yet they united and combined against David, as Herod and Pilate against the Son of David. 4. That they were very powerful, quite too hard for him if God did not help him: "They fight against me (v. 2); they oppress me, v. 1. I am almost overcome and borne down by them, and reduced to the last extremity." 5. That they were very subtle and crafty (v. 6): "They hide themselves; they industriously cover their designs, that they may the more effectually prosecute and pursue them. They hide themselves as a lion in his den, that they may mark my steps;" that is, "they observe every thing I say and do with a critical eye, that they may have something to accuse me of" (thus Christ's enemies watched him, Luke xx. 20), or "they have an eye upon all my motions, that they may gain an opportunity to do me a mischief, and may lay their snares for me." 6. That they were very spiteful and malicious. They put invidious constructions upon every thing he said, though ever so honestly meant and prudently expressed (v. 5): "They wrest my words, put them upon the rack, to extort that out of them which was never in them;" and so they made him an offender for a word (Isa. xxix. 21), misrepresenting it to Saul, and aggravating it, to incense him yet more against him. They made it their whole business to ruin David; all their thoughts were against him for evil, which put evil interpretations upon all his words. 7. That they were very restless and unwearied. They continually waited for his soul; it was the life, the precious life, they hunted for; it was his death they longed for, v. 6. They fought daily against him (v. 1), and would daily swallow him up (v. 2), and every day they wrested his words, v. 5. Their malice would not admit the least cessation of arms, or the acts of hostility, but they were continually pushing at him. Such as this is the enmity of Satan and his agents against the kingdom of Christ and the interests of his holy religion, which if we cordially espouse, we must not think it strange to meet with such treatment as this, as though some strange thing happened to us. Our betters have been thus used. So persecuted they the prophets.

II. He encourages himself in God, and in his promises, power, and providence, v. 3, 4 In the midst of his complaints, and before he has said what he has to say of his enemies, he triumphs in the divine protection. 1. He resolves to make God his confidence, then when dangers were most threatening and all other confidences failed: "What time I am afraid, in the day of my fear, when I am most terrified from without and most timorous within, then I will trust in thee, and thereby my fears shall be silenced." Note, There are some times which are, in a special manner, times of fear with God's people; in these times it is their duty and interest to trust in God as their God, and to know whom they have trusted. This will fix the heart and keep it in peace. 2. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his praises, and so we have reason to make them (v. 4): "In God I will praise, not only his work which he has done, but his word which he has spoken; I will give him thanks for a promise, though not yet performed. In God (in his strength and by his assistance) I will both glory in his word and give him the glory of it." Some understand by his word his providences, every event that he orders and appoints: "When I speak well of God I will with him speak well of every thing that he does." 3. Thus supported, he will bid defiance to all adverse powers: "When in God I have put my trust, I am safe, I am easy, and I will not fear what flesh can do unto me; it is but flesh, and cannot do much; nay, it can do nothing but by divine permission." As we must not trust to an arm of flesh when it is engaged for us, so we must not be afraid of an arm of flesh when it is stretched out against us.

III. He foresees and foretels the fall of those that fought against him, and of all others that think to establish themselves in and by any wicked practices (v. 7): Shall they escape by iniquity? They hope to escape God's judgments, as they escape men's, by violence and fraud, and the arts of injustice and treachery; but shall they escape? No, certainly they shall not. The sin of sinners will never be their security, nor will either their impudence or their hypocrisy bring them off at God's bar; God will in his anger cast down and cast out such people, Rom. ii. 3. None are raised so high, or settled so firmly, but that the justice of God can bring them down, both from their dignities and from their confidences. Who knows the power of God's anger, how high it can reach, and how forcibly it can strike?

Comfort under Affliction; Confidence in God.

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? 9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. 10 In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. 13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Several things David here comforts himself with in the day of his distress and fear.

I. That God took particular notice of all his grievances and all his griefs, v. 8. 1. Of all the inconveniences of his state: Thou tellest my wanderings, my flittings, so the old translation. David was now but a young (under thirty) and yet he had had many removes, from his father's house to the court, thence to the camp, and now driven out to sojourn where he could find a place, but not allowed to rest any where; he was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains; continual terrors and toils attended him; but this comforted him, that God kept a particular account of all his motions, and numbered all the weary steps he took, by night or by day. Note, God takes cognizance of all the afflictions of his people; and he does not cast out from his care and love those whom men have cast out from their acquaintance and converse. 2. Of all the impressions thus made upon his spirit. When he was wandering he was often weeping, and therefore prays, "Put thou my tears into thy bottle, to be preserved and looked upon; nay, I know they are in thy book, the book of thy remembrance." God has a bottle and a book for his people's tears, both those for their sins and those for their afflictions. This intimates, (1.) That he observes them with compassion and tender concern; he is afflicted in their afflictions, and knows their souls in adversity. As the blood of his saints, and their deaths, are precious in the sight of the Lord, so are their tears, not one of them shall fall to the ground. I have seen thy tears, 2 Kings xx. 5. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, Jer. xxxi. 18. (2.) That he will remember them and review them, as we do the accounts we have booked. Paul was mindful of Timothy's tears (2 Tim. i. 4), and God will not forget the sorrows of his people. The tears of God's persecuted people are bottled up and sealed among God's treasures; and, when these books come to be opened, they will be found vials of wrath, which will be poured out upon their persecutors, whom God will surely reckon with for all the tears they have forced from his people's eyes; and they will be breasts of consolation to God's mourners, whose sackcloth will be turned into garments of praise. God will comfort his people according to the time wherein he has afflicted them, and give to those to reap in joy who sowed in tears. What was sown a tear will come up a pearl.

II. That his prayers would be powerful for the defeat and discomfiture of his enemies, as well as for his own support and encouragement (v. 9): "When I cry unto thee, then shall my enemies turn back; I need no other weapons than prayers and tears; this I know, for God is for me, to plead my cause, to protect and deliver me; and, if God be for me, who can be against me so as to prevail?" The saints have God for them; they may know it; and to him they must cry when they are surrounded with enemies; and, if they do this in faith, they shall find a divine power exerted and engaged for them; their enemies shall be made to turn back, their spiritual enemies, against whom we fight best upon our knees, Eph. vi. 18.

III. That his faith in God would set him above the fear of man, v. 10, 11. Here he repeats, with a strong pathos, what he had said (v. 4), "In God will I praise his word; that is, I will firmly depend upon the promise for the sake of him that made it, who is true and faithful, and has wisdom, power, and goodness enough to make it good." When we give credit to a man's bill we honour him that drew it; so when we do, and suffer, for God, in a dependence upon his promise, not staggering at it, we give glory to God, we praise his word, and so give praise to him. Having thus put his trust in God, he looks with a holy contempt upon the threatening power of man: "In God have I put my trust, and in him only, and therefore I will not be afraid what man can do unto me (v. 11), though I know very well what he would do if he could," v. 1, 2. This triumphant word, so expressive of a holy magnanimity, the apostle puts into the mouth of every true believer, whom he makes a Christian hero, Heb. xiii. 6. We may each of us boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and then I will not fear what man shall do unto me; for he has no power but what he has given him from above.

IV. That he was in bonds to God (v. 12): "Thy vows are upon me, O God!—not upon me as a burden which I am loaded with, but as a badge which I glory in, as that by which I am known to be thy menial servant—not upon me as fetters that hamper me (such are superstitious vows), but upon me as a bridle that restrains me from what would be hurtful to me, and directs me in the way of my duty. Thy vows are upon me, the vows I have made to thee, to which thou art not only a witness, but a party, and which thou hast commanded and encouraged me to make." It is probably that he means especially those vows which he had made to God in the day of his trouble and distress, which he would retain the remembrance of, and acknowledge the obligations of, when his fright was over. Note, It ought to be the matter of our consideration and joy that the vows of God are upon us—our baptismal vows renewed at the Lord's table, our occasional vows under convictions, under corrections, by these we are bound to live to God.

