INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 28 [A PSALM] OF DAVID. This psalm, Aben Ezra says, David either composed himself, or one of the singers for him; the former seems most likely; and it might be made by him when he was persecuted by Saul, or when delivered from him; or at least when he had faith and hope that he... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THEE WILL I CRY,.... This denotes the distress the psalmist was in, fervency and ardour in prayer, resolution to continue in it, and singularity with respect to the object of it; determining to cry to the Lord only; to which he was encouraged by what follows; O LORD MY ROCK; he being a strong... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THE VOICE OF MY SUPPLICATIONS,.... Which proceed from the Spirit of grace and of supplication, and are put up in an humble manner, under a sense of wants and unworthiness, and on the foot of grace and mercy, and not merit; WHEN I CRY UNTO THEE; as he now did, and determined he would, and conti... [ Continue Reading ]
DRAW ME NOT AWAY WITH THE WICKED,.... That is, with those who are notoriously wicked; who are inwardly and outwardly wicked; whose inward part is very wickedness, and who sell themselves and give up themselves to work wickedness: the sense is, that God would not suffer him to be drawn away, or drawn... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS,.... According to the demerit of them, which is death, even death eternal; AND ACCORDING TO THE WICKEDNESS OF THEIR ENDEAVOURS; for though wicked men do not always succeed; yet their want of success does not excuse their wickedness; GIVE THEM AFTER THE WORK OF TH... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY REGARD NOT THE WORKS OF THE LORD,.... Neither the work of creation, as if there was no first cause of all things; nor the work of Providence, taking no notice either of the judgments or of the mercies of God; as though they believed that God had forsaken the earth, and would do neither... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED [BE] THE LORD,.... Which must be understood, not as invoking nor as conferring a blessing on him, neither of which can be done by a creature; nor does he stand in need of any, he being Elshaddai, God all sufficient, God over all, blessed for ever; but as ascribing all blessedness to him, con... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD [IS] MY STRENGTH,.... That is, the author both of natural and spiritual strength; that gave him strength of body, and fortitude of mind, to bear up under all the exercises he was tried with; the strength of his life, spiritual and temporal, and of his salvation; the strength of his heart un... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD [IS] THEIR STRENGTH,.... The strength of his people, mentioned in Psalms 28:9; not only the strength of David in particular, but of all his people in general; see Psalms 37:39; AND HE [IS] THE SAVING STRENGTH OF HIS ANOINTED; meaning either himself, as before, who was anointed by Samuel ki... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE THY PEOPLE,.... The psalmist begins the psalm with petitions for himself, and closes it with prayers for the people of God; whom God has chosen for his people, taken into covenant to be his people, and given them to his son as such; these he has resolved to save, and has appointed Christ, and s... [ Continue Reading ]