The psalmist prays against A. M. 2946. 1 B. C. 1058. 11 So that a man shall say, Verily || verily he is a God that "judgeth in the A. M. 2946. there is a reward for the righteous: earth. 1 Psa. xcii. 15. - Heb. fruit of the, &c., Isaiah iii. 10. that he might, if he pleased, wash his feet in their blood. It is an allusion to a great conqueror, who, upon "returning with a complete victory from the slaughter of his enemies, dips his feet in their blood as he passes over their carcasses."-Bishop Patrick. m Psalm lxvii. 4; xcvi. 13; xcviii. 9. be sensible thereof, but any man that sees them; yea, even such as were apt to doubt of God's providence shall, upon this eminent occasion, be ready to exclaim, Now I see that religion is not a vain and unprofitable thing, and that there is a God who at present observes and governs, and, when he sees fit, Verse 11. So that a man shall say, &c.—These judges the inhabitants of the earth; and will hereadministrations of Divine Providence shall be so after judge the whole world in righteousness, and evident and convincing, that not only good men shall || recompense every man according to his works. PSALM LIX. The title," says Bishop Patrick, "sufficiently informs us of the occasion of this Psalm, wherein David expresses what his thoughts and feelings were when Saul sent officers to watch his house all night, and to slay him when he should come out of his doors in the morning." See 1 Sam. xix. 11-18. He prays to God to be delivered from the power of his cruel enemies, whose indefatigable malice he describes, 1-7. Predicts his own enlargement, through the tender mercy and mighty power of God, 8, 9. Also the singular vengeance to be poured upon his enemies, for their punishment and the admonition of others, 11-15. Of which he gives God the glory, 16, 17. To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of || mighty are gathered against me; A. M. 2946. David; when Saul sent, and they watched the not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. house to kill him. 1 a 2 A. M. 2946. DELIVER me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me B. C. 1058. from them that rise up against me. B. C. 1058. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen : be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. and save me from bloody men. 3 For lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the Selah. 1O1, Destroy not, A golden Psalm of David.- -2 Psa. lvii. title. 31 Sam. xix. 11. Psalm xviii. 48. NOTES ON PSALM LIX. Verse 1. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God-Thou art God, and canst deliver me; my God, under whose protection I have put myself; and thou hast promised me to be a God all-sufficient, and therefore in honour and faithfulness thou wilt deliver me. He chiefly means Saul by his enemies; but speaks in the plural number, out of reverence to his king, and that he might, as far as he could with truth, lay the blame of these odious practices on those that were about him. Heb. set me on high. Psa. lvi. 6. 1 Sam. xxiv. 11. d Psalm xxxv. 23; xliv. 23.- Heb. to meet me. could, in the most private retirement, and upon the most serious and deliberate reflection, thus solemnly appeal to God, that he was not chargeable with the least perfidy, wickedness, or crime, which could excite the hatred of his enemies, and give occasion to Saul to pursue him with such eagerness and malice, to his destruction. Verse 4. They run—' -To and fro, first to receive Saul's commands, and then to execute them with all diligence; and prepare themselves-With the utmost speed and fury, to do me a mischief; or, Verse 3. They lie in wait for my soul-For my they dispose themselves, as ']', jeconanu, may be life, to take it away. The mighty are gathered properly rendered. They place themselves here and against me-They are all mighty, men of honour there about my house, that they may catch me when and estates, and interest in the court and country. I go out of it. Awake to my help-Hebrew, np, They are in a confederacy, united by a league; and likraati, to meet me, as I come abroad, and to conactually gathered together against me; combined duct me away with safety. And behold-With an both in consultation and action. Not for my trans-eye of pity; take cognizance of my case, and exert gression, nor for my sin--Without any provocation thy power for my relief. or cause given by me. I am a sinner before thee, O Lord, but I have done them no injury. It was a noble vindication of David's innocence, in that he Verse 5. O Lord, &c., the God of Israel-In covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou promisest to protect and bless. Awake to visit all the heathen The psalmist describes the A. M. 2946. 1 B. C. 1058. 6 They return at evening; they || 10 The God of my mercy shall pre- A. M. 2946. 6. make a noise like a dog, and go round vent me: God shall let me see my about the city. desire upon mine enemies. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: f swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? 8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. strength will I wait upon my defence. 