1._In waiting I waited _The beginning of this psalm is an expression of thanksgiving, in which David relates that he had been delivered, not only from danger, but also from present death. Some are of opinion, but without good reason, that it ought to be understood of sickness. It is rather to be sup... [ Continue Reading ]
2._And he drew me out of the roaring pit. _Some translate,_from the pit of desolation, _(80) because the verb שאה, _shaah, _from which the noun שאום, _shaon, _is derived, signifies _to destroy _or _to waste, _as well as _to resound _or _echo. _But it is more appropriate to consider that there is her... [ Continue Reading ]
3._And he hath put into my mouth a new song _In the first clause of the verse he concludes the description of what God had done for him. By God’s putting _a new song into his mouth _he denotes the consummation of his deliverance. In whatever way God is pleased to succor us, he asks nothing else from... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Blessed is the man who hath set Jehovah for his confidence _David here relates what ground for good hope his deliverance would give to all the faithful; inasmuch as, setting aside all the allurements of the world, they would thereby be encouraged to commit themselves with confidence to the protec... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Many are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, O Jehovah! _Interpreters are not entirely agreed as to these words; but it is generally admitted that David here contemplates with admiration the providence of God in the government of mankind. And first of all, he exclaims that the _wonders of G... [ Continue Reading ]
6_In sacrifice and oblation thou hast not taken pleasure. _Here David offers not only the sacrifice of praise, or, as the prophet Hosea calls it, (Hosea 14:2,) “the calves of the lips,” but, in token of his gratitude, offers and consecrates himself entirely to God; as if he had said, I am now wholly... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Then said I, Lo! I come. _By the adverb _then _he intimates, that he had not been a good scholar, and capable of profiting by instruction, until God had opened his ears; but as soon as he had been instructed by the secret inspirations of the Spirit, he tells us, that then his heart was ready to y... [ Continue Reading ]
9._I have proclaimed thy righteousness in the great assembly. _Here David again brings forward his own thankfulness, and for no other reason but to induce God to continue his goodness towards him. God, whenever he manifests his liberality towards us, encourages us to render thanks to him; and he con... [ Continue Reading ]
10_I have not hidden thy righteousness within my heart. _Here it is necessary to observe the accumulation of terms which are employed to denote the same thing. To the righteousness of God the Psalmist adds his truth, his salvation, and his mercy. And what is the design of this, but to magnify and se... [ Continue Reading ]
11_O thou Jehovah! withhold not thy tender mercies from me _We now see more clearly, what I have just adverted to, that David speaks of his own thankfulness, that he might secure a continuance of God’s favor towards him; and that he opened his mouth in the praises of God, that he might continue to a... [ Continue Reading ]
12._For innumerable evils have compassed me on all sides _This phrase, in the original, denotes more than can be expressed in an English translation; for he says, עלי _alay, upon me, _meaning by this, that he was not only beset on all sides, but that also an accumulation of evils pressed upon his he... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Be thou pleased, O Jehovah! to deliver me. _The verb which David here makes use of, signifies to desire a thing from pure kindness and good-will. (96) He desires, therefore, to be delivered by the free mercy of God. As to his desire, that God would _make haste, _we have elsewhere spoken of it. E... [ Continue Reading ]
When the Psalmist prays (verse 15) that his enemies _may be destroyed for a reward of their shame, _the meaning is this: As their sole desire has been to overwhelm me with shame, in order that, while thus dismayed and confounded, they might make me the object of their derision; so let a similar conf... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Let all those that seek thee be glad and rejoice in thee. _David here uses another argument — one which he often adduces elsewhere — in order to obtain deliverance; not that it is necessary to allege reasons to persuade God, but because it is profitable to confirm our faith by such supports. As,... [ Continue Reading ]
17._But I am poor and needy. _In this concluding clause he mingles prayer with thanksgiving, although it may be that he records a request which he had made when he was placed in extreme danger. The first clause of the verse might be rendered thus: Although I was miserable and poor, God did think upo... [ Continue Reading ]