V. That he should still have more and more occasion to praise him: I will render praises unto thee. This is part of the performance of his vows; for vows of thankfulness properly accompany prayers for mercy, and when the mercy is received must be made good. When we study what we shall render this is the least we can resolve upon, to render praises to God—poor returns for rich receivings! Two things he will praise God for:—1. For what he had done for him (v. 13): "Thou has delivered my soul, my life, from death, which was just ready to seize me." If God have delivered us from sin, either from the commission of it by preventing grace or from the punishment of it by pardoning mercy, we have reason to own that he has thereby delivered our souls from death, which is the wages of sin. If we, who were by nature dead in sin, are quickened together with Christ, and are made spiritually alive, we have reason to own that God has delivered our souls from death. 2. For what he would do for him: "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and so hast given me a new life, and thereby hast given me an earnest of further mercy, that thou wilt deliver my feet from falling; thou hast done the greater, and therefore thou wilt do the less; thou hast begun a good work, and therefore thou wilt carry it on and perfect it." This may be taken either as the matter of his prayer, pleading his experience, or as the matter of his praise, raising his expectations; and those that know how to praise in faith will give God thanks for mercies in promise and prospect, as well as in possession. See here, (1.) What David hopes for, that God would deliver his feet from falling either into sin, which would wound his conscience, or into the appearance of sin, from which his enemies would take occasion to wound his good name. Those that think the stand must take heed lest they fall, because the best stand no longer than God is pleased to uphold them. We are weak, our way is slippery, many stumbling-blocks are in it, our spiritual enemies are industrious to thrust us down, and therefore we are concerned by faith and prayer to commit ourselves to his care who keeps the feet of his saints. (2.) What he builds this hope upon: "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and therein hast magnified thy power and goodness, and put me into a capacity of receiving further mercy from thee; and now wilt thou not secure and crown thy own work?" God never brought his people out of Egypt to slay them in the wilderness. He that in conversion delivers the soul from so great a death as sin is will not fail to preserve it to his heavenly kingdom. (3.) What he designs in these hopes: That I may walk before God in the light of the living, that is, [1.] "That I may get to heaven, the only land of light and life; for in this world darkness and death reign." [2.] "That I may do my duty while this life lasts." Note, This we should aim at, in all our desires and expectations of deliverance both from sin and trouble, that we may do God so much the better service—that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we may serve him without fear.

PSAL. LVI.

To the master of the musicke, concerning the dumbe dove in faire places, Michtam of David, when the Philistims tooke him in Gath.

BE gracious to mee, O God, for sory man would swallow me up; all the day, warring he oppresseth me. Mine enviers would swallow mee up all the day, for many do[illegible: 1 letter] warte with me, O most high. In the day I shall feare, I will trust unto thee.

In God, I will praise his word; in God doe I trust, I will not feare what flesh can doe unto mee. All the day my words they grievously wrest; against me all their thoughts be for evill. They draw together, they keep close themselves, they doe observe my steps, because they earnestly expect my soule. For painfull iniquitie shall they escape safe? in anger cast downe the peoples, O God. Thou hast counted my wandring; put thou my teares in thy bottle: are they not in thy register? Then shall mine enemies turne backe in the day that I call; this I know, that God will be for mee. In God, I will praise the word; in Iehovah, I will praise the word.

In God doe I trust, I will not feare what earthly man can doe unto me. Thy vowes are upon me, O God; I will pay confessions unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soule from death; hast thou not also my feet from sliding? for to walke on, before God, in the light of the living.

Annotations. COncerning the dumbe dove] or after the Hebrew phrase, the dove of dumbnesse; thus David speaketh of himselfe, as of a dove subject to vexation among the [illegible: 1 letter]avenous kites the Philistims, which were farre dis[illegible: 1 letter]oyned from Gods people in faith, though neare in habitation; as the Greeke translateth it, the people farre off from the Saints. Or Aelem, interpreted dumbnesse, may also be turned, a Congregation, as in Psalm. 58. 2. and so the meaning is, the dove of the Congregation of them that be farre of, that is, of the Philistims. And thus the Chaldee expoundeth it, To praise for the congregation, which is like to a silent dove, in the time when they are driven farre from their cities, &c. Michtam] a Iewell, or golden Psalme▪ See Psalm. 16. 1. tooke him in Gath] David fleeing from Saul to Achish King of Gath, and being there knowne, changed his behaviour, and fained him-selfe foolish, and was so dismissed, 1 Sam. 21. 10, &c. whereupon he made the [illegible: 1 letter]4. Psalme. After that he fled againe to K. Achish, and dwelt there with him, he and his company, 1 Sam. 27. 1, 2, 3, &c. Vers. 2. would swallow me up] or, breatheth after me, to take and dev[illegible: 1 letter]ure me. The word Shaaph is used for sooping in of drinke, Iob 5. 5. also, of the wind or breath, Ier. 2▪ [illegible: 1 letter]4. and 14. 6. and so for breathing after any thing to come thereto, Ioh 7. 2. Eccles. 1. 5. So after, in Psal 57 4. and 119. 131. O most high] O high God, as the Chaldee explaineth it. The Greeke saith, from the height; wee may also translate it, in height, that is, highly (proudly) they warre against me. But Marom Height, is sometime Gods attribute, as Mich. 6. 6. Psal. 92. 9. Vers. 4. In the day] or, what day, that is, whensoever I shall be afraid. Vers. 5. what flesh can doe] or, question-wise, what can flesh doe unto me? by flesh, meaning corrupt and weake man, as is expressed, vers. 12. The like title is given to men, in Psal. 78. [illegible: 1 letter]9. Gen. 6. 3. Esay 40▪ 6. Vers. 6. they grievously wrest] they pairfully forme, and frame my words (or my matters▪) perverting them, and giving them another figure or fashion. So the Hebrew word is used for fashioning, Iob 10. 8. It signifieth also, grieving, Esa. 63. 9. Vers. 7. They draw together] or, gather, that is, convene and combine together, or, gather warres, as is expressed, Psal. 140. 3. So Psal. 59. 4. my steps] or my heeles▪ or foots[illegible: 1 letter]les, after the manner of that old Serpent, Gen. 3. 15. Vers. 8. cast downe] or make descend, to wit, to the pit of corruption, as Psal. 55. 24. or nether parts of the earth, as Ezek. 32. 18. Vers. 9. my wandring] my flitting to and fro, as from Sauls presence to Gath, 1 Sa[illegible: 1 letter]. 21. 10. from thence to the cave of Adullam, 1 Sam. 22. 1. from thence to Mispeh in Moab, vers. 3. then to the forest of Hareth in Iudah; vers. 5. then to Keilah, 1 Sam. 23. 5. thence to the wildernesse of Ziph, vers. 14. thence to the wildernesse of Maon, ver. 25. then to Eugedi, 1 Sam. 24. 1, [illegible: 1 word]. and so from place to place, as a partrich on the mountaines: in all which David acknowledged Gods care and providence towards him. in thy bottle] that is, reserve them diligently. Bottles were used to put in milke and wine, Iudg. 4. 19. 1 Sam. 16. 20. In the Hebrew there is an allusion to the former word wandring, called Nod, a bottle being also in that tongue called Nod, having difference in writing, but none in sound. are they not in thy register?] or, in thy booke and reckoning? meaning, doubtlesse they are. A question is often used for an earnest affirmation or deniall. As when one Evangelist saith, Doe yee not erre? Mar. 12. 24. another saith, ye doe erre, Mat. 22. 29. Vers. 10. that God will be for me] or, with me, or, that God is mine: as the Greeke saith, thou art my God. Vers. 13. Thy vowes are upon me] that is, I have thank-offerings ready, wherewith to pay my vowes which I made unto thee. A like phrase is in Prov. 7. 14. Vpon me are peace-offerings. See also how vowes were paid with peace or thank-offerings, Lev. 7. 15, 16. Psal. 66. 13. Or, they are upon me, that is, I am bound to pay them, or, doe now binde my selfe and take them upon me. The Chaldee saith, O[illegible: 1 letter] me I have received, O God, thy vowes. confessions] that is, as the Chaldee saith, sacrifices of confession, or thanks: which were distinguished from vowes, Lev. 7. 12, 15, 16. Vers. 14. hast thou not also] meaning, surely thou hast: as before in vers. 9. and Psal. 116. 9. from sliding] or, from driving, from thrust, that is, from sliding by the thrust of my enemies. to walke on] or converse: it noteth a continuall and pleasing carriage of ones selfe acceptable to God: therefore the Greeke expresseth it by well-pleasing; and the Apostle followeth the same, in Heb. 11. 5. from Gen. 5. 24. So in Psal. 116. 9. The meaning also of the phrase here is, that I may walke: as that which one Prophet saith, lashabeth, to dwell, 1 Chron. 17 4. another saith, leshibti, that I may dwell, 2 Sam. 7 5. the light of the living] or, light of life: meaning the vitall of lively light which men here on earth doe enjoy: and therefore in Iob 33. 28, 30. this is opposed to the pit or grave; and in Psal. 116. 9. it is called the land of the living; whereof see Psal. 27. 13. This also respecteth the better light of life, mentioned by our Saviour, Ioh. 8. 12.

