_A.M. 2944. B.C. 1060._ This Psalm, which, with some few and small variations, occurs in the second book of Samuel, chap. 22., was composed by David, on the occasion here mentioned, in gratitude to God for the many deliverances he had wrought for him, and the many signal blessings, both temporal an... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will love thee_ Hebrew, ארחמךְ, _erchamecha_, I will love thee most affectionately, and with my whole soul. I can make thee no better return for all thy favours than my love, which I pray thee to accept. By _loving_ the Lord, however, here and elsewhere, we are not only to understand giving him t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sorrows of death compassed me_ That is, dangerous and deadly troubles. Or, _the bands_, or _cords_, of death, as חבלי, _cheblee_, may be rendered, quæ hominem quasi fune arctissime constringunt, which binds a man most closely, as with a cord, whence the word is used concerning the pains of wome... [ Continue Reading ]
_He heard out of his temple_ Either, 1st, Out of his sanctuary, where he was represented as dwelling between the cherubim, in the most holy place, and where he promised to hear and answer the prayers of his people, which were either made in or directed to it. Or, 2d, Out of his heavenly habitation,... [ Continue Reading ]
_There went up a smoke out of his nostrils_, &c. Here “the further effects of God's indignation are represented by those of fire, which is the most terrible of the created elements, burning and consuming all before it: scorching the ground, and causing the mountains to smoke. Under this appearance G... [ Continue Reading ]
_He bowed the heavens_ By producing thick and dark clouds, by which the heavens seemed to come down to the earth; _and came down_ Not by change of place, but by the manifestation of his presence and power on my behalf. In other words, he, as it were, made the heavens bend under him, when he descende... [ Continue Reading ]
_He rode upon a cherub, and did fly_ Or, _upon the cherubim_, upon the angels who are so called, (Genesis 3:24,) and who are also termed God's chariots, (Psalms 68:17,) upon which he is said to sit and ride, which is not to be understood literally and grossly, but only figuratively, to denote God's... [ Continue Reading ]
_He made darkness his secret place_ Or, _his hiding place: his covert_, says Dr. Waterland; _his tent_, says Chandler. He covered himself with dark clouds. God is frequently represented as surrounded with clouds, in the sacred writings; this representation is peculiarly proper in this place, as thic... [ Continue Reading ]
_At the brightness that was before him_, &c. Schultens, Waterland, and some others, translate this verse, _At his lightning, his clouds swelled and burst out into hail-stones and balls of fire._ The meaning is, that through the lightning his clouds _fermented_, that is, _swelled_, and, as it were, b... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord also thundered_, &c. The preceding verse mentioned the lightning with its effects; this gives us the report of the thunder, and the increasing storm of hail and fire that attended it. _Yea, he sent out his arrows_ Namely, lightnings, as it is expressed in the next clause; _and scattered th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the channels of waters were seen_ This is a description of the effects of the earthquake, by which the earth was rent in sunder, and such clefts made in it that the subterraneous passages of the waters were discovered, as has frequently been the case in violent earthquakes, whole rivers of wat... [ Continue Reading ]
_He sent from above_ This may either denote, in general, that God assisted him by his divine power to overcome and deliver himself from his enemies, and thereby extricate himself from his troubles, or that he sent his angels from heaven to protect and rescue him from the many dangers that surrounded... [ Continue Reading ]
_He brought me forth also_ Out of my straits and difficulties; out of the little caves in which I was shut up and imprisoned; _into a large place_ Into a state of freedom, and plenty, and comfort. David was several times shut up in close confinement in rocks and caverns; but God had now set him at l... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness_ “Commentators have been much perplexed,” says Dr. Horne, “to account for these unlimited claims to righteousness made by David, and that long after the matter of Uriah, and toward the close of life. Certain, indeed, it is,” adds he, “that the expr... [ Continue Reading ]
In these verses David lays down the general method of the procedure of God's providence and moral government, which, in the issue, will be according to the moral character and conduct of men themselves. _With the merciful_, &c. A declaration similar to that of our Lord, _Blessed are the merciful, fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou wilt light_, or, _thou dost light_, or, _hast lighted, my candle_ That is, given me safety, and comfort, and glory, and posterity also: all which particulars are often signified by a _candle_, or a _light._ Thou wilt or dost advance me to honour, increase my prosperity, and make me continually... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is God that girdeth me with strength_ That inspires me with courage, fortitude, and resolution, and gives me strength both of mind and body in battle and war. It is a metaphor taken, either from a military girdle, or a common girdle, wherewith their loose garments were girded about them, and whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_He maketh my feet like hinds' feet_ That is, most swift and nimble. As he makes me wise in counsel and contrivance, Psalms 18:32; so he makes me speedy and expeditious in execution; which are the two great excellences of a captain. He gives me great agility, either to flee and escape from my enemie... [ Continue Reading ]
_He teacheth my hands to war_ To him I owe all the military skill, or strength, or courage which I have. _A bow of steel is broken by mine arm_ Chandler renders it, _Mine arms have bent the bow of steel._ That David was able to bend and draw together even a brazen bow, or one of steel, and to use it... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation_ Thy protection, which hath been to me like a shield to defend me. _Thy right hand hath holden me up_ Kept me from falling into those snares and mischiefs which mine enemies designed, and I feared I should fall into. _And thy gentleness hath made me gr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast enlarged my steps_ Which before were confined within narrow limits, and entangled with the straitness and difficulty of the way. _Thou hast set my feet in a large room, Psalms 31:8_; Psalms 118:5. It must be observed, that the eastern writers were wont to denote any person's condition in... [ Continue Reading ]
_They are fallen under my feet_ Cast down to the ground, so that I may tread upon their necks, after the manner of conquerors, Deuteronomy 33:29; Joshua 10:24. _Thou hast girded me_, &c. Thus again, as in Psalms 18:32, he gives God the whole praise of his great achievements and victories. It was he... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast given me the necks_, &c. That I might put my yoke upon their necks, or bring them into subjection. But Houbigant and some others render the clause, more agreeably to the Hebrew, _As for my enemies, thou givest_, or _hast given, me their back:_ that is, hast made them turn their backs and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people_ From the contentions, seditions, and tumults of my own people under Saul, and during the civil war raised by Abner in favour of Ishbosheth, when the tribes strove with each other; and from the invasions of the Philistines who attacked him soo... [ Continue Reading ]
_The strangers shall fade away_ Shall wither and decay in their hopes end strength; _and be afraid_ That is, shall come trembling, one verb being put for two; _out of their close places_ Out of their strong holds, where they shall lurk and keep themselves close, for fear of me, not daring to stir ou... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord liveth_ Jehovah, and he only, is the true and living God, and he hath manifested himself to be such for my comfort, and for the confusion of my enemies, when other gods are dead and impotent idols. Or, _Let the Lord live_, as חי יהוה, _chai Jehovah_, may be translated; and so it is a joyfu... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is God that avengeth me_ That executeth vengeance, both by me, against his malicious enemies, and for me, against Saul, on whom I would not avenge myself. _Thou liftest me up above those_, &c. Above their malice and power. _Thou hast delivered me from the violent man_ From Saul, whose name, for... [ Continue Reading ]