9 Because of his thee for God is • Verse 14. Psa. lvii. 4; Prov. xii. 18.- - Psa. x. 11, 13; lxiv. 5; lxxiii. 11; xciv. 7.- h1 Sam. xix. 16; Psalm ii. 4. i Verse 17; Psa. lxii. 2. - Heb. my high place. -Or, these heathen, who, though they are Israelites || by birth, yet in truth, and in their dispositions and manners, are mere heathen. Be not merciful-Hebrew, jn, al tachon, Thou wilt not be merciful, that is, Thou canst not with honour, nor according to thy word, be merciful, to any wicked transgressors-Hebrew, 12, cal bogedee aven, perfidious transgressors, or, more literally, prevaricators of wickedness; that is, such as are guilty of great treachery and perfidiousness, meaning such as, with pretences of friendship, persecuted him and other good men, out of malice, and against their own consciences. But neither can God, in consistency with the perfections of his nature, and the truths of his word, show mercy to any incorrigible offenders. 11 m Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O LORD our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. k Psa. xxi. 3. Psa. liv. 7; xcii. 11; cxii. 8.7 Heb. mine observers, Psa. lvi. 2.- So Gen. iv. 12, 15.- Prov. xii. 13; xviii. 7. rah, I will observe, or look, to thee. "Saul's soldiers give me no concern; mine eyes are toward thee;" for God is my defence-Hebrew, ', mishgabbi, my high place, my refuge. Verse 10. The God of my mercy-The giver of all that mercy and comfort which I have or hope for; shall prevent me-With the blessings of his goodness, Psa. xxi. 3. Thou shalt help me seasonably, before it be too late, and sooner than I expect. God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemiesNamely, in their disappointment and overthrow, as it follows; which was very desirable to David, no less for the public good than for his own safety and happiness. Dr. Waterland renders the clause, God shall make me look upon mine enemies. "The word rendered enemies," ", shorerai, "properly signifies insidious men, who craftily observed and lay in wait for him. David says, God will cause me to see them, or, see among them; that is, to discover their plots and contrivances to ruin me, that they may not prove fatal to me; or to see them fall by the destruction which they intend me." Verses 6, 7. They return at evening-Saul sent once to destroy him, and the messengers went back to inform him that he was ill; but they returned in the evening to bring him even in his bed. They || make a noise like a dog-The Hebrew 15, jehemu, signifies the confused hum and noise of an assembled crowd. The psalmist here compares the muttered threats of his enemies to the growlings or snarlings of a dog, ready to bite and tear any person; and the comparison is just and natural."-Dodd. And go round about the city-When they did not find him in his own house, they sought for him in other parts of the city. They belch out with their mouths-Hebrew, y, jabignun, they pour forth, namely, words, even sharp and bitter words, as the next clause explains it, such as threatenings, calumnies, and imprecations, and that abundantly and vehemently, as a fountain doth waters, as the word signifies. Swords are in their lips-Their expressions are as keen and mischievous as swords; their threats and reproaches are cruel and deadly. For who, they say, doth hear?-David doth not hear us, and God either does not hear, or not regard what we say. They vented their calumnies more freely and danger-expressed verse 15,) that they may carry the tokens ously, because privately; so that none could refute them. Verses 8, 9. But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them--Shalt disappoint their high confidence and hopeful designs, and then deride them, and make them ridiculous and contemptible to others. Because of his strength-That is, Saul's strength, because he is too strong for me: or, as to his strength; will I wait on thee-Hebrew, Th, eeleicha eshmo-|| Verse 11. Slay them not-Hebrew, un be, al tahargeem, Thou wilt not slay them, namely, suddenly, or at once; lest my people-My countrymen, those over whom thou hast appointed me to be governor in due time; forget-Their former danger, thy glorious mercy in delivering them, and their own duty to thee for it. Hereby it plainly appears that David, in his prayers against, and predictions concerning his enemies, was not moved by private malice or desire of revenge, but by the respect which he had to God's honour, and the general good of his people. Scatter them by thy power-yn, hanigneemo, Make them to wander. As they have wandered about the city and country to do me mischief, so let their punishment be agreeable to their sin; let them wander from place to place for meat, (as it is of thy justice, and their own shame, to all places where they come. And bring them down-From that power and dignity in which thou hadst set them, which they so wickedly abused; and from the height of their carnal hopes of success against me. Verse 12. For the sin of their mouth, &c.-For their ungodly, injurious, and pernicious speeches, of which he spoke verse 7. Let them even be takenHebrew, 175, vejillachedu, they shall be taken as The psalmist complains PSALM LX. 9 of defeat by his enemies. A. M. 2946. 