PSAL. LVI.

VPon Jonath Elens Rechakim] Meaning himſelf, who had wiſhed before the wings of a Dove, Fatua columba. Hoſ. 7.11. Pſal. 55.6. and was now the Dove of dumbneſs among Foreiners, Philiſtines, thoſe ravenous Hawks that were ready to ſeize and tear him. Dumb he was fain to feign himſelf, and worſe amongſt them. See Pſal. 34. the title, 1 Sam. 21.17. &c. and therein was more of the Serpent than of the Dove.

Michtam of David] Davidi inſigne aureolum, Davids Jewel, or golden ingot. See Pſal. 16. title. This Michtam he made likely (as alſo Pſal. 34.) when gotten away from Gath, he came into the Cave of Adullam, 1 Sam. 22.1.

Carmina ſeceſſum ſcribentis & otia quaerunt.

Verſ. 1. Be mercifull unto me, O God: for man would ſwallow me up] Soop me up (as the Hebrew word ſoundeth) make but one draught of mee, or ſuck mee in as a Whirlpool, ſwallow mee up as a ravenous wild Beaſt. The Devil is ſaid to ſeek whom he may ſwallow down (1 Pet. 5.8.) at a gulp, as it were; and his Imps are as greedy, but that they are gagg'd by God. The man here mentioned is Iſhbibenob the brother of Goliah, ſaith the Chaldee: but they do better, who underſtand it of Saul, and his complices.

He fighting daily oppreſſeth me] Pliny ſaith of the Scorpion, that there is not one minute, wherein it doth not put forth the ſting: The like do Satan and his Inſtruments.

Verſ. 2. Mine enemies (or obſervers) would daily ſwallow me up] Anhelant obſervatores mei. To ſet forth the indignity of the thing, he repeateth the ſame ſentence again in the plural number; noting, that there were not a few of them bitterly bent by might and main to miſchief him, a poor forlorn friendleſs man.

For there be many that fight againſt me, O thou moſt High] Or, though there be many that fight for me from on high, that is the Angels, as Aben-Ezra rendreth and ſenſeth the Text.

Verſ. 3. What time I am afraid, I will truſt in thee.] This was bravely reſolved; Quid timet hominem homo in ſinn Dei poſitus? Faith quelleth and killeth diſtructful fear; but awful dread, it breedeth, feedeth, foſtereth, and cheriſheth.

Verſ. 4. In God I will praiſe his Word] Having placed my confidence in God, I will take his bare word for my ſecurity. He hath promiſed to make mee King, 1 Sam. 16.13. and he will not ſuffer his faithfulneſs to fail, or alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, Pſal. 89.33. the Word of God cannot bee broken, John 5.35. David once doubted of it, but hee ſoon took himſelf up for halting, Pſal. 116.11.

I will not fear what fleſh can do unto me] Fleſh is terminus diminuens: what can proud fleſh do againſt the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh? Man is but deſpicable fleſh at the beſt.

Verſ. 5. Every day they wreſt my words] Or, my matters; they diſtort and pervert every thing I ſay, or do, from the true intention, and all to make a Traitour of me. That I carried my ſelf wiſely in the Court, valiantly in the Field, faithfully toward Jonathan, cautelouſly for the ſafe-guard of mine own life, ſhifting as I could from one place to another; all this they ſay was done out of affectation of the Kingdom, and as ſeeking Sauls death. So they dealt by our Saviour in the Goſpel, taking that with the left hand, which he tendered with the right, and many times marring a good Text by an ill Gloſs put upon it. So Simon the Loper ſerved that good Woman, who made an Ewer of her eyes, and a Towel of her hair, Luke 7.34. Men ſhould interpret every thing the beſt way, and not as Logicians do, Sequi partem deteriorem.

All their thoughts, &c.] See the Note on verſ. 1.

Verſ. 6. They gather themſelvee together] They convene and combine to do me miſchief: and ſhould not Gods people meet often together to counterplot ſuch Malignants, and to pray them down?Apol. adverſ. gentes, cap. 39, Num. 520. Cum boni, cum probi coeunt, cum pii, cum caſti congregantur, non eſt factio dicenda, ſed curia: Et è contrario, illis nomen factionis accommodandum eſt, qui in odium bonorum & proborum conſpirant, ſaith Tertullian.

They mark my ſteps] They ſpy and pry into my practices, that they may take any advantage: this calls for careful and exact walking, 1 Pet. 2.21. Heb. 12.13.

Verſ. 7. Shall they eſcape by iniquity?] q. d. No let them never think it, their ſin will ſurely finde them out, as cunning as they are, and ſith they are ſo fool-hardy, as to walk upon iniquities Fire-works, let them look to bee blown up; and they ſhall have my prayers to that purpoſe.

In thine anger caſt down, &c.] It is Prophetical, as well as Optative.

Verſ. 8. Thou telleſt my wanderings] Or, thou ciphereſt up my ſtittings, and haſt them in numerato, ready told up; my vagaries whilſt hunted up and down like a Partridge, and huſhed out of every buſh, ſo that I have not where to ſettle. Saint Paul was at the ſame paſs, [non-Latin text not transcribed] ſaith he, we have no certain abode, 1 Corin. 4.11. and ſo were ſundry of the holy Martyrs and Confeſſors, who wandred about in Sheep-skins, and Goat-skins, &c. driven from poſt to pillar, from one Country to another, God all the while noting, and numbring all their flittings, yea all their footings, Bottleing up their tears, booking down their ſighs, as here, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and Mal. 3.16. See Mat. 10.30. The Septuagint for my wandrings, or flittings have my life; to teach us, ſaith one, that our life is but a flitting.

