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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

Psalms 56:4

In God I will praise his word: the sense is, either,

1. I will praise or boast in the Lord's 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 name, as is said, Psalms 138:2, even for his promises of protection and deliverance made to his people in all their exigencies, 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. Flesh; infirm and mortal men, altogether unable to oppose thy infinite Majesty; called flesh by way of contempt, as Psalms 78:39 Isaiah 31:3 Jeremiah 17:5.

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See also Psalms 56:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 56:4. _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,...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    IN GOD I WILL PRAISE HIS WORD - The meaning of this seems to be, “In reference to God - or, in my trust on God - I will especially have respect to his “word” - his gracious promise; I will make that t...

  • 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

    IN GOD. Figure of speech _Cycloides._ App-6. Compare Psalms 56:10. FLESH. Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Part), App-6, for man....

  • 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

    _in God I will praise his word_ In God's strength, by the help of His grace, I shall be enabled to praise His words of promise (Psalms 130:5). Cp. Psalms 44:8. This rendering is preferable to the poss...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    IN GOD I WILL PRAISE HIS WORD— Truth, and faithfulness to his promises, are attributes which dwell in, or belong to God. God had promised David the kingdom of Israel, and therefore in God he would pra...

  • 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

    _IN GOD I WILL PRAISE HIS WORD, IN GOD I HAVE PUT MY TRUST; I WILL NOT FEAR WHAT FLESH CAN DO UNTO ME._ In God I will praise his word - i:e., trusting "in God, I will praise His word." So Psalms 56:1...

  • 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

    IN GOD I WILL PRAISE HIS WORD] By God's help I will praise Him for the truth of His promises....

  • 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

    IN GOD. — This verse, which forms the refrain (Psalms 56:11 are wrongly separated), is as it stands hardly intelligible, and the text is rendered suspicious by the fact that the LXX. read “my words,”...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 56:5]_ בֵּ אלֹהִים֮ אֲהַלֵּ֪ל דְּבָ֫רֹ֥ו בֵּ...

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    In God I will praise his (c) word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. (c) He stays his conscience on God's promise though he sees no present help....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Sent his mercy, &c., (Calmet) above the power of man. (Worthington) --- Reproach. Saul was forced to entreat David to preserve his family, as he had just spared his own life; which would, no doubt, m...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader, do remark how suited this case is to every exercised soul. It corresponds to the case of the Redeemer, and to his church upon all occasions....

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._In God I will praise his word _Here he grows more courageous in the exercise of hope, as generally happens with the people of God. They find it difficult at first to reach this exercise. It is only...

  • 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

    IN GOD I WILL PRAISE HIS WORD,.... Or praise him for his words for the whole Scripture that was then in being; for those testimonies which were David's counsellors in times of difficulty and distress;...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Ver. 4. _In God I will praise his word_] Having placed my confidence in God, I will take his bare...

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

    _What time I am afraid_, &c. When I have the greatest cause of fear I will rely on thy providence and promise for deliverance. _In God will I praise his word_ I will praise, or boast, in the Lord's wo...

  • 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...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    In God I will praise His Word, since it is according to His promise that believers are delivered from their enemies; IN GOD I HAVE PUT MY TRUST, in His faithfulness and mercy; I WILL NOT FEAR WHAT FLE...

  • 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 56:4 God H430 praise H1984 (H8762) word H1697) God H430 trust H982 (H8804) fear H3372 ...

  • 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...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 56:3 I. Notice how beautifully there comes out here the occasion of trust. "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." That goes deep down into the realities of life. It is when we are afrai...

  • 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 Biblical Illustrator

    _What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee._ FEAR AND FAITH It is not given to many men to add new words to the vocabulary of religious emotion. But so far as an examination of the Old Testament av...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _In God will I praise His word._ THE MORAL IMPULSE IMPARTED TO INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES BY THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE My object is not merely to demonstrate the inspiration of the Bible, but to win y...

  • 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

    Hebrews 13:6; Isaiah 31:3; Isaiah 41:10; John 10:35; Luke 12:4;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    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 Psalms 78:39;...

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