13 0 Consume them in wrath, con- || meat, and grudge if they be not sa- A. M. 2946. B. C. 1058. sume them, that they may not be: tisfied. and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. in a snare, namely, in order to their ruin; in their pride-For their proud and insolent speeches against thee; and for cursing and lying-For their execrations, and lying reports, which they have raised or spread abroad; which they speak-Which they are ready to utter upon all occasions. Verse 13. Consume them in wrath-By degrees, and after thou hast made them to wander about, verse 11. That they may not be─Namely, any more in the land of the living; and let them know-Experimentally, and to their cost; that God ruleth— Over and above them; that though Saul be king, yet God is his superior in power and authority, and all things shall be ordered among us, not as Saul pleases, but as God pleases; and therefore I shall be preserved, and at the proper time crowned, in spite of all that Saul or his forces can do against me. In Jacob unto the ends of the earth-In the land, and over the people of Israel, whose king and governor he is in a peculiar manner, and throughout the world. The sense is, that by those eminent and extraordinary discoveries of thy power, wisdom, and justice, it may be evident, both to them, and to all that hear B. C. 1058. 16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: *for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. || Or, if they be not satisfied, then they will stay all night.- - Psa. xviii. 1. Verses 9, 10. of it, that thou art no inferior or local deity, like the gods of the heathen, but the high and mighty Jehovah, the Creator, Upholder, Governor, and Judge of the whole world, Verses 14, 15. And at evening let them return, &c. -This is a repetition of the sixth verse, but is to be understood in a different sense. The sixth verse is a real complaint of their fury and diligence in pursuing him; here he speaks of them with a kind of indifference and contempt; and as free from any apprehension of danger from them. "Let them, if they || please, return in the evening, growl at me like dogs, and watch all the avenues of the city, to take me; yet, like greedy dogs, they shall want their food, and wander about, as those shivering for hunger; for they shall not be satisfied, but murmur on account of their disappointment." The Hebrew verbs of these verses are in the future tense, and ought to have been rendered, "They shall return, &c. They shall make a noise, and go round about the city. They shall wander about, shivering for hunger, and, because not satisfied, they shall murmur.”—Chandler and Houbigant. PSALM LX. This Psalm is supposed to have been written by David, after the tribes of Israel had submitted to his sceptre, and he was settled in the throne, upon occasion of an illustrious victory, with which God had blessed his forces, over the Syrians and Edomites. See 2 Sam. chap. v. and viii. He was then in the zenith of his prosperity, and the affairs of his kingdom seem to have been in a better state than ever they were either before or after. He describes what Israel had lately suffered from foreign enemies and domestic feuds, while God had been contending with them, 1-3. Notices the happy turn God had given to their affairs, and prays for deliverance from all their enemies, 4, 5. Triumphs in hope of being victorious over them all, and of subduing and adding to his empire Edom, Moab, and Philistia, 6-8. In order to which he prays for the divine aid, and declares that his trust was in the mighty power of God, and not in the arm of flesh, 9-12. 4 B. C. 1040. To the chief Musician 'upon Shushan-eduth, [[ hast been displeased; O turn thyself A. M. 2964. * Michtam of David, to teach; 3 when he strove to us again. with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of Salt twelve thousand. A. M. 2964. B. C. 1040. GOD, thou hast cast us off, 1 Psa. lxxx. title. Or, a golden Psalm.- -32 Sam. viii. 3, NOTES ON PSALM LX. Title. Upon Shushan-eduth-This seems to have been the name of a musical instrument, hymn, or tune, then well known, but now quite unknown. Dr. 2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. 3 Thou hast showed thy people hard things: b 2 Chron. vii. 14.- Psa. lxxi. 20. Waterland and Houbigant render the words, Upon the hexachord of the testimony. Others render them, Upon the lily of the testimony, or oracle: but why it was so called is a matter of mere conjecture, and The psalmist prays PSALM LX. for deliverance. A. M. 2964. thou hast made us to drink the 5 That thy beloved may be delivered; A. M. 2964. d wine of astonishment. save with thy right hand, and hear me. B. C. 1040. B. C. 1040. 6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide i Shechem, and mete out *the valley of Succoth. Psa. lxxxix. 35.—— Josh. i. 6.- i Gen. xii. 6.