This psalm purports to be a “psalm of David,” and there can be no just ground of doubt in regard to the correctness of the title in this respect. DeWette indeed supposes that the way in which mention is made of the “king” in Psalms 63:11, seems to indicate that the psalm was not composed by David hi... [ Continue Reading ]
O GOD, THOU ART MY GOD - The words here rendered God are not the same in the original. The first one - אלהים _'Elohiym_ - is in the plural number, and is the word which is usually employed to designate God Genesis 1:1; the second - אל _'Êl_ - is a word which is very often applied to God with the id... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEE THY POWER AND THY GLORY - The reference here is to what was manifested of the presence and the power of God in the services of public worship; the praises, the prayers, the rejoicings, the evidences of the divine presence. SO AS I HAVE SEEN THEE IN THE SANCTUARY - At the tabernacle, amidst th... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THY LOVING-KINDNESS IS BETTER THAN LIFE - Thy favor; thy mercy. This is of more value than life; more to be desired than life. Life is the most valued and valuable thing pertaining to this world which we can possess. See the notes at Job 2:4. But, above this, David valued the favor and frien... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WILL I BLESS THEE WHILE I LIVE - In my life; or, as long as life lasts, will I praise thee. The word “thus” refers to the sentiment in the previous verse, meaning that as the result of his deep sense of the value of the loving kindness of God, he would praise him through all the remainder of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SOUL SHALL BE SATISFIED - See the notes at Psalms 36:8. The idea is, that his soul now longed for the service of God as one who is hungry longs for food, or as one who is thirsty longs for drink; and that the time would come when this longing desire would be satisfied. He would engage in the serv... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I REMEMBER THEE UPON MY BED - See the notes at Psalms 42:8. That is, when I lie down at night; when I compose myself to sleep. Nothing can be more proper than that our last thoughts, as we sink into quiet slumber, should be of God; of his being, his character, his mercy, his loving-kindness; of... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THOU HAST BEEN MY HELP - Because thou hast interposed to defend me in danger. The idea is, that he had experienced the divine interposition in times of danger, and that this was a reason why he should still confide in God. The argument is, that God’s mercy and favor in the past is a reason w... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SOUL FOLLOWETH HARD AFTER THEE - The word used here - דבק _dâbaq_ - means properly to cleave to; to adhere; to be glued to; to stick fast. Then it means to attach oneself to anything; and then, to pursue or follow after. The idea here is that of adhering to, or cleaving to; and the meaning is, t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOSE THAT SEEK MY SOUL TO DESTROY IT - Who seek my life; who endeavor to kill me. This language would well describe the purposes of Absalom and his followers. SHALL GO INTO THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH - Shall descend into the earth; into the deepest graves. He would live; but they would peris... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL FALL BY THE SWORD - Margin, They shall make him run out like water by the hands of the sword. The word rendered in the text “they shall fall,” and in the margin “they shall make him run out” - נגר _nâgar_ - means properly, to flow, to pour out, as water; and then, to pour out; then, to g... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE KING SHALL REJOICE IN GOD - This passage, as was remarked in the Introduction to the psalm, shows that this psalm could not have been composed in the time of Saul, since the title king was not then given to David. The use of the term here in the third person does not prove that the psalm cou... [ Continue Reading ]