Psalms 57:6

_THEY HAVE PREPARED A NET FOR MY STEPS; MY SOUL IS BOWED DOWN: THEY HAVE DIGGED A PIT BEFORE ME, INTO THE MIDST WHEREOF THEY ARE FALLEN THEMSELVES. SELAH._ They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down - rather, as the Hebrew verb is transitive, and the enemies are the subject in the other verbs of the sentence, 'they bowed down my soul.' THEY HAVE DIGGED A PIT BEFORE ME, INTO THE MIDST WHEREOF THEY ARE FALLEN THEMSELVES - the theme of the praise in Psalms 57:5; namely, that with all their preparing of the net for the Psalmist, their bowing down his soul, and digging a pit, all their laborious malice has ended in their falling into their own pit; such is the righteous retribution of God!...

1-6 All David's dependence is upon God. The most eminent believers need often repeat the publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner." But if our souls trust in the Lord, this may assure us, in our utmost dangers, that our calamities will at length be overpast, and in the mean time, by faith and prayer, we must make him our refuge. Though God be most high, yet he condescends so low, as to take care that all things are made to work for good to his people. This is a good reason why we should pray earnestly. Look which way we will on this earth, refuge fails, no help appears; but we may look for it from heaven. If we have fled from the wrath to come, unto Jesus Christ, he that performed all things needful to purchase the salvation of his people, will do for us and in us all things needful for our enjoyment of it. It made David droop to think there should be those that bore him so mu...

Verse Psalms 57:6. _THEY HAVE PREPARED A NET FOR MY STEPS_] A gin or springe, such as huntsmen put in the places which they know the prey they seek frequents: such, also, as they place in _passages in_ _hedges_, c., through which the game creeps. _THEY HAVE DIGGED A PIT_] Another method of catching game and wild beasts. They dig a pit, cover it over with weak sticks and turf. The beasts, not suspecting danger where none appears, in attempting to walk over it, fall through, and are taken. Saul digged a pit, laid snares for the life of David and fell into one of them himself, particularly at the cave of _En-gedi_; for he entered into the very pit or cave where David and his men were hidden, and his life lay at the generosity of the very man whose life he was seeking! The rabbins tell a curious and instructive tale concerning this: "God sent a spid

THEY HAVE PREPARED A NET FOR MY STEPS - A net for my goings; or, into which I may fall. See the notes at Psalms 9:15. MY SOUL IS BOWED DOWN - The Septuagint, the Vulgate, and Luther render this in the plural, and in the active form: “They have bowed down my soul;” that is, they have caused my soul to be bowed down. The Hebrew may be correctly rendered, “he pressed down my soul,” - referring to his enemies, and speaking of them in the singular number. THEY HAVE DIGGED A PIT BEFORE ME ... - See Psalms 7:15, notes; Psalms 9:15, note; Job 5:13

EXPOSITION This psalm—the "twin psalm" with the last—has also an elaborate "title," which runs thus: "To the precentor (or chief musician): destroy not; David's; Michtam; when he fled from Saul; in the cave." The meaning of the second and fourth headings is doubtful Some explain the second as "musical;" others as an allusion to David's words when he bade Abishai not to kill Saul. The last two clauses give the place and occasion of the composition. It was written "in the cave"—probably the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1)—when David was flying from Saul. No valid reason can be urged against these statements. The psalm is divided by its refrain (Psalms 57:5, Psalms 57:11) into two parts, which are further s

THEY HAVE PREPARED A NET FOR MY STEPS,.... They laid snares for him, as the fowler does for the bird, in order to take him. It denotes the insidious ways used by Saul and his men to get David into their hands; so the Pharisees consulted together how they might entangle Christ in his talk, Matthew 22:15; MY SOUL IS BOWED DOWN; dejected by reason of his numerous enemies, and the crafty methods they took to ensnare and ruin him; so the soul of Christ was bowed down with the sins of his people, and with a sense of divine wrath because of them; and so their souls are often bowed down; or they are dejected in their spirits, on account of sin, Satan's temptations, various afflictions, and divine desertions. The Targum renders it, "he bowed down my soul;'' that is, the enemy; Saul in particular. The Septuagint, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, "they bowe

1. _Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast._ The heading of this Psalm «To the chief musician, Aitaschith Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave,» tells us when it was written. It is one of David's « golden Psalms.» What a mixture of feebleness and strength there is in this first verse, the feebleness so beautified by being clothed with the strength of faith! What a turning away from man, and what a turning wholly unto the Lord! And, in coming to the Lord, what humility, and what pleading for mercy, and for mercy only! «Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me.» Yet what holy boldness also! « For my soul trusteth in thee.» And what joyous confidence and what sweet repose in God! «Yea, in the shadow of thy wings, will I make my refuge.» «I...

Psalms 57 Perfect Trust in God _ 1. Sheltered until the trouble is past (Psalms 57:1)_ 2. Deliverance and praise (Psalms 57:6) The inscription is Al-taschith, which means “destroy not”; it is the Michtam of David when he fled from Saul. It shows us once more the exercise of faith in the godly of Israel. In the shadow of His wings they take refuge till these calamities are overpast. They look for intervention from above, from where it will surely come at the close of the days of tribulation. “He shall send from heaven, and save me.” Then they know they will be delivered in anticipation of which the voice of praise is heard. “Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, let Thy glory cover all the earth.”

LVII. HERE TWO PSS. ARE UNITED: A containing Psalms 57:1, B, Psalms 57:7. PSALMS 57:1. The Ps. is closely allied to the preceding, also a michtam Ps. (p. 373). The author flees to God's protection against his foes and is confident in his own safety and their overthrow. PSALMS 57:1. WILL I TAKE REFUGE: read, I will hide. Psalms 57:2. performeth all things for me: read, will requite me. Psalms 57:3. save me. reproacheth: read, pe

THEY HAVE DIGGED, &C. Compare Psalms 7:15. SELAH. Connecting the bitterness of his enemies with his assured confidence in God. (App-66.)...