PSALM 6 NEGINOTH; of which SEE POOLE ON "PSALMS 4:1". UPON SHEMINITH; or, _upon the eighth_. It is thought to be the shrillest or loftiest note, as _alamoth_ is the lowest; of which see 1 CHRONICLES 15:20,21; and, as some add, _Muth-labben_, PSA 9 $, the mean. But all this is only conjecture; and th... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE MERCY UPON ME; I plead not my merit, but thy free mercy. I AM WEAK; or, _I languish_; my body pines away and my spirit fails through my excessive pains or troubles. HEAL ME, i.e. the distempers of my soul and body, of both which this word is used, PSALMS 41:4, PSALMS 107:18,20. MY BONES ARE VEX... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SOUL IS ALSO SORE VEXED; partly by sympathy with my body; and partly with the burden of my sins, and the sense of thine anger, and my own danger and misery. HOW LONG wilt thou suffer me to lie and languish in this condition? It is a figure called _aposiopesis_, very agreeable to men in pain or an... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN unto me, from whom thou hast withdrawn thyself, and thy smiling countenance, and thy helping hand. DELIVER MY SOUL, i.e. save me or my life, as the soul oft signifies, as GENESIS 9:5, GENESIS 12:5 JOB 36:4 PSALMS 33:19. David and other good men in those times were much afraid of death, partly... [ Continue Reading ]
IN DEATH; amongst the dead; or in the grave, as it follows. THERE IS NO REMEMBRANCE OF THEE; to wit, by me David, consisting both of soul and body; and no such remembrance, to wit, in way of thankfulness and praise, as the next clause of the verse limits and explains it; which he might fear would be... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE NIGHT; he mentions this time, by way of aggravation of his misery, because that season, which is to others by God's appointment a time of rest, was to him very sad and doleful, whether from his disease, which then came upon him more strongly, as it is usual; or from the opportunity which the... [ Continue Reading ]
CONSUMED; or, _grown dim_ or _dull_, through plenty of salt tears which I shed; or through the decay of my spirits. BECAUSE OF GRIEF, i.e. my grief arising from mine enemies, as the next clause interprets it, and from the consideration of their multitude, and rage, and falseness.... [ Continue Reading ]
DEPART FROM ME; I advise you for your own sakes to cease from opposing or molesting me, or insulting over me, or approaching to me with design of deceiving and betraying me; for all your labour will be lost. ALL YE WORKERS OF INIQUITY; all you wicked enemies of mine. THE LORD HATH HEARD, i.e. he wil... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH HEARD, and therefore will hear, as it follows. He draws an argument from his former experience.... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHAMED of their vain hopes and confidence of conquering and destroying me. Or, _they shall be ashamed_, because of their great and unexpected disappointment. LET THEM RETURN, to wit, from their wicked ways, from their hostile and malicious practices against me, and let them come and submit to me, f... [ Continue Reading ]