_O LORD MY GOD, IN THEE DO I PUT MY TRUST: SAVE ME FROM ALL THEM THAT PERSECUTE ME, AND DELIVER ME:_ Title. - SHIGGAION - from a Hebrew root х_ SHAAGAH_ (H7686)], 'erred.' Referred by some to the erratic character of the character of the melody, betokening agitation. 'A song uttered in great excitem... [ Continue Reading ]
_LEST HE TEAR MY SOUL LIKE A LION, RENDING IT IN PIECES, WHILE THERE IS NONE TO DELIVER._ Lest he tear my soul. He singles out one among his many persecutors (Psalms 7:1) as prominent: evidently the same one as is enigmatically described in the title "Cush," unchangeably black at heart, as the Ethio... [ Continue Reading ]
_O LORD MY GOD, IF I HAVE DONE THIS; IF THERE BE INIQUITY IN MY HANDS;_ If I have done this - namely, that which my calumniators lay to my charge (Psalms 7:4; cf. 1 Samuel 24:9), "David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou, men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?" IF THERE BE INIQUITY... [ Continue Reading ]
_IF I HAVE REWARDED EVIL UNTO HIM THAT WAS AT PEACE WITH ME; (YEA, I HAVE DELIVERED HIM THAT WITHOUT CAUSE IS MINE ENEMY:)_ If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me. If, as my calumniators assert, I have ungratefully returned evil Saul, who was my friend (so "at peace with me" mea... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THE ENEMY PERSECUTE MY SOUL, AND TAKE IT; YEA, LET HIM TREAD DOWN MY LIFE UPON THE EARTH, AND LAY MINE HONOUR IN THE DUST. SELAH._ A consequence which he prays may follow IF he has done what his foes allege (Psalms 7:3). MY SOUL - parallel to 'my life,' my truest self, my inner being, and no... [ Continue Reading ]
_ARISE, O LORD, IN THINE ANGER, LIFT UP THYSELF BECAUSE OF THE RAGE OF MINE ENEMIES: AND AWAKE FOR ME TO THE JUDGMENT THAT THOU HAST COMMANDED._ But as I am innocent of the charges alleged (Psalms 7:3), I may justly appeal to thy righteousness to vindicate me. LIFT UP THYSELF - from the attitude... [ Continue Reading ]
_SO SHALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE PEOPLE COMPASS THEE ABOUT: FOR THEIR SAKES THEREFORE RETURN THOU ON HIGH._ So shall the congregation of the people (Hebrew, tribes) compass thee about. In the East the king, in pronouncing judgment, sits surrounded by the peoples interested in the decision. Here "t... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LORD SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE: JUDGE ME, O LORD, ACCORDING TO MY RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ACCORDING TO MINE INTEGRITY THAT IS IN ME._ The people - Hebrew, 'peoples' х_ `AMIYM_ (H5971): different from _ `AM_ (H5971) in Psalms 7:7, "tribes"]. The _ Lª'UMIYM_ (H3816) are primarily the peoples sprung from... [ Continue Reading ]
_OH LET THE WICKEDNESS OF THE WICKED COME TO AN END; BUT ESTABLISH THE JUST: FOR THE RIGHTEOUS GOD TRIETH THE HEARTS AND REINS._ Oh let the wickedness ... come to an end. This prayer is granted in the prophetical view of the Psalmist (Psalms 10:6), "O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetua... [ Continue Reading ]
_MY DEFENCE IS OF GOD, WHICH SAVETH THE UPRIGHT IN HEART._ Defence - Hebrew 'buckler' (cf. note, Psalms 5:12). IS OF GOD - literally, 'upon God.' Upon Him it rests to hold Him buckler over me.... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOD JUDGETH THE RIGHTEOUS, AND GOD IS ANGRY WITH THE WICKED EVERY DAY._ God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked - the two-fold ground of David's confidence; because in the present case he is "the righteous," and his enemies are "the wicked." EVERY DAY. 'The divine judgment up... [ Continue Reading ]
_IF HE TURN NOT, HE WILL WHET HIS SWORD; HE HATH BENT HIS BOW, AND MADE IT READY._ If he turn not. There is this merciful proviso always made, that judgment will descend only if the sinner will "not turn" from his evil way. David, in denouncing judgment on the ungodly, is always to be regarded as w... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE HATH ALSO PREPARED FOR HIM THE INSTRUMENTS OF DEATH; HE ORDAINETH HIS ARROWS AGAINST THE PERSECUTORS._ Ordaineth-`maketh.' against the persecutors. Gesenius translates, 'He maketh his arrows burning,' like the fiery darts hurled against wooden towers, in order to set them on fire. The Hebrew, _... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, HE TRAVAILETH WITH INIQUITY, AND HATH CONCEIVED MISCHIEF, AND BROUGHT FORTH FALSEHOOD._ He traveleth ... and hath conceived mischief ... falsehood. Describing the sinner's laborious course of evil, from its first conception to its maturity, under the image of a woman in labour-pangs (cf. J... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE MADE A PIT, AND DIGGED IT, AND IS FALLEN INTO THE DITCH WHICH HE MADE._ A pit - such as is prepared with branches and foliage over it, to entrap wild beasts in. How striking the righteous retribution in kind dealt by God to Saul! He had plot against David (1 Samuel 18:17), "Let not mine hand be... [ Continue Reading ]
_HIS MISCHIEF SHALL RETURN UPON HIS OWN HEAD, AND HIS VIOLENT DEALING SHALL COME DOWN UPON HIS OWN PATE._ His mischief - the mischief which be devised against me, but which justly belongs to himself, and falls on him. SHALL RETURN UPON HIS OWN HEAD - like a stone falling on him who threw it up, o... [ Continue Reading ]
_I WILL PRAISE THE LORD ACCORDING TO HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS: AND WILL SING PRAISE TO THE NAME OF THE LORD MOST HIGH._ I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness - according to what His righteous nature demands, so signally exhibited in making the evil plotters mischief fall on his own head (P... [ Continue Reading ]