This psalm purports to be a psalm of David; and there is nothing in the psalm that is contrary to this supposition. Why it has its place among the psalms which are designated as the compositions of “the sons of Korah,” and had not its place among those which are ascribed to David Ps. 1–70 we have no... [ Continue Reading ]
BOW DOWN THINE EAR, O LORD, HEAR ME - See the notes at Psalms 5:1. FOR I AM POOR AND NEEDY - This is the reason here assigned why God should hear him. It is not a plea of merit. It is not that there was any claim on God in the fact that he was a poor and needy man - a sinner helpless and dependent,... [ Continue Reading ]
PRESERVE MY SOUL - Preserve, or keep, my life; for so the word rendered soul means in this place, as it does commonly in the Scriptures. FOR I AM HOLY - Margin, “One whom thou favorest.” The Hebrew word - חסיד _châsı̂yd_ - means properly, benevolent, kind; then, good, merciful, gracious; and then p... [ Continue Reading ]
BE MERCIFUL UNTO ME, O LORD - It was mercy after all that he relied on, and not justice. It was not because he had any claim on the ground that he was “holy,” but all that he had and hoped for was to be traced to the mercy of God. FOR I CRY UNTO THEE DAILY - Margin, as in Hebrew, “All the day.” The... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE THE SOUL OF THY SERVANT - Cause me to rejoice; to wit, by thy gracious interposition, and by delivering me from danger and death. FOR UNTO THEE, O LORD, DO I LIFT UP MY SOUL - Compare the notes at Psalms 24:4. The idea is that of arousing himself, or exerting himself, as one does who makes s... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU, LORD, ART GOOD ... - This is another reason why God should hear his prayer; and it is a reason which may be properly urged at all times, and by all classes of persons. It is founded on the benevolence of God; on the fullness of his mercy to all that invoke his name. We should call in vain... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE EAR, O LORD, UNTO MY PRAYER ... - See the notes at Psalms 5:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DAY OF MY TROUBLE I WILL CALL UPON THEE - That is, I do it now; I have done it; I will do it. The language implies a habit, or a steady purpose of mind, that in all times of trouble he would make God his refuge. It was this fixed purpose - this regular habit - which was now the ground of his... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG THE GODS THERE IS NONE LIKE UNTO THEE, O LORD - Among all those which are worshipped as gods there is no one that can hear and save. The psalmist, in respect to prayer, and to help to be obtained by prayer, compares his own condition with that of those who worshipped false gods. He had a God w... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL NATIONS WHOM THOU HAST MADE SHALL COME ... - In this verse the psalmist expresses his belief that the conviction which he entertained about the ability of God to save - about his being the only true God - would yet pervade all the nations of the earth; that they all would yet be convinced that h... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU ART GREAT, AND DOEST WONDROUS THINGS - Things suited to excite wonder or admiration; things which lie beyond the power of any creature, and which could be performed by no one but a being of almighty power. A God who could do these things could also do that which the psalmist asked of him, f... [ Continue Reading ]
TEACH ME THY WAY, O LORD - That is, in the present emergency. Show me what thou wouldst have me to do that I may obtain thy favor, and thy gracious help. I WILL WALK IN THY TRUTH - I will live and act in accordance with what thou dost declare to be true. Whatever that may be, I will pursue it, havi... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL PRAISE THEE, O LORD MY GOD, WITH ALL MY HEART - This is but carrying out the idea in the previous verse. He would give his whole heart to God. He would allow nothing to divide or distract his affections. He would withhold nothing from God. AND I WILL GLORIFY THY NAME FOR EVERMORE - Not merel... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR GREAT IS THY MERCY TOWARD ME - In respect to me; or, Thou hast manifested great mercy to me; to wit, in past times. He makes use of this now as an argument or reason why God should interpose again. (a) He had shown on former occasions that he had power to save; (b) the fact that he had thus tr... [ Continue Reading ]
O GOD, THE PROUD ARE RISEN AGAINST ME - People who are self-confident, ambitious, haughty; who do not regard the welfare or the rights of others; who are disposed to trample down all others in order that they may accomplish their own purposes; these are the people who have opposed me and sought my l... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU, O LORD, ART A GOD FULL OF COMPASSION ... - See the notes at Psalms 86:5. The words rendered “long-suffering” mean that there was and would be delay in his anger; that it was not soon excited; that he did not act from passion or sudden resentment; that he endured the conduct of sinners long... [ Continue Reading ]
O TURN UNTO ME, AND HAVE MERCY UPON ME - Look upon me; as if God were now turned away, and were unmindful of his danger, his needs, and his pleading. The expression is equivalent to those in which he prays that God would incline his ear to him. See Psalms 86:1, Psalms 86:6, and the notes at Psalms 5... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEW ME A TOKEN FOR GOOD ... - Hebrew, “Make me a sign for good;” that is, Do that for me in my trouble which will be an evidence that thou dost favor me, and wilt save me. Let there be such a manifest interposition in my behalf that others may see it, and may be convinced that thou art God, and tha... [ Continue Reading ]