Psalms 55:16

_AS FOR ME, I WILL CALL UPON GOD; AND THE LORD SHALL SAVE ME._ -Third strophe. His confident hope, resting upon the grounds stated in the previous prayer. Verse 16,17. AS FOR ME ... EVENING, AND MORNING, AND AT NOON, WILL I PRAY (_ 'AASIYCHAAH_ (H7878), from _ SIYACH_ (H7878)) - literally, 'meditate;' meditative prayer. The Hebrews, in counting their day, began it with the evening. This and morning and mid-day form the three turning points of the whole day; so that he who wished to consecrate the whole day to God (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17) would naturally connect these three with stated prayer ...

16_I will call upon God. _In translating this verse I have retained the future tense of the verb, as the Psalmist does not refer to something already done, but rather excites himself to the duty of prayer, and to the exercise of hope and confidence. Though there was no apparent method of escape, and he stood on the brink of immediate destruction, he declares his resolution to continue in prayer, and expresses his assurance that it would be successful. In the verse which follows he engages more particularly to show perseverance in prayer. He does not content himself with saying that he will pray, for many do this in a perfunctory manner, and soon become wearied with the exercise; but he resolves to display both assiduity and vehemency. From the particular mention he makes of _evening, morning, _and _noon, _we are left to infer that these must have been the stated hours of prayer amongst t...

16-23 In every trial let us call upon the Lord, and he will save us. He shall hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the more welcome. David had thought all were against him; but now he sees there were many with him, more than he supposed; and the glory of this he gives to God, for it is he that raises us up friends, and makes them faithful to us. There are more true Christians, and believers have more real friends, than in their gloomy hours they suppose. His enemies should be reckoned with, and brought down; they could not ease themselves of their fears, as David could, by faith in God. Mortal men, though ever so high and strong, will easily be crushed by an eternal God. Those who are not reclaimed by the rod of affliction, will certainly be brought down to the pit of destruction. The burden of afflictions is very heavy, especially when attended with the temptatio...

Verse Psalms 55:16. _I WILL CALL UPON GOD_] He foresaw his deliverance, and the defeat of his enemies, and therefore speaks confidently, "The Lord shall save me;" or, as the _Targum_, "The WORD of the Lord shall redeem me....

AS FOR ME, I WILL CALL UPON GOD - That is, I have no other refuge in my troubles, yet I can go to him, and pour out all the desires of my heart before him. AND THE LORD SHALL SAVE ME - This expresses strong confidence. On the supposition that the psalm refers to the rebellion of Absalom, David was driven from his home, and his throne, and from the house of God - a poor exile, forsaken by nearly all. But his faith did not fail. He confided in God, and believed that He was able to effect his deliverance, and that He would do it. Rarely can we be placed in circumstances so trying and discouraging as were those of David; never should we, in any circumstances, fall to believe, as he did, that God can deliver us, and that, if we are his friends, we shall be ultimately safe....

EXPOSITION THIS psalm has been assigned to Jeremiah by Hitzig, and by others to an unknown writer of the seventh century B.C. But no solid grounds have been shown for setting aside the traditionary evidence of the "title," which ascribes it to David. It is Davidic in its depth of feeling, in its abrupt transitions (verses 9, 15, 20), and in its reference to a faithless friend, who is the chief cause of the writer's sufferings (verses 12-14, 20, 21; comp. Psalms 41:9). The Davidic authorship is accepted by Hengstenberg, Dr. Kay, and Canon Cook. The probable date of the psalm is the time of Absalom's rebellion. David, still a dweller at Jerusalem (verses 9-11), has become aware of the conspiracy which has been formed against him (verses 3-8), and of the participation in it of his "familiar friend," Ahithophel (verses 12-14). He is already contempl

AS FOR ME, I WILL CALL UPON GOD,.... Not upon a creature, on idols and images, on angels or saints departed; but upon God, in his time of trouble, for salvation and deliverance from enemies; who is able to save. This is to be understood of calling upon God in prayer; as Psalms 55:17 explains it, and the Targum here renders it; though sometimes invocation of the name of God takes in the whole of divine worship; AND THE LORD SHALL SAVE ME; which confidence was founded partly upon his promise to deliver such that call upon him in the day of trouble, Psalms 50:15; and partly upon his power, whose hand is not shortened that it cannot save. The Targum is, "the Word of the Lord shall redeem me.''...

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. It needed the chief musician to sing such a Psalm as this; it is so full of sorrow, and yet so full of confidence in God. It is a Psalm upon the stringed instruments, and it sings not of man only, but of that Son of man that greatest of men, who was also greatest in grief as greatest in faith. Maschil: that is, «instructive,» «full of teaching.» The experience of one child of God is instructive to another, and especially the experience of the great First-born among many brethren. A Psalm of David David, that many-sided man, who seemed not one, but «all mankind's epitome.» Who has not found his own experience when he has read the Psalms of David? It is a looking-glass this Book of Psalms which reflects us all. See how he begins. Psalms 55:1. _Give ear to my prayer, O God;_ All the saints pray. There is no excep

Psalms 55 In the Throes of the Great Tribulation _ 1. Prayer for help (Psalms 55:1)_ 2. Longings to escape (Psalms 55:4) 3. The great tribulation (Psalms 55:9) 4. The comfort of hope (Psalms 55:22) The man of sin, the Antichrist, stands out prominently in this Psalm. Because of him and his oppression, the godly remnant calls for help. They are overwhelmed with horror and beholding the abomination, they wish for wings like a dove and escape from the storm and the tempest of the great tribulation. This is in accordance

LV. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM TREACHEROUS FOES. Psalms 55:1. The Psalmist tells God of his disquiet and terror. His desire to flee from Jerusalem to the wilderness. Psalms 55:12. A description of the treacherous friend, ending with an imprecation: let them go down suddenly to the pit. Psalms 55:16. The Psalmist's continuous prayer and his trust that God will defeat his enemies. Psalms 55:20 f. The treachery of his foes described. Psalms 55:22 f. God's care for the godly: His vengeance on