Put thou my tears into thy Bottle] Heb. My tear, that is, every tear of mine; let not one of them be loſt, but kept ſafe with thee, as ſo much ſweet water. It is a witty obſervation of one, That God is ſaid in Scripture to have a Bag and a Bottle, a Bag for our ſins, a Bottle for our tears; and that wee ſhould help to fill this, as we have that. There is an alluſion here in the Original, that cannot bee Engliſhed.

Are they not in thy Book?] ſc. Of Providence; where they cannot be blotted out by any time, or tyrants.

Verſ. 9. When I cry unto thee, then ſhall mine enemies turn back] For how ſhould they ſtand before ſo mighty a God? Of the power of Prayer, for the beating back of enemies, beſides the Scripture, Hiſtories are full; that famous Victoria Halle [illegible: 2 letters]iatica for inſtance.

Verſ. 10. In God will I praiſe his word] The Jew-Doctours obſerve that Elohim, God, is a Name importing Juſtice; and that Jehovah, Lord, holdeth out mercy, according to that Exod, 34.6. Jehovah, Jehovah Merciful, Grac[illegible: 1 letter]us, &c. But if God ſhould foem neither to ſhow his Mercy upon us, nor his Juſtice upon our enemies, we muſt nevertheleſs adhere to his Word, or Promiſe, and patiently wait his performance; which will be as ſure as he is God and Lord. See the Note on verſ. 4.

Verſ. 11. In God have I put my truſt, I will not be afraid, &c.] When news came to Luther, that both the Emperour and Pope had threatned his ruine, he bravely anſwered, Contemptus eſt à me Romanus & favor & furor; I care for neither of them, I know whom I have truſted. See verſ. 4.

Verſ. 12.Sunt tua poſt. quam Vori. Arab[illegible: 1 letter] Thy Vows are upon me, O God] I am a Votary ever ſince I was at Gath, there and then I vowed, that if the Lord would vouchſafe to bring me out of that brake, I would do as became a thankful man every way. And now I am Damnatus votorum, as the Latine expreſſion is; Vow I muſt, and pay to the Lord my God; Ecce ego Domine, Lord I am ready, do thou but ſet me up an Altar, and I will offer a Sacrifice; reſtore me to thy Sanctuary, and I will do it exactly, in the Ceremonies and Formalities thereof: Mean while, mine heart and lips ſhall not be wanting to give thee praiſe in ſpirit and truth, I will render praiſes unto thee.

Verſ. 13. For thou haſt delivered my ſoul from death] Which was the very thing I begged of thee when I was at worſt, viz. that thou wouldeſt ſave my life, which then lay at ſtake; I alſo then ſolemnly took upon me ſuch and ſuch ingagements, which lye upon me as ſo many debts, and I am in pain till I have paid them. This if I ſhall do effectually,

Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling?] Yea, I know thou wilt, Lord, for every former favour of thine is a pledge of a future.

That I may walk before God in the light of the living] Called elſe-where the Land of the living; that is in this preſent life, ſpending the ſpan of it in thy fear, and labouring to be every whit as good as I vowed to be when I was in great diſtreſs and danger. Pliny in an Epiſtle of his to one that deſired rules from him how to order his life aright, I will, ſaith he, give you one rule that ſhall be inſtead of a thouſand, Ut tales eſſe perſeveremus ſani, quales nos futuros eſſe profitemur infirmi; i. e. That you hold out to bee ſuch when well, as you promiſed to bee when weak and ſick, &c.

Be merciful unto me, O God. In my deep distress my soul turns to thee, my God. Man has no mercy on me, therefore double thy mercy to me. If thy justice has let loose my enemies, let thy mercy shorten their chain. It is sweet to see how the tender dove like spirit of the psalmist flies to the most tender attribute for succour in the hour of peril. For man would swallow me up. He is but thy creature, a mere man, yet like a monster he is eager for blood, he pants, he gapes for me; he would not merely wound me, or feed on my substance, but he would fain swallow me altogether, and so make an end of me. The open mouths of sinners when they rage against us should open our mouths in prayer. We may plead the cruelty of men as a reason for the divine interposition —a father is soon aroused when his children are shamefully entreated. He fighting daily oppresseth me. He gives me no interval —he fights daily. He is successful in his unrighteous war —he oppresses me, he crushes me, he presses me sore. David has his eye on the leader of his foes, and lays his complaint against him in the right place. If we may thus plead against man, much more against that great enemy of souls, the devil. We ask the Lord to forgive us our trespasses, which is another way of saying, "Be merciful to me, O God, "and then we may say, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." The more violent the attack of Satan the stronger our plea for deliverance.

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up. Their appetite for blood never fails them. With them there is no truce or armistice. They are many, but one mind animates them. Nothing I can do can make them relent. Unless they can quite devour me they will never be content. The ogres of nursery tales exist in reality in the enemies of the church, who would crush the bones of the godly, and make a mouthful of them if they could. For they be many that fight against me. Sinners are gregarious creatures. Persecutors hunt in packs. These wolves of the church seldom come down upon us singly. The number of our foes is a powerful plea for the interposition of the one Defender of the faithful, who is mightier than all their bands. These foes of the gracious are also keen eyed, and ever on the watch, hence the margin calls them "observers." O thou most High. Thus he invokes against the lofty ones of the earth the aid of one who is higher than the highest. Some translate the words differently, and think that the writer means that his foes assailed him from the high places in which pride and power had placed them. Saul, his great foe, attacked him from his throne with all the force which his high position placed at his disposal: our comfort in such a case is near to hand, for God will help us from a higher place than our proudest foes can occupy. The greatness of God as the Most High is a fertile source of consolation to weak saints oppressed by mighty enemies.

What time I am afraid. David was no braggart, he does not claim never to be afraid, and he was no brutish Stoic free from fear because of the lack of tenderness. David's intelligence deprived him of the stupid heedlessness of ignorance, he saw the imminence of his peril, and was afraid. We are men, and therefore liable to overthrow; we are feeble, and therefore unable to prevent it; we are sinful men, and therefore deserving it, and for all these reasons we are afraid. But the condition of the psalmist's mind was complex —he feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind, for he adds, I will trust in thee. It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. We are strange beings, and our experience in the divine life is stranger still. We are often in a twilight, where light and darkness are both present, and it is hard to tell which predominates. It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to him. If I fear man I have only to trust God, and I have the best antidote. To trust when there is no cause for fear, is but the name of faith, but to be reliant upon God when occasions for alarm are abundant and pressing, is the conquering faith of God's elect. Though the verse is in the form of a resolve, it became a fact in David's life, let us make it so in ours. Whether the fear arise from without or within, from past, present, or future, from temporals, or spirituals, from men or devils, let us maintain faith, and we shall soon recover courage.

In God I will praise his word. Faith brings forth praise. He who can trust will soon sing. God's promise, when fulfilled, is a noble subject for praise, and even before fulfilment it should be the theme of song. It is in or through God that we are able to praise. We praise as well as pray in the Spirit. Or we may read it —in extolling the Lord one of the main points for thanksgiving is his revealed will in the Scriptures, and the fidelity with which he keeps his word of promise. In God I have put my trust. Altogether and alone should we stay ourselves on God. What was a gracious resolve in the former verse, is here asserted as already done. I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Faith exercised, fear is banished, and holy triumph ensues, so that the soul asks, "What can flesh do unto me?" What indeed? He can do me no real injury; all his malice shall be overruled for my good. Man is flesh, flesh is grass —Lord, in thy name I defy its utmost wrath. There were two verses of complaint, and here are two of confidence; it is well to weigh out a sufficient quantity of the sweet to counteract the sour.

