1._In thee, O Jehovah! have I put my trust. _Some are of opinion that this psalm was composed by David, after he had most unexpectedly escaped out of the wilderness of Maon; to which I do not object, although it is only a doubtful conjecture. Certainly he celebrates one or more of the greatest of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
2._incline thine ear unto me. _These words express with how much ardor David’s soul was stimulated to pray. He affects no splendid or ornate language, as rhetoricians are wont to do; but only describes in suitable figures the vehemence of his desire. In praying that he may be delivered _speedily _th... [ Continue Reading ]
3._For thou art my rock. _This verse may be read as one sentence, thus: As thou art like a tower for my defense, for thy name’s sake direct and guide me during my whole life. And thus the conjunction, as in many similar cases, would be superfluous. But I rather prefer a different sense, namely, that... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Into thy hand I commit my spirit. _David again declares his faith to God, and affirms that he had such high thoughts of his providence, as to cast all his cares upon it. Whoever commits himself into God’s hand and to his guardianship, not only constitutes him the arbiter of life and death to him,... [ Continue Reading ]
6._I hate all that give heed to lying vanities. _In order the better to express that his faith was firmly fixed on God, he affirms that he was free from the vile affections which usually turn away our minds from God, and under which unbelievers for the most part labor. For we know that by contrastin... [ Continue Reading ]
7._I will be glad and rejoice in thy goodness. _Here is inserted a thanksgiving, although many are rather of opinion that David’s prayer is suspended, and that he makes a vow, when he shall be delivered from present danger. But as no condition is annexed, I am rather inclined to think that stopping... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah! _To move God to succor him, he magnifies the greatness of his misery and grief by the number of his complaints; not that God needs arguments to persuade him, but because he allows the faithful to deal familiarly with him, that they may disburden themselves of their... [ Continue Reading ]
11._I was a reproach by reason of all mine enemies. _Others translate thus -_more than mine enemies, _and as the Hebrew letter מ _, mem, _is often used as a sign of comparison, they interpret this clause to mean that David’s friends and acquaintances reproached him more than all his enemies. But, in... [ Continue Reading ]
12._I am forgotten as one dead. _The Psalmist still pursues the same idea, and complains that he was as completely blotted out of all men’s remembrance as if he had been dead. The memory of some men after their death flourishes for a time among survivors, but it more frequently vanishes; for there i... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Yet have I trusted in thee, O Jehovah! _The rendering properly is, _And I have trusted in thee; _but the Hebrew copulative particle ו, _vau, and, _is used here instead of the adversative particle _yet, _or _nevertheless. _David, setting the steadfastness of his faith in opposition to the assault... [ Continue Reading ]
15._My times are in thy hand. _That he might the more cheerfully commit the preservation of his person to God, he assures us, that, trusting to his divine guardianship, he did not trouble himself about those casual and unforeseen events which men commonly dread. The import of his language is, Lord,... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Make thy face to shine upon thy servant. _We have said formerly, and we shall see in many instances hereafter, that this form of speech is taken from the common apprehension of men, who think that God regards them not, unless he really show his care of them by its effects. According to the judgm... [ Continue Reading ]
17._O Jehovah! let me not be ashamed. _In these words, the Psalmist continues his prayer, and to strengthen his hopes, he contrasts himself with his enemies; for it would have been more than absurd to permit those who by their wickedness so openly provoked the wrath of God to escape with impunity, a... [ Continue Reading ]
19._O how great is thy goodness which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee! _In this verse the Psalmist exclaims that God is incomprehensibly good and beneficent towards his servants. _Goodness _here means those divine blessings which are the effects of it. The interrogatory form of the sentence... [ Continue Reading ]
20._Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy countenance. _In this verse the Psalmist specially commends the grace of God, because it preserves and protects the faithful against all harm. As Satan assiduously and by innumerable means opposes their welfare, and as the greater part of the world is at... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Blessed be Jehovah! _These general truths the Psalmist here proceeds to apply to his own circumstances, and he declares that the goodness of God in preserving his life was wondrously displayed. As he speaks of aid which had been suddenly and unexpectedly afforded him in very desperate circumstan... [ Continue Reading ]
22._And I said in my fear. _David here confesses that for his distrust he deserved to be deserted by God and left to perish. It is true that to confess this before men he felt to be a shameful thing; but that he may the more fully illustrate the grace of God to him, he hesitates not to publish the s... [ Continue Reading ]
23._O love Jehovah, all ye his meek ones! _In my opinion, the Psalmist does not here exhort the saints to fear and reverence God, as many think, but encourages them to confide in him; or, in other words, to devote themselves wholly to him, to put all their hope in him, and to rely entirely upon him,... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Be of good courage. _This exhortation is to be understood in the same way as the preceding; for the steadfastness which the Psalmist here enjoins is founded on the love of God of which he had spoken, when renouncing all the enticements of the world, we embrace with our whole hearts the defense a... [ Continue Reading ]