Psalms 56:1

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, Psalms 55:6, and was now the dove of dumbness among foreigners, Philistines, those ravenous hawks that were ready to seize and tear him, Fatua columba, Hosea 7:11. Dumb he was fain to feign himself, and worse, among them (see Psalms 34:1, the title; 1 Samuel 22:17, &c.), and therein was more of the serpent than of the dove.

Michtam of David] Davidi insigne aureolum, David's jewels, or golden ingot. See Psalms 16:1, title. This Michtam he made likely (as also Psa 34:1) when, gotten away from Gath, he came into the cave of Adullam, 1 Samuel 22:1 .

Carmine secessum scribentis et otia quaerunt.

Ver. 1. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up] Sup me up (as the Hebrew word soundeth), make but one draught of me, or suck me in as a whirlpool, swallow me up as a ravenous wild beast. The devil is said to seek whom he may swallow down 1Pe 5:8 at a gulp, as it were; and his imps are as greedy, but that they are gagged by God. The man here mentioned is Ishbibenob, the brother of Goliath, saith the Chaldee; but they do better who understand it to be Saul and his accomplices.

He fighting daily oppresseth me] Pliny saith of the scorpion, that there is not one minute wherein he doth not put forth the sting. The like do Satan and his instruments.