Every day they wrest my words. This is a common mode of warfare among the ungodly. They put our language on the rack, they extort meanings from it which it cannot be made fairly to contain. Thus our Saviour's prophecy concerning the temple of his body, and countless accusations against his servants, were founded on wilful perversions. They who do this every day become great adepts in the art. A wolf can always find in a lamb's discourse a reason for eating him. Prayers are blasphemies if you choose to read them the wrong way upwards. All their thoughts are against me for evil. No mixture of good will tone down their malice. Whether they viewed him as a king, a psalmist, a man, a father, a warrior, a sufferer, it was all the same, they saw through coloured glass, and could not think a generous thought towards him. Even those actions of his which were an undoubted blessing to the commonwealth, they endeavoured to undervalue. Oh, foul spring, from which never a drop of pure water can come!

They gather themselves together. Firebrands burn the fiercer for being pushed together. They are afraid to meet the good man till their numbers place terrible odds against him. Come out, ye cowards, man to man, and fight the old hero! No, ye wait till ye are assembled like thieves in bands, and even then ye waylay the man. There in nothing brave about you. They hide themselves. In ambuscade they wait their opportunity. Men of malice are men of cowardice. He who dares not meet his man on the king's highway, writes himself down a villain. Constantly are the reputations of good men assailed with deep laid schemes, and diabolical plots, in which the anonymous enemies stab in the dark. They mark my steps, as hunters mark the trail of their game, and so track them. Malicious men are frequently very sharp sighted to detect the failings, or supposed failings, of the righteous. Spies and mouchards are not all in the pay of earthly governments, some of them will have wages to take in red hot coin from one who himself is more subtle than all the beasts of the field. When they wait for my soul. Nothing less than his life would content them, only his present and eternal ruin could altogether glut them. The good man is no fool, he sees that he has enemies, and that they are many and crafty; he sees also his own danger, and then he shows his wisdom by spreading the whole case before the Lord, and putting himself under divine protection.

Shall they escape by iniquity? Will such wickedness as this stand them in good stead? Can it be that this conduct shall enable them to avoid the sentence of earthly punishment? They slander the good man to screen themselves —will this avail them? They have cunningly managed hitherto, but will there not be an end to their games? In thine anger cast down the people, O God. Trip them up in their tricks. Hurl them from the Tarpeian rock. A persecuted man finds a friend even in an angry God, how much more in the God of love! When men seek to cast us down, it is but natural and not at all unlawful to pray that they may be disabled from the accomplishment of their infamous designs. What God often does we may safely ask him to do.

Thou tellest my wanderings. Every step which the fugitive had taken when pursued by his enemies, was not only observed but thought worthy of counting and recording. We perhaps are so confused after a long course of trouble, that we hardly know where we have or where we have not been; but the omniscient and considerate Father of our spirits remembers all in detail; for he has counted them over as men count their gold, for even the trial of our faith is precious in his sight. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. His sorrows were so many that there would need a great wineskin to hold them all. There is no allusion to the little complimentary lachrymators for fashionable and fanciful Romans, it is a more robust metaphor by far; such floods of tears had David wept that a leathern bottle would scarce hold them. He trusts that the Lord will be so considerate of his tears as to store them up as men do the juice of the vine, and he hopes that the place of storage will be a special one —thy bottle, not a bottle. Are they not in thy book? Yes, they are recorded there, but let not only the record but the grief itself be present to thee. Look on my griefs as real things, for these move the heart more than a mere account, however exact. How condescending is the Lord! How exact his knowledge of us! How generous his estimation! How tender his regard!

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back. So soon as I pray they shall fly. So surely as I cry they shall be put to the rout.

"So swift is prayer to reach the sky,

So kind is God to me."

The machinery of prayer is not always visible, but it is most efficient. God inclines us to pray, we cry in anguish of heart, he hears, he acts, the enemy is turned back. What irresistible artillery is this which wins the battle as soon as its report is heard! What a God is this who harkens to the cry of his children, and in a moment delivers them from the mightiest adversaries! This I know. This is one of the believer's certainties, his axioms, his infallible, indisputable verities. For God is for me. This, we know, and we know, therefore, that none can be against us who are worth a moment's fear. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Who will restrain prayer when it is so potent? Who will seek any other ally than God, who is instantly present so soon as we give the ordained signal, by which we testify both our need and our confidence?

In God will I praise his word. Now comes the thanksgiving. He is a wretch who, having obtained help, forgets to return a grateful acknowledgment. The least we can do is to praise him from whom we receive such distinguished favours. Does David here mean "by God's grace I will praise him"? If so, he shows us that all our emotions towards God must be in God, produced by him and presented as such. Or does he mean, "that which in God is most the object of my praise is his word, and the faithfulness with which he keeps it"? If so, we see how attached our hearts should be to the sure word of promise, and especially to him who is the WORD incarnate. The Lord is to be praised under every aspect, and in all his attributes and acts, but certain mercies peculiarly draw out our admiration towards special portions of the great whole. That praise which is never special in its direction cannot be very thoughtful, and it is to be feared cannot be very acceptable. In the Lord will I praise his word. He delights to dwell on his praise, he therefore repeats his song. The change by which he brings in the glorious name of Jehovah is doubtless meant to indicate that under every aspect he delights in his God and in his word.

In God have I put my trust. This and the former verse are evidently the chorus of the Psalm. We cannot be too careful of our faith, or see too sedulously that it is grounded on the Lord alone. I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Faith has banished fear. He views his foes in their most forcible character, calling them not flesh, but indicating them as man, yet he dreads them not; though the whole race were his enemies he would not be afraid now that his trust is stayed on God. He is not afraid of what they threaten to do, for much of that they cannot do; and even what is in their power, what they can do, he defies with holy daring. He speaks for the future, "I will not, "for he is sure that the security of the present will suffice for days to come.

Thy vows are upon me, O God. Vows made in his trouble he does not lightly forget, nor should we. We voluntarily made them, let us cheerfully keep them. All professed Christians are men under vows, but especially those who in hours of dire distress have rededicated themselves unto the Lord. I will render praises unto thee. With heart, and voice, and gift, we should cheerfully extol the God of our salvation. The practice of making solemn vows in times of trouble is to be commended, when it is followed by the far less common custom of fulfilling them when the trouble is over.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death. His enemies were defeated in their attempts upon his life, and therefore he vowed to devote his life to God. Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling? One mercy is a plea for another, for indeed it may happen that the second is the necessary complement of the first. It little boots that we live, if we are made to fall in character by the thrusts of our enemies. As lief not be, as live to be bereft of honour, and fallen prostrate before my enemies. That I may walk before God in the light of the living, enjoying the favour and presence of God, and finding the joy and brightness of life therein. Walking at liberty, in holy service, in sacred communion, in constant progress in holiness, enjoying the smile of heaven —this I seek after. Here is the loftiest reach of a good man's ambition, to dwell with God, to walk in righteousness before him, to rejoice in his presence, and in the light and glory which it yields. Thus in this short Psalm, we have climbed from the ravenous jaws of the enemy into the light of Jehovah's presence, a path which only faith can tread.

TITLE. The words Jonathelemrechokim may be rendered, concerning the mute dove among them that are afar off, or in far places. John Gill.

Title. Michtam. See also Explanatory Notes on Psalm 16, in the "Treasury of David, "Vol. 1, pp., 222-223.

Be merciful. This is the second of the Psalms beginning with the miserere; the fifty-first being the first of them. C. H. S.

Be merciful unto me, O God. This is to me the one source of all my expectations, the one fountain of all promises: Miserere mei, Deus, miserere mei. Bernard, 1091-1157.

