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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

Psalms 56:2

Mine enemies, Heb. my observers, that narrowly look to all my paths, and watch for my haltings, and for an opportunity to destroy me. Many that fight against me: they trust to their great numbers, wherein they know themselves to be much superior to me. O thou Most High; who from thine high place beholdest all their plots, and canst most easily disturb and blast them.

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See also Psalms 56:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 56:2. _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 _f...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    MINE ENEMIES - Margin, “mine observers.” The Hebrew word here used means properly to twist, to twist totogether; then, to be firm, hard, tough; then, “to press together,” as a rope that is twisted - a...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 56 The Faithfulness of God, the Comfort of His People _ 1. Trust and Comfort (Psalms 56:1)_ 2. Praise for anticipated deliverance (Psalms 56:10) These five Psalms which are grouped together...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LVI. A PRAYER AGAINST STRONG, NUMEROUS, AND CRAFTY FOES. Psalms 56:2. For enemies read they that lie in wait for me (_mg.),_ PROUDLY: read bitterly. Psalms 56:4. Will praise his word, _i.e._ the fulf...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ENEMIES. watchers, or observers. O THOU MOST HIGH. Hebrew. _marom,_ lofty, or exalted (not _Elyon)_....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    However fiercely his enemies may assault him, he will trust in God, Who will surely be true to His promise....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up [or, crush me] all the day long: For many are they that fight against me haughtily. For _they that lie in wait for me_see note on Psalms 54:5. The wo...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THEY BE MANY THAT FIGHT AGAINST ME, &C.— The word מרום _marom,_ rendered _O thou most High,_ is not found any where singly applied to _God._ It generally signifies a _high place;_ and when applied to...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 56 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Song by David in Captivity. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 56:1-3, In a few words, David Describes his Captive Condition, and Composes a _Refrain_ of Praise, Stanza II., P...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _MINE ENEMIES WOULD DAILY SWALLOW ME UP: FOR THEY BE MANY THAT FIGHT AGAINST ME, O THOU MOST HIGH._ Mine enemies - literally, 'my watchers;' 'those who lie in wait for me' (Psalms 5:8). FOR THEY BE...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    56:2 up (n-6) Strictly, 'pant after me,' like a wild beast thirsting for blood; and so Psalms 57:3 ; Amos 8:4 . haughtily. (o-19) Or 'O Most High!' as Psalms 92:8 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Title.—(RV) 'For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. A _Psalm_ of David: Michtam: when the Philistines took him in Gath.' For Michtam see on Psalms 16. JONATH ELEM REHOKIM ('the dove of th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AGAINST ME, O THOU MOST HIGH] RV 'proudly against me.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SWALLOW ME UP. — The root idea of the Hebrew word so rendered is by no means clear. In many passages where it is used the meaning given here by the LXX., “trample on,” will suit the context quite as w...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 56:3]_ שָׁאֲפ֣וּ שֹׁ֭ורְרַי כָּל ־הַ יֹּ֑ום...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 56:1 THE superscription dates this psalm from the time of David's being in Gath. Probably his first stay there is meant, during which he had recourse to feigned insanity in order to secure his...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “WHAT CAN MAN DO UNTO ME?” Psalms 56:1 This psalm was composed under the same circumstances as Psalms 34:1. See 1 Samuel 21:1. What a strange medley is here shown-David feigning madness and composing...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The keynote of this psalm is the concluding declaration of the previous one, "I will trust in Thee." Here again are evident the same circumstances of oppression (verses Psa 56:5-7). The song opens and...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _In thee. This obliges God to take pity, Psalm xlvi. 11. --- Wings, as a chicken retires to the hen, Ruth ii. 12., and Matthew xxiii. 37._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I cannot begin this Psalm without first taking notice of the title. It is addressed to the chief musician. I have already thrown out my views of who this chief musician is. The next object is what it...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 56 expresses the sense of the bitter and relentless enmity of the wicked, but the tears of the godly are put in God's bottle. God is owned as the Most High, the title of promise but not of cove...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    MINE ENEMIES WOULD DAILY SWALLOW [ME] UP,.... For not one man only, but many, were his enemies; who observed and watched him, and were eagerly desirous of his ruin. The believer has many enemies, sin,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High. Ver. 2. Mine enemies (or observers) would daily swallow me up] _Anhelant observatores mei._ To se...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Be merciful unto me, O God_ This petition includes all the good we can come unto 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...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Mine enemies would daily swallow me up, always lying in wait like beasts of prey; FOR THEY BE MANY THAT FIGHT AGAINST ME, O THOU MOST HIGH, rather, "they fight in the pride of their hearts. ...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    COMFORT IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION. To the chief musician upon Jonathelem-rechokim, the word not only denoting the melody according to which the hymn was to be sung, "The dove of silence of distant p...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    MINE ENEMIES: _ Heb._ mine observers...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-7 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...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 56:2 enemies H8324 (H8802) hound H7602 (H8804) day H3117 many H7227 fight H3898 (H8802) High...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE HEADING (PSALMS 56:1 A). ‘For the Chief Musician; set to Yonath elem rehokim (‘the silent dove of far off places (or ‘men')'). A Psalm of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath. Th...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam (a golden Psalm) of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Psalms 56:1. _Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up: he figh...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 56:1. _Be merciful unto me, O God for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me._ «Man has no mercy upon me, but, O God, be thou merciful unto me! If thy justice doth for a whil...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David pours out complaint about enemies. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: When we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers because of enemies, we have but one retreat t...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The title of this psalm, which relates to the manner of singing and playing, is upon the remote and silent dove. To which _michtam_ is added, the golden ode of David. In the LXX, the title of this and...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up._ THE DEPRECABLE AND THE DESIRABLE I. The deprecable in relation to man. 1. Craven-heartedness. A man whose heart is morally sound is bold a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 56:1. Many take this to be an individual lament, but it could also be a psalm of anticipated thanksgiving. The description of troubles and prayer changes into gratitude that...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription_.—“To the Chief Musician upon Jonath-Elem-Rechokim.” The phrase “_Jonath-Elem-Rechokim_” occurs nowhere else in the Bible; and Biblical critics are by no means agreed as t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS and the following have been called "twin psalms." They begin with the same words, are nearly of the same length, and have each a refrain which divides them into two portions. Formally,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 56:1-13. This is the prayer of David when he heard a mourning dove. That is, a mourning: m-o-u-r-n-i-n-g dove, out in the distant terebinth trees. He no doubt heard these doves cooing off in the d...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Acts 4:25; Daniel 5:18; Isaiah 57:15; Micah 6:6; Psalms 118:10;...

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