- Joshua us again-Be at peace with us; smile upon and take part with us, and we shall again have prosper of small importance to us. Michtam of David, to teach-Namely, in an eminent manner; or, for the special instruction of God's church and people, inity. some points of great moment; as concerning the Verses 2, 3. Thou hast made the earth to tremble grievous calamities to which God's church and peo---A poetical expression, signifying great and dreadple were obnoxious, (verses 1-3,) and the certainty ful changes among the people. Heal the breaches of God's promises, and of their deliverance out of thereof-Reconcile all those differences which our them, upon condition of their faith and obedience. civil wars have made among us. Thou hast showed Which doctrines were of great moment, especially to thy people hard things-Thou hast made us feel the Israelites, who were, and were likely to be, ex- what it is to offend thee, by inflicting grievous punercised in the same manner, and with the same vari- ishments upon us; thou hast made us drink the ety and vicissitudes of condition, under which their wine of astonishment-Thou hast fulfilled the words ancestors had been. When he strove with Aram-na- of thy servant Moses, Deut. xxviii. 34, for we have haraim―That is, Syria of the rivers; or, that part been like men bereft of the use of their reason by of it which is called Mesopotamia, as lying between some intoxicating portion, and have madly destroyed the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The Syrians, one another. both here and in other places, were called Aram, because they were the descendants of Aram, the son of Shem, Gen. x. 22. Aram-zobah is that part of Syria which was called Zobah, 2 Sam. viii. 5. As David's victory over Idumea was different from that over the Syrians, the next clause should be rendered literally, And Joab returned, &c. This conquest of Joab's is to be looked upon as distinct from that of Abishai, mentioned 2 Sam. viii. 13; 1 Chron. xviii. 12. After Abishai had slain eighteen thousand of the Idumeans, Joab fell upon them again; and, as the title of this Psalm particularly informs us, smote in the same place twelve thousand more, and afterward destroyed them entirely. See 1 Kings xi. 15, 16. The valley of Salt is in Idumea, near the Dead sea. Verse 1. O God, thou hast cast us off-So highly had our sins provoked thy divine majesty, that thou didst reject or forsake us, so as to withdraw thy gracious and powerful presence from us, and no longer to go forth with our armies. Thus the Psalm begins with a melancholy memorial of the many disgraces and disappointments with which God had, for some years past, chastised the people. For, during the reign of Saul, especially in the latter part of it, and during David's struggle with the house of Saul, while he reigned over Judah only, the affairs of the kingdom were much perplexed, and the neighbouring nations were very vexatious to them. Thou hast scattered us-Hebrew, 117, peratztanu, thou hast broken us; partly by that dreadful overthrow by the Philistines, 1 Sam. xxxi., and partly by the civil war in our own country between Judah and Israel. Thou hast been displeased—And thy displeasure, caused by our sins, has been the source of all our sufferings. Whatever our trouble may be, and whoever may be the instruments of it, we must own he righteous hand of God in it. O turn thyself to Verses 4, 5. Thou hast given a banner, &c.-But now thou hast granted the desires of those that devoutly worship and serve thee, and given an ensign to which all the tribes may repair. David, says Dr. Delaney, was the only centre of union which that people ever had, and God now made him their captain and ruler to manifest the truth of those promises which had been made to him long before. But the banner here is not only to be considered as a sign and instrument of their union, intimating that they, who were lately divided under several banners, should now be gathered together and united under one; but also of battle and war. As if he had said, Thou hast given us an army and power to oppose our enemies: we have our banner to set against theirs. Though the Philistines and other nations have long been too hard for us, by reason of our divisions, yet now thou hast united us under one government, that the people may unanimously fight against their enemies. To them that fear thee—Or, for, or on behalf of, them that fear thee; an emphatical passage, implying that God gave this great blessing to the people of Israel for the sake of those few sincere Israelites, who were among them. That it may be displayed because of the truth-Not for any merit of ours, but to show thy faithfulness in making good thy promises. That thy beloved may be delivered, &c.-That by thy mighty power accompanying my arms, I may be an instrument of delivering thy beloved people from those that have oppressed them; save with thy right hand-With thine own power, and with such instruments as thou art pleased to make use of. Observe, reader, they that fear God are his beloved; they are dear to him as the apple of his eye: they are often in distress, but they shall be delivered, for God's own right hand shall save them. Verse 6. God hath spoken, &c.-Having prayed 2 The psalmist's strong B. C. 1040. B. C. 1040. A. M. 2964. 