Be merciful. His first wrestling in prayer is with the check of his conscience, whether for his daily sins, or in particular for casting himself in such apparent danger, as to have ventured without probable security, to seek shelter among the enemies of the people of God, whose blood he himself had shed abundantly; for this rashness or other sins he begs mercy. David Dickson.

Man. He uses the indefinite term man in this verse, though in the next he speaks of having many enemies, the more forcibly to express the truth, that the whole world was combined against him, that he experienced no humanity amongst men, and stood in the last necessity of divine help. John Calvin.

Would swallow me up. Soop me up (as the Hebrew word soundeth); make but one draught of me, or suck me in as a whirlpool, swallow me up as a ravenous wild beast. John Trapp.

He fighting daily. There is no morning on which we can arise and go forth into the world, and say, "No enemy will come out against me today." There is no night in which we can retire from that world, and think to find safety in the solitude of our own chambers, and say, "No evil can enter here." Barton Bouchier, in "Manna in the Heart, "1855.

Verses 1-2. The same words are applicable to the situation and circumstances of David, pursued by his enemies; of Christ, persecuted by the Jews; of the church, afflicted in the world; and of the soul, encompassed by enemies, against whom she is forced to wage perpetual war. George Horne.

O thou most High. The Hebrew is not that rendered Most High in Ps 7:17; nor in our version is it ever rendered Most High in any other place, although found in the Hebrew Bible more than fifty times. There are but two other places where it is applied, as an epithet, to God; Ps 92:8; Mic 6:6. It is commonly rendered, from above, on high, high places, high; once loftily, Ps 73:8... The probable meaning is, they "fight against me from the high places of authority, both in Jerusalem and in Gath, "q.d., mine enemies are in power. William S. Plumer's "Studies in the Book of Psalms, "1867.

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. There is nothing like faith to help at a pinch; faith dissolves doubts as the sun drives away the mists. And that you may not be put out, know that your time for believing is always. There are times when some graces may be out of use, but there is no time wherein faith can be said to be so. Wherefore faith must be always in exercise. Faith is the eye, is the mouth, is the hand, and one of these is of use all the day long. Faith is to see, to receive, to work, or to eat; and a Christian should be seeing or receiving, or working, or feeding all day long. Let it rain, let it blow, let it thunder, let it lighten, a Christian must still believe. "At what time, "said the good man, "I am afraid, I will trust in thee." John Bunyan.

What time I am afraid, etc. A divine spark may live in a smoke of doubts without a speedy rising into flame. When grace is at the bottom of doubting, there will be reliance on Christ and lively petitions to him. Peter's faith staggers when he began to sink, but he casts a look and sends forth a cry to his Saviour, acknowledging his sufficiency; Mt 14:30, "Lord, save me." Sometimes those doubtings strengthen our trust and make us take hold faster on God. Ps 56:3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. This was a fear of himself or others, rather than a jealousy of God. Had he had unworthy suspicions of him, he would not have trusted him; he would not have run for remedy to the object of his fear. The waverings where faith is, are like the tossings of a ship fast at anchor (still there is a relying upon God), not like a boat carried by the waves of the sea to be dashed against a rock. If the heart stay on Christ in the midst of those doubtings, it is not an evil heart of unbelief. Such doubtings consist with the indwelling of the Spirit, who is in the heart, to perform the office of a Comforter against such fears and to expel those thick fumes of nature. Stephen Charnock.

What time I am afraid, etc. I know not what to do, but I will try my old way, it is good for me to draw near still; I will do so still, as I used to do; I will cast myself down upon the free grace of Christ in the promises; I will lay the weight of my sinking spirit there, I will renew my hold, life, expectation there; this is my old path, I will never be turned or beaten out here. This Christian in his strength may challenge all the gates of hell. This was David's course (Ps 71:5), "Thou art my trust from my youth, "etc. Thence was it that he could say, What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee: his shield and sword was always in his hand, therefore he could make use of it when fear and inward trouble offered themselves. Afraid! alas, who is not? but what course will you take then? Even what course you used to take, i.e., believe; use faith always; and have it now. Elias Pledger(-1676), in "Morning Exercises."

What time, etc. Literally, What day. As "Man daily oppresseth me" (Ps 56:1), so "Every day, when I am afraid, I trust in thee." A. R. Fausset.

It is a good maxim with which to go into a world of danger; a good maxim to go to sea with; a good maxim in a storm; a good maxim when in danger on the land; a good maxim when we are sick; a good maxim when we think of death and the judgment —What time I am afraid, I WILL TRUST IN THEE. Albert Barnes.

I will trust in thee. Faith and fear stand together; and so fear and love. John Richardson, -1654.

Verses 3-4. Sometimes faith comes from prayer in triumph, and cries, Victoria. It gives such a being and existence to the mercy prayed for in the Christian's soul, before any likelihood of it appears to sense and reason, that the Christian can silence all his troubled thoughts with the expectation of its coming. So Hannah prayed, "and was no more sad." 1Sa 1:18. Yea, it will make the Christian disburse his praises for the mercy long before it is received. Thus high faith wrought in David. At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, and in the next words, In God I will praise his word; that is, he would praise God for his promise before there was any performance of it in him, when it had no existence but in God's faithfulness and David's faith. This holy man had such a piercing eye of faith, that he could see the promise when he was at the lowest ebb of misery, so certain and unquestionable in the power and truth of God, that he could then praise God as if the promised mercy had been actually fulfilled to him. William Gurnall.

In God I will praise his word. Or, praise him for his word; for the whole Scripture that was then in being. John Gill.

The best hold that faith can have of God, is to take him by his word, however his dispensation seems to be; this will give satisfaction at length; for In God I will praise his word, is as much as to say, albeit he withhold comfort and deliverance from me, so that I cannot find what I would, yet let me have his word, and I will give him the glory of all his attributes. David Dickson.

I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Fear not man, he is but flesh. Thou needest not, thou oughtest not to fear. Thou needest not. What, not such a great man; not such a number of men, who have the keys of all the prisons at their girdle; who can kill or save alive? No, not these; only look they be thy enemies for righteousness sake. Take heed thou makest not the least child thine enemy, by offering wrong to him; God will right the wicked even upon the saint. If he offends he shall find no shelter under God's wing for his sin. This made Jerome complain that the Christian sin made the arms of those barbarous nations which invaded Christendom victorious: Nostris peccatis fortes sunt barbari. But if man's wrath find thee on God's way, and his fury take fire at thy holiness, thou needest not fear though thy life be the prey he hunts for. Flesh can only wound flesh; he may kill thee, but not hurt thee. Why shouldest thou fear to be stripped of that which thou hast resigned already to Christ? It is the first lesson you learn, if a Christian, to deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow thy Master; so that the enemy comes too late; thou hast no life to lose, because thou hast given it already to Christ; nor can man take away that without God's leave; all thou hast is insured; and though God hath not promised thee immunity from suffering in this kind, yet he hath undertaken to bear the loss, yea, to pay thee a hundredfold, and thou shalt not stay for it till another world. Again, thou oughtest not to fear flesh. Our Saviour (Matthew 10) thrice, in the compass of six verses, commands us not to fear man: if thy heart quail at him, how wilt thou behave thyself in the last against Satan, whose little finger is heavier than man's loins? The Romans had arma proelusoria, weapons rebated or cudgels, which they were tried at before they came to the sharp. If thou canst not bear a bruise in thy flesh from man's cudgels and blunt weapons, what wilt thou do when thou shalt have Satan's sword in thy side? God counts himself reproached when his children fear a sorry man; therefore we are bid sanctify the Lord, not to fear their fear. William Gurnall.

