_David praiseth God for executing of judgment: he inciteth others to praise him: he prayeth that he may have cause to praise him._ To the chief musician upon Muth-labben. A Psalm of David. _TITLE. UPON MUTH-LABBEN._— לבן מות על _al muth labben._ _Upon the death of the champion._ Thus also the Cha... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN MINE ENEMIES ARE TURNED BACK, &C.— _Because mine enemies are turned back; they stumbled and perished at thy presence._ Mudge and Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
O THOU ENEMY, &C.— _As for the enemy, they are quite destroyed; everlasting desolations: their cities thou hast extirpated; their memory, as well as themselves, is annihilated._ Mudge. There is more beauty in supposing David here to apostrophize his enemies: _O thou enemy! the destructions which tho... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE MAKETH INQUISITION FOR BLOOD— _To make inquisition for blood,_ as we hinted on Psalms 5 is not to inquire after blood spilled, but to sit as inquisitor or judge on all capital crimes, where the blood of the offender is due to justice. _Them,_ refers to the _humble_ or _afflicted,_ who follow... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAUGHTER OF ZION— The word בת _bath, daughter,_ applied to a _city_ or _nation,_ implies the inhabitants of it; the city being, as it were, the parent from whence they sprung. See Isaiah 37:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEATHEN ARE SUNK DOWN IN THE PIT, &C.— This makes a fine break in the poem; and David so often uses this method, that it will be sufficient to have hinted it once. You see his imagination is warmed to that degree, that he seems already to behold the destruction of his foes, and, in a sort of pro... [ Continue Reading ]
HIGGAION— See the note on Psalms 3:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
BE TURNED INTO HELL— The word rendered _hell_ in this verse, does not mean absolutely the state of the damned, but only the שׁאול _sheol,_ or state of departed souls; the _grave,_ or place of the dead. This we may learn in the place before us, from the following verse; for the wicked were to be turn... [ Continue Reading ]
TO BE BUT MEN— Fenwick renders this verse: Let them a guide and teacher have, O Lord! Their helpless state make thou the nations know: alluding to the future conversion of the Gentiles. REFLECTIONS.—1st, David begins this Psalms 1. With praise and joy. His whole heart was engaged; if not in perfec... [ Continue Reading ]