INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 71 This psalm is without a title, but is thought to be David's: the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and all the Oriental ones, ascribe it to him; and both the subject and style show it to be his. According to the title of the Syriac version, it was composed by him when... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THEE, O LORD, DO I PUT MY TRUST,.... The Targum is, "in thy Word;'' Psalms 31:1; LET ME NEVER BE PUT TO CONFUSION; or "be ashamed"; see the note as before.... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIVER ME IN THY RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... By it, or "for the sake of [it]" q; Psalms 31:1; AND CAUSE ME TO ESCAPE; present danger, and out of the hands of enemies, as well as wrath to come, and eternal death; which nothing but the righteousness of God can deliver from, or cause to escape; INCLINE THINE... [ Continue Reading ]
BE THOU MY STRONG HABITATION,.... This is very appropiately said, when David was driven out of his dwelling place, and palace at Jerusalem, by his son, as Kimchi observes. When God's people have no certain dwelling place, which is sometimes their case, they always find one in the Lord; particularly... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIVER ME, O MY GOD, OUT OF THE HAND OF THE WICKED,.... Meaning Absalom his son, as Arama, who had risen up in rebellion against him; and he may not only intend him, but all those wicked men that had joined with him: it was David's mercy he had a covenant God to go to, and could claim his interest... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU [ART] MY HOPE, O LORD GOD,.... The object, ground, and foundation of it, even of present deliverance, and of future and eternal salvation; [THOU ART] MY TRUST FROM MY YOUTH; in whom he trusted in his youthful days, of which there is an eminent instance in 1 Samuel 17:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THEE HAVE I BEEN HOLDEN UP FROM THE WOMB,.... Supported in being, upheld in life, and sustained with food and raiment, and followed with the mercies and blessings of life from thence to this present moment; which the psalmist takes notice of, as he does of what goes before and follows after, to e... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM AS A WONDER UNTO MANY,.... To the multitude, to the populace, or "to the great" u and mighty; and indeed to both: which respects not his wonderful preservation from the womb, he had before observed; nor his being in a wonderful manner raised to the throne of Israel; nor the wonderful things and... [ Continue Reading ]
LET MY MOUTH BE FILLED [WITH] THY PRAISE,.... Or "thy praise shall fill my mouth" x; which shows that his heart was affected with the goodness of God to him, and that he had a deep impression and sense of it upon him; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; and for the mouth to be fi... [ Continue Reading ]
CAST ME NOT OFF IN THE TIME OF OLD AGE,.... The Lord never casts off nor casts away his people, whom he foreknew; they are near unto him; they are on his heart, and are engraven on the palms of his hands; and they shall never be removed from his heart's love, nor out of his arms, nor out of his cove... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MINE ENEMIES SPEAK AGAINST, ME,.... Or "say unto me" y what is expressed in the following verse, "God hath forsaken him"; and so these words are a reason of the above petitions: or "mine enemies speak to me"; or "of me" z; not good, but evil, and so the Targum paraphrases it, "for mine enemies... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING, GOD HATH FORSAKEN HIM,.... Good men may seem to others to be forsaken of God; and they themselves may sometimes think they are; and they may be forsaken for a small moment, when God withdraws his gracious presence, or does not afford immediate help; but never finally and totally. This David'... [ Continue Reading ]
O GOD, BE NOT FAR FROM ME,.... God is everywhere, at hand and afar off, with regard to his being, power, and providence; his glorious presence is in heaven, his gracious presence is with his people; but, when he hides his face, he seems to be at a distance; and this they cannot bear, and therefore d... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED,.... See Psalms 70:2; [AND] CONSUMED; like smoke; see Psalms 37:20; as antichrist will be with the breath of Christ's mouth, and the brightness of his coming, 2 Thessalonians 2:8; THAT ARE ADVERSARIES TO MY SOUL; that hated him with a diabolical hatred, as the devil hates th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I WILL HOPE CONTINUALLY,.... For deliverance and salvation from present outward troubles, for; more grace here and glory hereafter: it is the excellency of the grace of hope to be exercised in times of affliction and distress, and with Abraham to believe in hope against hope; and then it is that... [ Continue Reading ]
MY MOUTH SHALL SHOW FORTH THY RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Both his punitive justice in taking vengeance on his enemies, agreeably to the above imprecations; and his faithfulness in the performance of promises of good things unto him; as also his essential righteousness displayed and glorified in the redempti... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GO IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD GOD,.... Go on praising him, as he had determined to do in the preceding verses; not in his own strength, knowing that his heart was not always disposed aright or prepared and fit for such service; and that though the daily continuance of favours required consta... [ Continue Reading ]
O GOD, THOU HAST TAUGHT ME FROM MY YOUTH,.... The corruption of human nature; the weakness and impotence of it, to everything that is spiritually good; and the need of continual strength and grace from Christ, to go to him for righteousness and strength, life and salvation, and to walk by faith on h... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW ALSO, WHEN I AM OLD AND GRAYHEADED, O GOD, FORSAKE ME NOT,.... A repetition of his request, Psalms 71:9; with a reason annexed to it, suggested in the following words: UNTIL I HAVE SHOWED THY STRENGTH UNTO [THIS] GENERATION; or, "thine arm" e; which sometimes the Messiah, Isaiah 53:1; who is th... [ Continue Reading ]
THY RIGHTEOUSNESS ALSO, O GOD, [IS] VERY HIGH,.... Or, "unto [the place] on high" f; it reaches unto heaven, as the mercy, truth, and faithfulness of God, are said to do, Psalms 36:5. The righteousness of Christ is accepted of with God the Father in heaven; it is in Christ, who is there at the right... [ Continue Reading ]
[THOU], WHICH HAST SHOWED ME GREAT AND SORE TROUBLES,.... Or, "made [him] to see" g; that is, to experience. David had his troubles, and these were great, both as to quantity and quality; and very grievous and hard to be borne, and were very trying and afflictive: some outward, such as he endured wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT INCREASE MY GREATNESS,.... His temporal greatness, as he did, by crushing the rebellion of his son; returning him to his palace and family; and giving him rest from his enemies all around: and his spiritual greatness, by favouring him with his presence; by shedding abroad his love in his... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO PRAISE THEE WITH THE PSALTERY,.... An instrument of music; Psalms 33:2; [EVEN] THY TRUTH, O MY GOD; that is, his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises, which is never suffered to fail; UNTO THEE WILL I SING WITH THE HARP; another instrument of music; and both typical of the spiritual... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LIPS SHALL GREATLY REJOICE WHEN I SING UNTO THEE,.... Both with vocal and instrumental music; this is praising the Lord with joyful lips, Psalms 63:5; AND MY SOUL, WHICH THOU HAST REDEEMED; signifying that it would not be lip labour, or bodily service, only that he should perform; but that his h... [ Continue Reading ]
MY TONGUE ALSO SHALL TALK OF THY RIGHTEOUSNESS ALL THE DAY LONG,.... Psalms 71:16; FOR THEY ARE CONFOUNDED; his adversaries, for whose confusion he prayed, Psalms 71:13; FOR THEY ARE BROUGHT UNTO SHAME THAT SEEK MY HURT; as Absalom and Ahithophel, being both brought to a shameful end.... [ Continue Reading ]