<<A Psalm of David.>> Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Verse 1. - Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my Rock; be not silent to me; rather, as in the Revised Version, to thee, O Lord, will I call; my Rock, be not thou deaf unto me. "My Rock" belongs to the second clause. It is with David, in these early psalms, an epitheton usilatum (comp. Psalm 18:2; Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:2, 3; Psalm 40:3; Psalm 61:2; Psalm 62:2, etc.). The Hebrew term used is sometimes taut, sometimes sela, which call to our minds the two great rook-fortresses of Tyre and Petra. Lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit; i.e. without hope, desperate.
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Verse 2. - Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee. God is said to hear prayer when he grants it, to be deaf to prayer when he withholds the boon requested. The use of the expressions "voice" and "cry" marks the earnestness of the prayers offered. When I lift up my hands, The usual attitude of a Hebrew in prayer (see Exodus 9:29; Exodus 17:11, 12; 1 Kings 8:22, 54; Psalm 63:4; Psalm 141:2; Lamentations 2:19; Lamentations 3:41). Originally, the idea probably was that the hands should be ready to receive the blessings which God would bestow. But, later on, the lifting up of the hands seems to have been regarded as symbolizing the lifting up of the heart (Lamentations 3:41). Towards thy holy oracle (see the comment on Psalm 5:7).
Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Verse 3. - Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity (comp. Psalm 26:9). The metaphor implied in "draw me not away "is that of a hunter, drawing prey of all kinds to him enclosed within a net. The psalmist prays that he may not share the fate of the workers of iniquity, over whom he seems to see some terrible judgment impending. Which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. (For extreme instances of this kind of wickedness, see 2 Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:9, 10; and for the wide prevalence of such treacherous dealing, comp. Psalm 55:20, 21; Jeremiah 9:8.)
Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. Verse 4. - Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours. The feeling of righteous indignation, naturally implanted in us, causes us to desire the punishment of the wicked, quite apart from any wrong that they may have done to ourselves (Aristotle, 'Rhet.,' 2:1, § 3). Give them after the work of their hands: render to them their desert. Nothing satisfies our moral feelings but exact retribution - Αἴκε τάθοι τάκ ἔρεξε, δίκη η ἰθεῖα γένοιτο. David shows in both respects a moral nature uncorrupted by contact with the world of his day.
Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. Verse 5. - Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands. They do not note God's providential workings. If they did, they would see that judgment falls upon the wicked, and, seeing this, they would fear and abstain from evil. But they take no notice - God is not in all their thoughts. For this neglect and contempt of him, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. Verses 6-9. - As, midway in Psalm 27, the tone changed from jubilation to humble entreaty, so, midway in the present psalm, there is a change from plaintive and humble entreaty to rejoicing and thanksgiving. The cause of the change would seem to have been a confident assurance, arising out of the very act of prayer, that the prayer is heard and granted, so that the happy results prayed for are certain to follow. Such an assurance is certainly not attained by all those whose supplications are earnest and devout; but David appears to have enjoyed it not infrequently (see above, Psalm 6:8-10; Psalm 7:17, etc.). Verse 6. - Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications (comp. ver. 2, with which this is, of set purpose, made exactly to correspond).
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Verse 7. - The Lord is my Strength and my Shield (see Psalm 18:1, 2; Psalm 119:114). My heart trusted in him, and I am helped. As far as feeling goes, David is already "helped." He feels himself delivered out of his peril. Therefore, he says, my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song - literally, out of my song, which is explained to mean "out of my store of song" - will I praise him. He is ready to offer thanksgiving for a mercy not yet received.
The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Verse 8. - The Lord is their Strength; i.e. the Strength, not of himself alone, but of the whole people. The deliverance will be as much for their sake as for his. And he is the saving strength of his anointed - literally, and a Stronghold of salvation to his anointed is HE. The welfare of David and that of the people are bound up together. God strengthens him for their sakes, that he may guide them aright and fight their battles, and give them dominion over their enemies. It was with this object that he chose him out of all Israel, and took him from the sheepfolds, and had him anointed king - that he might "feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance" (Psalm 78:71).
Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. Verse 9. - Save thy people, and bless thins inheritance. "In conclusion, the psalmist prays that the Lord would do eternally that which he had done now" (Hengstenberg) - "save" and "bless" his people - keep them from evil, and give them all that is good. Feed them also. As a shepherd does his flock (comp. Psalm 23:1, 2, Isaiah 40:11). And lift them up for ever. Some explain the" lifting up" as carrying in his arms over rough places - a prolongation of the shepherd metaphor (Kay; 'Speaker's Commentary'); but, perhaps, the more ordinary meaning of the Hebrew word - "exalt," "lift up on high," "raise above others" - which is preferred by Bishop Horsley, Rosenmuller, and Hengstenberg, is intended. |
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