Psalms 69:4

_THEY THAT HATE ME WITHOUT A CAUSE ARE MORE THAN THE HAIRS OF MINE HEAD: THEY THAT WOULD DESTROY ME, BEING MINE ENEMIES WRONGFULLY, ARE MIGHTY: THEN I RESTORED THAT WHICH I TOOK NOT AWAY._ They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head. In Psalms 40:12 it is "mine iniquities." THEY THAT WOULD DESTROY ME, BEING MINE ENEMIES WRONGFULLY, ARE MIGHTY - (Psalms 35:19; Psalms 38:19.) THEN I RESTORED THAT WHICH I TOOK NOT AWAY - (Psalms 35:11, margin.) A proverbial phrase for, 'I am treated as guilty of wrongs which I have never done.' The "then" means, what I have not taken a

4._They who hate me without cause are more in number than the hairs of my head _The Psalmist now expresses without figure what he had said under the metaphors of the mire and of the impetuous rushing of the waters. Persecuted as he was by so great a multitude of enemies, he had too good reason to be afraid of death in innumerable ways. Nor is his language hyperbolical, when he represents his enemies as _more in number than the hairs of his head, _since he was mortally hated and detested by the whole kingdom, it being the universal belief that he was a base and wicked traitor to his country. Farther, we know from the sacred history how numerous and powerful the armies were which Saul sent forth to pursue him. He expresses the mortal hatred which they bore to him, when he tells us that they were intently set upon his destruction, being eagerly desirous to have him cut off by a violent deat...

1-12 We should frequently consider the person of the Sufferer here spoken of, and ask why, as well as what he suffered, that, meditating thereon, we may be more humbled for sin, and more convinced of our danger, so that we may feel more gratitude and love, constraining us to live to His glory who died for our salvation. Hence we learn, when in affliction, to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may not be soured with discontent, or sink into despair. David was hated wrongfully, but the words far more fully apply to Christ. In a world where unrighteousness reigns so much, we must not wonder if we meet with those that are our enemies wrongfully. Let us take care that we never do wrong; then if we receive wrong, we may the better bear it. By the satisfaction Christ made to God for our sin by his blood, he restored that which he took not away, he paid our debt, suffered for our o...

Verse Psalms 69:4. _THEN I RESTORED_ THAT _WHICH I TOOK NOT AWAY._] I think, with Calmet, that this is a sort of _proverbial_ expression, like such as these, "Those who suffered the wrong, pay the costs." Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi. "Kings sin, and the people are punished." "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." Our fathers have grievously sinned against the Lord, and we their posterity suffer for it. See on Psalms 69:12. Some have applied it to our Lord. I restored, by my suffering and death, that image of God and the Divine favour, which I took not away. That is, In my _human nature_ I expiated the crime that _human_ _beings_ had committed against God. But such applications are very gratuitous....

THEY THAT HATE ME WITHOUT A CAUSE - Without any just reason; without any provocation on my part. There were many such in the case of David, for to those who rose up against him in the time of Saul, and to Absalom also, he had given no real occasion of offence. An expression similar to the one used here occurs in Psalms 35:19. See the notes at that passage. The “language” is applied to the Saviour John 15:25, not as having had original reference to him, but as language which received its most perfect fulfillment in the treatment which he received from his enemies. See the notes at John 15:25. ARE MORE THAN THE HAIRS OF MINE HEAD - The number is so great that

EXPOSITION THIS is the cry of one suffering severely from men, partly on account of his own sins (Psalms 69:5), but mainly for the sake of God (Psalms 69:7). It is said to be "written in the style of Jeremiah" (Cheyne); but the resemblance to several Davidical psalms, especially Psalms 22:1, Psalms 25:1, and Psalms 40:1, is admitted; and the expression, "Al Shoshannim," in the "title," connects it also with Psalms 45:1 :Moreover, the "title

THEY THAT HATE ME WITHOUT A CAUSE,.... As the Jews did; see John 15:18; for he did no injury to the persons or properties of men; but went about continually doing good, both to their souls and bodies; so that he merited their highest esteem and love, and not their hatred; and yet they were his implacable enemies; see Luke 19:14; ARE MORE THAN THE HAIRS OF MINE HEAD; they were a multitude that came to take him in the garden; and it was the multitude that the priests and Pharisees instigated to ask for the release of Barabbas, and the crucifixion of Jesus; and a vast number of people followed him to the cross, and insulted him on it; the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together against him; THEY THAT WOULD DESTROY ME; as the Jews sought to do often

We shall read together at this time a part of the 69 th Psalm, and afterwards two passages in the New Testament. Although there is no doubt that this Psalm is intended to describe a very large class of sufferers, but we think it never had its full meaning perfectly carried out, until our blessed Lord and Master suffered at the hands of men. We shall read the Psalm believing that it is full of Christ. It is absolutely certain that we have references here to his advent, his passion, and his resurrection. To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, a Psalm of David. Psalms 69:1. _Save me, O God; for the waters are come into my soul._ The waves have not only teased the bank, but they have dashed over the bulwarks, and there is a flood within, as well as a flood without....

PSALM 69-72 Psalms 69 The Suffering and Rejected Christ _ 1. Hated without a cause (Psalms 69:1)_ 2. Bearing reproach (Psalms 69:7) 3. His own prayer (Psalms 69:13) 4. The retribution (Psalms 69:22) 5. His exaltation and the glory (Psalms 69:29) PSALM 69-72 go together and lead us prophetically from the suffering and rejected Christ to the glory of His kingdom in the Seventy-second Psalm. The Sixty-n

LXIX. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE AND REVENGE. The author was a pious Jew, burning with zeal for the purity of the Temple worship (Psalms 69:9). He was a representative man, so that the reproaches of those that reproached Yahweh fell upon him. If he was defeated, the pious throughout Israel would lose hope. He was in great danger of his life, and that from his fellow-Jews (Psalms 69:8). Maccabean times suit the situation best, though Maccabean origin is incapable of proof. _Cf., e.g.,_ the career of Alcimus (pp. 382, 607) the Hellenised High Priest as related in 1 Maccabees 9, where ho is said to have pulled down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. The Psalmist, when he wrote, was apparently excluded from Temple service, for he is content to offer the sacrifice of praise, confident that such a spiritu