_David, in prayer fleeing unto God, complaineth of his dangerous case; he encourageth himself to praise God._ To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. _TITLE._ תשׂחת אל _AL-TASCHITH_— _Destroy not._ This psalm is thus intitled, because some of David... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO GOD, THAT PERFORMETH ALL THINGS FOR ME— _To the Divinity that completely covereth me all over:_ literally, _that perfecteth all over,_ or _around me:_ "That completely shelters me all around, namely, under his wing:" Mudge: and compare Psalms 138:8. Dr. Chandler observes, that the word גמר _gom... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL SEND FROM HEAVEN, AND SAVE ME, &C.— _He will send from heaven, and save me: He defieth him who cometh upon me with open mouth: God shall send forth his favour and truth: though I lie with my soul among lions:_ Psalms 57:4. _The sons of men are all on fire: their teeth spears,_ &c. Mudge. Ot... [ Continue Reading ]
BE THOU EXALTED, O GOD, &C.— "Manifest thyself to be the Lord of heaven and earth, by delivering me from this imminent danger." The verse may be rendered, _Exalt, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth, thy glory._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE PREPARED A NET FOR MY STEPS— The syntax here is thought to be irregular; but the literal rendering is, _They have prepared a net for their steps: he boweth down my soul;_ referring to Saul, at the head of his troops, pursuing David to his ruin. This makes the construction regular; and the... [ Continue Reading ]
MY HEART IS FIXED— Or, _prepared,_ as in the Margin of our Bibles. He says, in the conclusion of the foregoing verse, that his enemies had fallen into the pit which they had prepared for _him;_ as Saul, who sought his life, had fallen in the cave into David's hands, and put his life in his power. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE UP, MY GLORY, &C.— _My tongue,_ Psalms 16:9; Psalms 30:12. The Psalmist, in the next clause, by an elegant figure, calls upon his psaltery, or harp, as if they were endued with life, to awake with him; and, as it were, of themselves to join with him in making melody to God, and resounding his... [ Continue Reading ]