This psalm purports to be a Psalm of David, but the special occasion in his life when it was composed is not specified, and it cannot now be ascertained. It was evidently, like the previous psalm, in a time of affliction, but to what particular affliction it refers is unknown. It is, however, of so... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID - This refers to a resolution which he had formed. He does not say, however, at what time of his life the resolution was adopted, or how long a period had elapsed from the time when he formed the resolution to the time when he thus made a record of it. He had formed the resolution on some occ... [ Continue Reading ]
I WAS DUMB WITH SILENCE - Compare Psalms 38:13. The addition of the words “with silence,” means that he was entirely or absolutely mute; he said nothing at all. The idea is, that he did not allow himself to give utterance to the thoughts which were passing in his mind in regard to the divine dealing... [ Continue Reading ]
MY HEART WAS HOT WITHIN ME - My mind became more and more excited; my feelings more and more intense. The attempt to suppress my emotions only more and more enkindled them. WHILE I WAS MUSING THE FIRE BURNED - literally, “in my meditation the fire burned.” That is, while I was dwelling on the subje... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, MAKE ME TO KNOW MINE END - This expresses evidently the substance of those anxious and troubled thoughts Psalms 39:1 to which he had been unwilling to give utterance. His thoughts turned on the shortness of life; on the mystery of the divine arrangement by which it had been made so short; and... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THOU HAST MADE MY DAYS AS AN HANDBREADTH - literally, “Lo, handbreadths hast thou given my days.” The word rendered “handbreadth” means properly the spread hand; the palm; the hand when the four fingers are expanded. The word is then used to denote anything very short or brief. It is one of... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY EVERY MAN WALKETH IN A VAIN SHOW - Margin, “an image.” The word rendered “vain show” - צלם _tselem_ - means properly a shade, a shadow; and then, an image or likeness, as shadowing forth any real object. Then it comes to denote an idol, 2 Kings 11:18; Amos 5:26. Here the idea seems to be that... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, LORD, WHAT WAIT I FOR? - From the consideration of a vain world - of the fruitless efforts of man - of what so perplexed, embarrassed, and troubled him - the psalmist now turns to God, and looks to him as the source of consolation. Turning to Him, he gains more cheerful views of life. The e... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIVER ME FROM ALL MY TRANSGRESSIONS - Recognising, as in Psalms 38:3, his sins as the source of all his troubles and sorrows. If his transgressions were forgiven, he felt assured that his trouble would be removed. His first petition, therefore, is, that his sins might be pardoned, with the implied... [ Continue Reading ]
I WAS DUMB - See the notes at Psalms 39:2. Compare Isaiah 53:7. The meaning here is, that he did not open his mouth to complain; he did not speak of God as if he had dealt unkindly or unjustly with him. I OPENED NOT MY MOUTH - I kept entire silence. This would be better rendered, “I am dumb; I will... [ Continue Reading ]
REMOVE THY STROKE AWAY FROM ME - And yet this calm submission, as expressed in Psalms 39:9, does not take away the desire that the hand of God may be removed, and that the suffering that is brought upon us may cease. Perfect submission is not inconsistent with the prayer that, if it be the will of G... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU WITH REBUKES - The word here rendered “rebukes” means properly: (a) proof or demonstration; (b) confutation or contradiction; (c) reproof or admonition by words; (d) reproof by correction or punishment. This is the meaning here. The idea of the psalmist is, that God, by punishment or... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR MY PRAYER, O LORD, AND GIVE EAR UNTO MY CRY - That is, in view of my affliction and my sins; in view, also, of the perplexing questions which have agitated my bosom; the troublous thoughts which passed through my soul, which I did not dare to express before man Psalms 39:1, but which I have now... [ Continue Reading ]
O SPARE ME - The word used here - from שׁעה _shâ‛âh_ - means “to look;” and then, in connection with the preposition, “to look away from;” and it here means, “Look away from me;” that is, Do not come to inflict death on me. Preserve me. The idea is this: God seemed to have fixed his eyes on him, a... [ Continue Reading ]