1._O God! thou art my God. _The wilderness of Judah, spoken of in the title, can be no other than that of Ziph, where David wandered so long in a state of concealment. We may rely upon the truth of the record he gives us of his exercise when under his trials; and it is apparent that he never allowed... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Thus in the sanctuary, etc. _It is apparent, as already hinted, that God was ever in his thoughts, though wandering in the wilderness under such circumstances of destitution. The particle _thus _is emphatic. Even when so situated, in a wild and hideous solitude, where the very horrors of the plac... [ Continue Reading ]
3_Because thy mercy is better than life, etc. _I have no objections to read the verse in this connected form, though I think that the first clause would be better separated, and taken in with the verse preceding. David would appear to be giving the reason of his earnestness in desiring God. By _life... [ Continue Reading ]
In the words which follow, David expresses his consequent resolution to praise God. When we experience his goodness, we are led to open our lips in thanksgiving. His intention is intimated still more clearly in the succeeding verse, where he says that _he will bless God in his life _There is some di... [ Continue Reading ]
5._My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow, etc. _In accordance with what was said in the foregoing verse, David expresses his assured persuasion of obtaining a rich and abundant measure of every blessing that could call for thanksgiving and praise. At the period of composing this psalm, he may ha... [ Continue Reading ]
6_I shall surely remember thee, etc. _It may be read also, when, or, as often as _I remember thee, I will pray in the night watches. _But as the Hebrew particle here used is occasionally taken for an adverb of affirmation, as well as of time, I have adhered to the commonly received translation, In t... [ Continue Reading ]
8_My soul has cleaved hard after thee _The Hebrew verb means also _to apprehend, _or _follow, _especially when in construction with the preposition which is here joined to it, and therefore we might very properly render the words, — _My soul shall press or follow after thee. _(434) But even should t... [ Continue Reading ]
9._And they, whilst they seek, etc. _Here we find David rising to a more assured confidence, and triumphing as if he had already obtained the victory. And there is every reason to believe, that though he had escaped his difficulties, and was in circumstances of peace and prosperity when he wrote thi... [ Continue Reading ]
11._But the king will rejoice in God. _The deliverance which David received had not been extended to him as a private person, but the welfare of the whole Church was concerned in it, as that of the body in the safety of the head, and there is therefore a propriety in his representing all the people... [ Continue Reading ]