Psalms 55:18

_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 ...

18_He hath redeemed my soul into peace _Those who read the two preceding verses in the perfect instead of the future tense, are apparently led to this by considering that David here proves his former prayers to have been answered, from the fact of deliverance having been granted. But there is no difficulty involved in adopting the other reading. We may suppose that either he was so confident of being delivered that he speaks as if he actually were so already, or that he inserts what was the substance of his meditations at different times; it being sufficiently common, when mention is made of prayers, to subjoin a statement of the event which followed from them. Having spoken, then, of his prayers, he adverts to the result of them, with the view of expressing his thankfulness for the mercy which he had received. He says that he had been _redeemed into peace _— a strong expression, signify...

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 55:18. _HE HATH DELIVERED MY SOUL_] My _life_ he has preserved in perfect safety from the sword; _for there were many with me_: "for in many afflictions his WORD was my support." - _Targum_. Or David may refer to the _supernatural assistance_ which was afforded him when his enemies were so completely discomfited....

HE HATH DELIVERED MY SOUL IN PEAEE - The Hebrew is, “He has redeemed;” so also the Septuagint and Vulgate. The meaning is, He has “rescued” me, or has saved me from my enemies. Either the psalmist composed the psalm “after” the struggle was over, and in view of it, here speaks of what had actually occurred; or he is so confident of being redeemed and saved that he speaks of it as if it were already done. See Psalms 55:19. There are many instances in the Psalms in which the writer is so certain that what he prays for will be accomplished that he speaks of it as if it had already actually occurred. The words “in peace” mean that God ad given him peace; or that the result of the divine interposition was that he had calmness of mind. FROM THE BATTLE THAT WAS AGAINST ME - The hostile array; the armies prepared for conflict.

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

HE HATH DELIVERED MY SOUL IN PEACE FROM THE BATTLE [THAT WAS] AGAINST ME,.... That is, God had preserved his life, and delivered him safe and sound from many a battle which was fought against him, and might seem at first to go against him; and had given him peace and rest from all his enemies before the present trouble came upon him, 2 Samuel 7:1; wherefore he believed, that he who had delivered him in time past would deliver him again; this is the reasoning of faith, 2 Corinthians 1:9. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, render the last clause, "from them that draw nigh unto thee"; and the Syriac version renders it, by way of petition, "deliver my soul from them that know me"; and the Targum, "lest evil should come unto me;'' for there were many

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

DELIVERED. plucked (with power). Hebrew. _padah._ See notes on Exodus 6:6; Exodus 13:13. MY SOUL. me (emphatic). Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13. IN PEACE. Note Ellipsis: "[and set it] in peace". MANY WITH ME. many [in conflict] with me. Figure of speech _Ellipsis._ App-6....