I will not fear, etc. Eusebius tells us of a notable speech that Ignatius used when he was in his enemies' hands, not long before he was to suffer, which argued a raised spirit to a wonderful height above the world, and above himself. "I care, "says he, "for nothing visible or invisible, that I might get Christ. Let fire, the cross, the letting out of beasts upon me, breaking of my bones, the tearing of my members, the grinding of my whole body, and the torments of the devils come upon me, so be it I may get Christ." From Jeremiah Burroughs' "Moses his Self denial, "1649.

What flesh can do, etc. It is according to the phrase of Scripture, when it would speak contemptibly of man and show him to be the lowest creature, to call him "flesh, "to set forth the weakness that man is subject to. John Arrowsmith, 1600-1660.

(last clause). Fear of man —grim idol, bloody mouthed; many souls has he devoured and trampled down into hell! His eyes are full of hatred to Christ's disciples. Scoffs and jeers lurk in his eye. The laugh of the scorner growls in his throat. Cast down this idol. This keeps some of you from secret prayer, from worshipping God in your family, from going to lay your case before ministers, from openly confessing Christ. You that have felt God's love and Spirit, dash this idol to pieces. "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die?" "Fear not, thou worm Jacob." "What have I to do any more with idols?" Robert Murray Macheyne, 1813-1843.

Faith groweth valiant in fight; albeit it began like a coward, and staggered in the first conflict, yet it groweth stout, incontinent, and pulls its adversaries under foot: In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. David Dickson.

Every day they wrest my words; or, they put my words to pain and grief, or, they painfully and grievously wrest my words. David's enemies took up what he spake, and put a new shape upon it; and this they did so vexingly, that they are said to wrest his words; a thing is vexed when it is wrested or wrought out of the form it before had. The same metaphor the apostle Peter useth in reference to doctrine, speaking of the Epistles of Paul, in which "are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, "or put upon the rack; they painfully form his words, and represent them in a meaning which he never intended. 2Pe 3:16. What is spoken may be right, both in the matter and intendment of the speaker, yet another wrests, forms and fashions it in his own mould, and makes it bear a sense which the speaker never dreamed of. Joseph Caryl.

Every day they wrest my words, etc. Mr. Jewel, the Bishop of Salisbury, who, according to his life, died most godly and patiently, at the point of death used the versicle of the Hymn, "Te Deum, ""O Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded, " whereupon, suppressing the rest, they published that the principle champion of the heretics, in his very last words, cried he was confounded. Lord Bacon's "Bible Thoughts."

They wrest my words. Whatever Christ said in justification of himself was twisted to a meaning injurious to him. So it is still in the world, self justification by words answers but little purpose with ungodly men. W. Wilson, D.D., 1860.

They mark my steps. Go whither I will, they are at my heels. William Nicholson(-1671), in "David's Harp Strung and Tuned."

Put thou my tears in thy bottle. Among other things in the collection of Mr. Abbott, of Cairo, he had a lachrymatory, or tear bottle, which had been found in a tomb at Thebes. This interested me very much. The custom in old times was, when a person was ill or in great distress, for his friends to go to see him, and take with them a tear bottle. Then, as the tears rolled down the cheeks of the sufferer, they were caught in these bottles, sealed up, and preserved as a memorial of the event. This is what David referred to in Ps 56:8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. But it implies much more than at first suggests itself, and much more than I can attempt to write. For instance, it is as if David had said, "Visit me, and behold my tears; "("O visit me with thy salvation!") for without such visit there could be no bottling of his tears. "Thou tellest my wanderings; O visit me, and behold my anguish; put my tears into thy bottle, "for "they have been my meat day and night." Ps 42:3. "Keep them before thee, by way of remembrance, and when thou seest the bottle, O think of him whose tears it contains. Are they not in thy book?" That is, God's book of remembrance, that was written for those "who thought upon his name" (Mal 3:16), just as the kings of old used to keep a book of chronicles of important events. See Es 6:1-11. John Gadsby, 1860. (We insert this to show what has been said by others; but we do not think there is the slightest allusion to this piece of Roman etiquette in this text. C. H. S.)

My tear: the singular used collectively. In thy bottle: as if one should say, take care of my tears, as of a kind of wine that is very costly, and very pleasant to thee; or, that hereafter you may measure out to me just that quantity of joys: a metaphor from the keeper of a vineyard, who receives into his vessel the drops of the grapes pressed out by the winepress of affliction. The word dag (iter) (leather or skin bottle) denotes the manner in which they preserved their wine. (1Sa 16:20; Jos 9:4,13), and milk also (Jud 4:19). Martin Geier.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle. What a sweet thought is suggested here of God's remembrance of his people's affliction! It is an interesting figure of speech, of bottling their tears. But the sense is, they are remembered. And woe will be to the man that offends one of God's little ones on his account. What are now bottles of tears, will be poured out in the end as so many vials of wrath. But reader! think how the tears of Jesus have been treasured up when shedding for the sins of his people. Robert Hawker, 1753-1827.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle. It is the witty observation of one, that God is said in Scripture to have a bag and a bottle, a bag for our sins, and a bottle for our tears; and that we should help to fill this, as we have that. There is an allusion here in the original that cannot be Anglicized. John Trapp.

Are they not in thy book? While we remain in this vale of misery, God keeps all our tears in a bottle; so precious is the water that is distilled from penitent eyes; and because he will be sure not to fail, he notes how many drops there be in his register. It was a precious ointment wherewith the woman in the Pharisee's house (it is thought Mary Magdalene) anointed the feet of Christ; but her tears, wherewith she washed them, were more worth than her spikenard. Abraham Wright, in "A Practical Commentary or Exposition upon the Book of Psalms, "1661.

When I cry. The cry of faith and prayer to God is more dreadful to our spiritual foes than the war whoop of the Indian is to his surprised brother savages. Adam Clarke.

(first clause). It was somewhat that when David prayed he was saved from his enemies. "I will call on the Lord: so shall I be saved from mine enemies" (2Sa 22:4); there is the defensive power of prayer; but it is more that it puts enemies to the foil. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back and be put to flight; there is the offensive power of prayer. In David's tower there was an armoury, thalpijoth, a place to hang swords with two edges, swords with two mouths (Canticles 4:4); a defensive and an offensive edge. Both edges must be used by such as seek safety. Prayer is a sword with two edges. "Put up thy sword into his place, "says Christ to Peter: "for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Mt 22:52. But he that takes not this sword may happen to perish by the sword; and the drawing of this sword may save a man from perishing by the sword. Mark that last reason that our Saviour adds why Peter should put up his sword: "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mt 22:53). As if he had said, If it were my mind to confound these mine enemies that now set upon me, I should not need thy sword to do it. I could pray to my Father, and could presently by prayer bring such forces into the field as should rout and scatter all mine enemies; hereby implying, that if he would, he could do his enemies more damage and mischief by his prayers against them than by the sword and all instruments of war. Prayer is twelve legions strong, yea, twelve legions of angels strong against enemies. Jeremiah Dyke (1620), in the Righteous Man's Tower.

This I know. Faith goeth upon solid grounds, and is not a fallible conjecture, but a sure knowledge. David Dickson.

In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. The first word, Elohim, is a name belonging to God as a judge, the second word, Jehovah, is a name of mercy. I will praise God whether he deal with me in a way of justice or in a way of mercy, when he hath thunder in his voice, as well as when he hath honey under his tongue. Oh, how should we praise God, and pleasure ourselves by such a frame! Stephen Charnock.

(first clause). By the assistance of God I shall be enabled to praise him for the performance of his promises. Symon Patrick, 1626-1707.

