Psalms 59:5

_THOU THEREFORE, O LORD GOD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, AWAKE TO VISIT ALL THE HEATHEN: BE NOT MERCIFUL TO ANY WICKED TRANSGRESSORS. SELAH._ Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel. These names of God are so many pleas for obtaining the divine help. LORD or _ YAHWEH_ (H3068), is the most profound and far-reaching of the divine names. God, or _ 'ELOHIYM_ (H430), implies His is Deity and His being the Creator. The epithet "of hosts" (_ TSªBAA'OWT_ (H6635)) implies the boundless resources which He has at command for His people's good. Then this glorious God is "the God of Israel." He has the people of His covenant under His special protection. The same plea implied in the designation "the God of Israel" is expressed in P

1-7 In these words we hear the voice of David when a prisoner in his own house; the voice of Christ when surrounded by his merciless enemies; the voice of the church when under bondage in the world; and the voice of the Christian when under temptation, affliction, and persecution. And thus earnestly should we pray daily, to be defended and delivered from our spiritual enemies, the temptations of Satan, and the corruptions of our own hearts. We should fear suffering as evil-doers, but not be ashamed of the hatred of workers of iniquity. It is not strange, if those regard not what they themselves say, who have made themselves believe that God regards not what they say. And where there is no fear of God, there is nothing to secure proper regard to man....

Verse Psalms 59:5. _O LORD GOD OF HOSTS_] This was a proper view to take of God. when Israel, a _handful_ of poor distressed captives were surrounded and oppressed by the heathen chiefs above mentioned, and their several tribes. But Jehovah, _God of hosts_, was the _God_ _of Israel_; and hence Israel had little to fear. _BE NOT MERCIFUL TO ANY WICKED TRANSGRESSORS._] Do not favour the cause of these wicked men. They are בגדי און _bogedey aven_, "changers of iniquity:" they go through the whole round of evil; find out and exercise themselves in all the _varieties of_ _transgression_. How exactly does this apply to Nehemiah's foes! They sought, by open attack, wiles, flattery, foul speeches, fair speeches, threats, and ambuscades, to take away his life. Do not show them favour, that they may not succeed in their wicked designs.

THOU THEREFORE, O LORD GOD OF HOSTS - God of armies: commanding all the armies of heaven - the angels, and the stars and constellations drawn out in the form of armies; thou, thus endowed with all power, and able to subdue all people though arrayed and combined for purposes of evil - awake to my help. On the meaning of the phrase “God of hosts,” see the notes at Isaiah 1:9. THE GOD OF ISRAEL - The God of the Hebrew people - the descendants of Jacob or Israel - the Protector of thy people - awake to help me, one of those who, being of that covenant people, come under the promise of protection. AWAKE TO VISIT ALL THE HEATHEN - On the word here rendered “heathen” - גוים _gôyim_ - see the notes at...

EXPOSITION LIKE Psalms 56:1 and Psalms 57:1, this is a cry for deliverance out of great peril, with a final expression of confidence (verses 16, 17) that the deliverance will be granted. From the psalm itself there is some difficulty in determining who are the enemies against whom aid is sought, since, while the bulk of the allusions suggest domestic enemies, there is distinct mention of the "heathen" in two places (Psalms 57:5, Psalms 57:8). Hence it has been argued by critics of note that the entire complaint is against foreign foes, and the complainant either the nation (De Wette), or a late king of Judah (Ew

THOU THEREFORE, O LORD GOD OF HOSTS,.... Of the armies in heaven, the angels, and of all the inhabitants of the earth; who are all under him, and at his dispose, and can do among them and with them whatsoever he pleases; THE GOD OF ISRAEL; of the people of Israel, literally understood; and mystically of all the elect of God, Jews and Gentiles. The former epithet is expressive of his power, this of his grace and goodness in a covenant way; and both encouraged the psalmist to address him on the following account: AWAKE TO VISIT ALL THE HEATHEN: either the wicked Israelites that rose up against David, and sought to take away his life, who behaved like Heathens towards him, and were accounted as such by him; and the petition is, that God would arise and punish them, everyone of them, according to their deserts: or else the Gentiles, properly so called, whom he desires the Lord would visit,...

Psalms 59 Gentile Enmity Against Israel _ 1. Surrounded by nations (Psalms 59:1)_ 2. Their judgment anticipated (Psalms 59:9) Another Michtam of David when he was persecuted by Saul. While in previous Psalms we saw prophetically the remnant of the last suffering from their own ungodly brethren and the Antichrist, here the nations are their enemies. The word “heathen” should always be translated “nations.” They will surround Jerusalem. This is mentioned in Psalms 59:6. They are like the dogs, the term used for Gentiles in the Word. The godly pray for deliverance and in faith sing of His power--” I will sing aloud of Thy m

LIX. The Ps. seems to be directed against Jewish and not foreign enemies. It might well be a prayer for the downfall of the aristocratic Sadducees. On the other hand in Psalms 59:5 and Psalms 59:8 the Psalmist prays against heathen. But a slight change gives the word we need, viz. proud (_cf._ Psalms 9:17). PSALMS 59:6 is a variant of Psalms 59:14; it is in its right place after Psalms 59:13....

LORD GOD OF HOSTS. Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3. HEATHEN. nations. WICKED. Hebrew. _'aven._ App-44. TRANSGRESSORS. hypocrites. Hebrew. _bagad._ SELAH. Connecting the wicked transgressors with their true character as dogs of the Gentiles; and marking off and connecting the two prayers in verses: Psalms 59:1, and verses: Psalms 59:11. See App-66....

The Psalmist prays for deliverance from the enemies who are bent on taking his life, pleading his innocence, and appealing to God to punish all injustice....