Psalms 56:1 «To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. » Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. _Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim_] Meaning himself, who had wished before the wings of a dove, P... [ Continue Reading ]
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 set forth the indignity of the thing, he repeateth the same sentence again in the plural number; notin... [ Continue Reading ]
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Ver. 3. _What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee_] This was bravely resolved: _Quid timet hominem homo in sinu Dei positus?_ Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear; but awful dread, it breedeth, feedeth, fostereth, and cherisheth.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 word for my security. He hath promised to make me king, 1 Samuel 16:13, and he will not suffer his... [ Continue Reading ]
Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts [are] against me for evil. Ver. 5. _Every day they wrest my words_] Or, my matters; they distort and pervert everything I say, or do, from the true intention, and all to make a traitor of me. That I carried myself wisely in the court, valiantly in t... [ Continue Reading ]
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. Ver. 6. _They gather themselves together_] They convene and combine to do me mischief; and should not God's people meet often together to counterplot such malignants, and to pray them down? _Cum b... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall they escape by iniquity? in [thine] anger cast down the people, O God. Ver. 7. _Shall they escape by iniquity?_] _q.d._ No, let them never think it, their sin will surely find them out, as cunning as they are; and since they are so foolhardy as to walk upon iniquity's fireworks, let them look... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book? Ver. 8. _Thou tellest my wanderings_] Or, thou cipherest up my flittings, and hast them in _numerato,_ ready told up; my vagaries while hunted up and down like a partridge, and hushed out of every bush, so th... [ Continue Reading ]
When I cry [unto thee], then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God [is] for me. Ver. 9. _When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back_] For how should they stand before so mighty a God? Of the power of prayer for the beating back of enemies, besides the Scripture, histories... [ Continue Reading ]
In God will I praise [his] word: in the LORD will I praise [his] word. Ver. 10. _In God will I praise his word_] The Jewish doctors observe that Elohim, God, is a name importing justice; and that Jehovah, Lord, holdeth out mercy, according to that, Exodus 34:6, Jehovah, Jehovah merciful, gracious,... [ Continue Reading ]
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Ver. 11. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid, &c.] When news came to Luther, that both the emperor and pope had threatened his ruin, be bravely answered, _Contemptus est a me Romanus et favor et furor,_ I care fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy vows [are] upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. Ver. 12. _Thy vows are upon me, O God_] _Sunt tua post, quam vovi_ (Arab.). I am a votary ever since I was at Gath, there and then I vowed, that if the Lord would vouchsafe to bring me out of that brake I would do as became a thankful... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: [wilt] not [thou deliver] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? Ver. 13. _For thou hast delivered my soul from death_] Which was the very thing I begged of thee when I was at worst, viz. that thou wouldest save my li... [ Continue Reading ]