Thy vows are upon me, O God. Whoever is conversant with the Psalms of David, will find him frequently making vows, and careful in paying them. When these words dropped from him he was just delivered out of a pressing danger among the Philistines, with whom he took shelter from the rage of King Saul, who unweariedly pursued him; but he soon found that the remembrance of his past achievements to their damage was still so fresh amongst them, and they so exasperated thereupon, that his life was in constant danger. In his distress he flies to God, his wonted refuge, and sends up earnest addresses to him, vowing if he would open a way for his deliverance out of these new straits, he would show his grateful sense of so signal a mercy, by the exactness and accuracy of his future obedience. God hears and succours him; and he thereupon grateful looks back, endeavours to renew the sense of his former obligation to his great Deliverer, and to stir up himself by suitable returns, and so cries out, Thy vows are upon me, O God; as if he should say, I resolve, O Lord, not to forget what was transacted while I was under my fears. Thou hast heard my cries, and I own myself firmly bound by my vows. I was serious and in earnest when I made them, and I will endeavour to show that I was so by my care to perform them. Thy vows, O God, made indeed on my part, but justly to be exacted on thine, are upon me, they do in reality hold me fast, and I desire not to be released. I am sensible I deserve to be stigmatised for a perfidious wretch if I ever forget them. This temper of holy David with reference to the vows he made on this occasion, should be ours with reference to all the sacred vows we any way come under. All Christians, as such, are necessarily under vows to the blessed God: and particular circumstances may make it expedient for us to come under special engagements to him. But wherever they are such as that they may justly be denominated vows of God, i.e., are such as his word will warrant; we should make holy David, as speaking in this text, our pattern, and set ourselves to imitate him, in seriously owning their binding force, and endeavouring to answer and pay them. Edmund Calamy, in "A Practical Discourse Concerning Vows," 1704.

Thy vows are upon me, O God. A well composed vow will make thee more circumspect and wary in the general course of thy life. Such an influence it hath, as doth more directly work on one particular part, yet is not terminated to that particular only. Thus it was with David. These vows were made when he was in danger of his life, as it seemeth from Ps 56:13; for when God heard him, he delivered his soul from death: for this he vowed praises in particular, and he will render them. But, withal he takes himself to be hereby engaged to a more exact and circumspect walk before God in all duties: so he expresses himself in the latter part of Ps 56:13. Henry Hurst (1629-1696), in "The Morning Exercise at Cripplegate," 1661.

Verses 12-13. Thy vows are upon me, O God. Passively, vows made to God, not by God; or the obligations of those vows and prayers which I have made and upon which I have received answers. Sacrifices of thanksgiving were called vows, as having been vowed to God upon the want, and to be paid upon the receipt, of mercy. Le 1:1, "If the sacrifice that is offered be a vow." Thy vows are upon me; the fruit of my vows, so that I stand indebted to God for the return of praise. Thou hast delivered. He understands some great danger wherein he had sunk had not God stood by him, and from a greater mercy, the deliverance of his soul from death, argues for a less, the keeping his feet from falling. That I may walk before God in the light of the living. By light of the living is meant life, which is called being enlightened with the "light of the living." Job 33:30. Sometimes eternal life in heaven. Joh 8:12, "He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "To walk before God." To walk obediently in the sight of God; with a respect to his presence; a walking unto all well pleasing. This is the last argument in the Psalm whereon he builds his strongest plea, as if he knew not what to urge if this should fail him; as if he should have said, Lord, I have had experience of thy wisdom in contriving, thy power in effecting, thy mercy in bestowing deliverance upon me, thy goodness in answering my vows and prayers. "Thou hast delivered from death, "a danger as great and unavoidable as death itself. O Lord, art not thou the same as thou wert? Art not thou still as wise to design, and as gracious to confer further mercy? Wilt thou not as certainly also deliver my feet from falling? The one contains his experience, the other the inference or conclusion he draws from it. Mercies received are in a special manner to be remembered. Mercies received are encouragements to ask, and strong grounds to hope for the mercies we want. Stephen Charnock.

Verses 12-13. Thy vows are upon me, O God. See Psalms on "Ps 56:12" for further information.

From falling, or, as more literally translated, from a thrust, or a push, by which one is caused to fall. O. Prescott Hiller.

Verse 13 (last clause). To walk in the presence of God is partly under his eyes, his guidance and care, partly in particular, where God is wont to be present, where he is worshipped by his people and scatters his blessings, opposed to his present state by which he was removed from the place of his worship and presence. Conf. 1Sa 26:19, etc. Lastly, to walk in the light of the living denotes in general to live amongst those who live in the light, or who enjoy the light, as it is said elsewhere, in the land of the living —Ps 27:13 Isa 38:11 53:8; Eze 32:32; Ps 142:6 —opposed to the dead or the region of the dead, who dwell in darkness. But in particular it signifies to live in a safe and prosperous state, whose well known emblem is light. Hermann Venema.

Verse 13 (last clause). We cannot restrict this phrase to the light of mortal life; David's vows bound him to walk in the light of spiritual life, and also in the light of eternal life, of which by faith he was a partaker. And most commentators have applied this verse to the light of glory in the world to come, as the real and final object of the believer's conversation here on earth. W. Wilson, D.D.

Verses 2-3.

1. Fears are common to all men, at one time or another.

2. Improper and inefficacious means of removing fear are often resorted to.

3. There is here suggested a true and effectual method of removing fear.  —Robert Morrison (1782-1834), in "A Parting Memorial."

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Whensoever we are afraid of any evil, we are still to put our trust in God.

1. What is it to put our trust in God?

(a) To keep our hearts from desponding or sinking down under any fears.

(b) To comfort ourselves in God.

(c) To expect deliverance from him.

2. What is there in God we ought to put our trust in?

(a) In his promises.

(b) In his properties. His power, wisdom, justice, mercy, all sufficiency.

3. Why should we in all our fears put our trust in God?

(a) Because there is none else can secure us from our fears. Whereas,

(b) There are no fears but God can secure us from them, either by removing the thing feared, or by subduing the fear of the thing. Bishop Beveridge.

1. There is fear without trust.

2. There is trust without fear.

3. There is fear and trust united. G. R.

1. From iniquity there is an escape.

2. By iniquity there is no escape. The mercy of God secures the one. The justice of God prevents the other. G. R.

Here are —

1. Manifold mercies, to reclaim from wanderings.

2. Tender mercies, putting tears in a bottle.

3. Covenant mercies, "Are they not, "etc. G. R.

1. God is on the side of his people.

2. He is known to be on their side.

3. In answer to prayer he appears on their side.

4. When he appears enemies flee.

Or —

1. The fact, God is for me.

2. The knowledge of that fact —This I know. 3. The use of that knowledge —When I cry, etc.

4. The consequence of that use —Mine enemies turn back. G. R.

1. "I will praise God for his word."

2. In his word, as he is there revealed.

3. By his word. "Thou hast put a song, "etc.

Here is —

1. Past dedication.

2. Present consecration.

3. Future glorification. G. R.

Verses 12-13. You have here —

1. The commemoration of former mercies: Thou hast delivered.

2. The confidence of future: Wilt not thou.

3. The end of all: To walk before God in the light of the living. Stephen Charnock.

1. The language of Gratitude —Thou hast, etc.

2. Of Faith —Wilt not thou, etc.

3. Of Hope —That I may walk, etc. G. R.

WORK UPON THE FIFTY-SIXTH PSALM

In CHANDLER'S "Life of David, "Vol. 1., pp. 104-7, there is an Exposition of this Psalm.