Though this Psalm, like Psalms 86, is little more than a mosaic of fragments and reminiscences of other Psalms, especially 22, 31, 35, 40, it possesses a singular beauty and tenderness of its own. It is the utterance of a faith which has proved the goodness of God in a life of many trials, and trust... [ Continue Reading ]
_In thee … do I put my trust_ Better, In thee … have I taken refuge. See note on Psalms 57:1, and cp. Psalms 7:1; Psalms 11:1; Psalms 16:1; Psalms 25:20. _let me never be put to confusion_ Let me never be ashamed. He has put himself under Jehovah's protection: may he never be disappointed and disgra... [ Continue Reading ]
The prayer of faith in the midst of danger. These verses are taken, with but little change, from Psalms 31:1-3.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deliver me_&c. In thy righteousness wilt thou deliver me and rescue me: an expansion of the simpler _rescue me_in Psalms 31:1. _In thy righteousness_stands emphatically at the beginning of the sentence in the Heb. The righteousness of God is a thought upon which this Psalmist loves to dwell (Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
_Be thou my strong habitation_ Better as R.V., Be thou to me a rock of habitation. God is called _our habitation_in Psalms 90:1; and the phrase may be an intentional modification of the words _a rock of stronghold_in Psalms 31:2. But some Heb. MSS., the LXX, Symm., and Targ., read _stronghold_here a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deliver me_ R.V., rescue me, as in Psalms 71:2. _the unrighteous and cruel_man] Comp. the complaints in Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1:2-4) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 6:7; &c.) of the prevailing injustice and violence. The singular is probably collective.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ground of the Psalmist's appeal for deliverance.... [ Continue Reading ]
A free imitation of Psalms 22:9-10. _my hope … my trust_ Cp. Jeremiah 14:8; Jeremiah 17:7; Jeremiah 17:13; and "Christ Jesus our hope" (1 Timothy 1:1). _By thee_&c. Better (cp. Isaiah 48:2), On thee have I stayed myself from (my) birth. The same word is used in Psalms 3:5; Psalms 51: [ Continue Reading ]
_I am_&c. Or, I have been as a wonder. Many of those who saw my sufferings regarded me as a typical example of divine chastisement, but my faith has remained unshaken throughout. Cp. Isaiah 52:14; and Deuteronomy 28:46, where the punishment of Israel for its sins is spoken of as "a sign and a wonder... [ Continue Reading ]
My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honour all the day (R.V.). Cp. 1 Chronicles 29:11 "Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the might, and the _honour_, and the victory, and the majesty." The P.B.V. _that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long_comes from the LXX... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cast me not of_ Or, _cast me not away_, from Thy presence (Psalms 51:11), though for the time the nation as a whole is so cast out (Deuteronomy 29:28; Jeremiah 7:15).... [ Continue Reading ]
Repeated deprecations and prayers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_against me_ R.V. concerning me. Cp. Psalms 3:2; Psalms 41:5. What they say follows in Psalms 71:11. _they that lay wait for my soul_ Or, they that watch for my life.... [ Continue Reading ]
_God hath forsaken him_ Cp. Psalms 22:1; Psalms 38:21 _b_. _persecute_ R.V. pursue. But cp. Psalms 69:26; Jeremiah 15:15; Jeremiah 17:18; Jeremiah 20:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
Reminiscences of Psalms 35:22 _b_; Psalms 40:13 _b_, Psalms 40:14 (Psalms 70:1 _b_, Psalms 70:2): cp. Psalms 22:11 _a_; Psalms 38:21-22; Psalms 35:4; Psalms 35:26;... [ Continue Reading ]
But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise thee yet more and more. He contrasts his own future with that of his enemies.... [ Continue Reading ]
Vows of praise and thanksgiving.... [ Continue Reading ]
My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, And of thy salvation all the day; For I know not the tale thereof. Salvation is coupled with righteousness, because the one is the outcome and visible manifestation of the other. Cp. Psalms 71:2; Isaiah 45:21. There is a play in the Heb. on the words _tel... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will go_&c. Better, I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Jehovah, bringing them as my theme for praise. Cp. Psalms 106:2. The A.V. would at any rate require the singular, which is however read by the LXX and some other Versions.... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou hast taught me_&c. He has been a life-long disciple in the school of God. Cp. Isaiah 8:16; Isaiah 50:4; Isaiah 54:13. _have I declared_ Have I been declaring, habitually and constantly. _thy wondrous works_ A special term for the singular and conspicuous works of God, both in nature (Job 5:9)... [ Continue Reading ]
Past mercies are the ground of hope alike for the Psalmist and for the nation.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now also when I am old and grayheaded_ Better, And even when I am old and grayheaded: lit. _and even unto old age and gray hairs_. Cp. 1 Samuel 12:2; Isaiah 46:4. _until_&c. Better with R.V., Until I have declared thy strength unto (the next) generation, Thy might unto every one that is to come.... [ Continue Reading ]
is _very high_ Lit., (reacheth) unto the height, of heaven. Cp. Psalms 36:5; Psalms 57:10; Job 11:8. _who hast done_&c. It is better with R.V. to connect this clause with what follows: Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee? Jehovah is incomparable for power and goodness. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou which haat shewed us many and sore troubles, Shalt quicken us again, And shalt bring us up again from the depths of the earth. So R.V., with marg. note, -Another reading is, _me_." The _Kthîbh_or written text (p. lxvii) has us; but the _Qrç_, or accepted reading of the Jewish textual traditi... [ Continue Reading ]
O mayest thou increase my greatness, And turn again and comfort me. Except in the Book of Esther the word for _greatness_is used of God's greatness or great deeds (Psalms 145:3; Psalms 145:6); and the LXX reads _thy righteousness_, or, according to some MSS. and the Vulg., _thy greatness._This may... [ Continue Reading ]
Repeated prayers and vows of thanksgiving.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will also_&c. I also will give thanks unto thee: in response to this new proof of Thy love. _psaltery_ See on Psalms 57:8. _thy truth_ For in this manifestation of mercy to Israel God has shewn Himself _true_to His promises. Cp. Micah 7:20. _unto thee_&c. Unto thee will I make melody. _O thou H... [ Continue Reading ]
My lips shall sing aloud when I make melody unto thee. P.B.V. -my lips shall be _fain_," i.e. _glad:_Vulg. _exultabunt_. _my soul_ His whole self and personality, delivered from danger, will join in the glad thanksgiving. Cp. Psalms 34:22; Psalms 55:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_My tongue_&c. From Psalms 35:28. The word for _talk_denotes musing, meditative speech. _for they_&c. For they are ashamed, for they are confounded, that seek my hurt (R.V.). A reminiscence of Psalms 35:4; Psalms 35:26; Psalms 40:14 (Psalms 70:2). His faith realises the discomfiture of his enemies... [ Continue Reading ]