7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is || 10 Wilt not thou, O God, which A. M. 2964. mine; 'Ephraim also is the strength a hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, of my head; m Judah is my lawgiver; which didst not go out with our armies? 8 Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will 11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou help of man. because of me. 6 S 12 Through God we shall do valiantly: 9 Who will bring me into the strong city? for he it is that shall "tread down our enewho will lead me into Edom? 1 Deut. xxxiii. 17. —m Gen. xlix. 10. 2 Samuel viii. 2. Psa. cviii. 9; 2 Sam. viii. 14.-P2 Sam. viii. 1.- 5 Or, triumph thou over me, by an irony; Psa. cviii. 10.- - Heb.city of mies. like slaves. I will, as it were, trample upon them; a proverbial expression. Philistia, triumph thou because of me--Or, over me, as in former years thou didst use to triumph and insult over the poor Israelites. It is an ironical expression, signifying that her triumphs were to come to an end. Bishop Patrick gives a different interpretation to this clause, thus: "The Philistines likewise, whom I have begun to smite, shall add to my triumphs, and be forced to meet me as their conquering Lord." that God would hear and save him, he now intimates that God had done it already, had prevented his prayers, and had spoken to him, and of him, about the establishing of his throne; in his holiness-Or, rather, by his holiness, as this very expression, wp, bekodsho, is rendered, Psa. lxxxix. 35. Which carries the form of an oath, and implies, that God did || not simply speak, but swore by his holiness, as is there expressed. I will rejoice-Therefore I will || turn my prayers into praises, for what God has already done; and, as I am assured, will further do on Verses 9, 10. Who will bring me into the strong my behalf. I will divide Shechem--Namely, as a city, &c.-As if he had said, These are difficult things portion or inheritance, as nphs, achallekah, pro-|| indeed; and I may well ask, when I consider how perly signifies. I will exercise dominion over, and potent these nations are, By what power shall I endistribute it to be possessed as I see good. Shechem ter that strongly fenced city? (or, cities rather, the was a place within Jordan in mount Ephraim. And singular number being put for the plural.) Who is it mete out the valley of Succoth--A place without || that will conduct me into Idumea, and make me Jordan. He mentions Shechem and Succoth for master of it? None can do it but God. Having all the land of Canaan within and without Jordan, beaten his enemies out of the field, he desires God's which, having been formerly divided between him || assistance to take their strong holds, and so secure and Ish-bosheth, was now entirely in his posses- himself from further attempts. Edom was a high sion. Some, however, think that the expression is and rocky country, Obad. verse 3, fortified by naproverbial, and only means, I will divide the spoils ture, as well as by art, and therefore not to be subof my enemies with as much ease as the sons of Ja- dued without a divine hand. Wilt not thou, &c., who cob portioned out Shechem, and measured out for didst not go out with our armies-Namely, in formtheir tents the valley of Succoth. er times; but now hast graciously returned to us. He brings to his own mind, and to the minds of the people, their former calamities, that they might be more thankful for present mercies and deliverances. Verse 7. Gilead is mine-All the land beyond Jordan, which was possessed by Reuben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh. And Manasseh is mine-The other half of that tribe within Jordan. Ephraim is the strength, &c.—A chief part of my strength, either to offend mine enemies, or to defend myself. For this tribe was very numerous, and valiant, and rich. Judah is my lawgiver--The chief seat of my throne and kingdom, and of the inferior throne of judgment, Psa. cxxii. 5. The tribe to which the royal sceptre and lawgiver were appropriated by divine appointment, Gen. xlix. 10. Thus he exultingly surveys his strength, Gilead and Manasseh comprehending the whole country beyond Jordan, as did Ephraim and Judah that on this side of it. Verse 8. Moab is my wash-pot---The wash-pot being a mean article of household stuff, for the use of the feet, (as the Syriac interprets it,) the lowest part of the body, it is a fit title for the Moabites, whom David intended to bring into the lowest degree of servitude, and to render contemptible, 2 Sam. viii. 2. Over Edom-An old, proud, insolent, and cruel enemy of Israel; will I cast my shoe-I will use them Verses 11, 12. Give us help from trouble-Do not frustrate these hopes, but afford us thy help against the Syrians also 2 Sam. viii. 5, who now distress us; for vain is the help of man--No human force is able to deliver us; nor have we any confidence in it, but in thee alone. Observe well, reader, then only are we qualified to receive help from God, when we are brought to own the insufficiency of all creatures to do that for us which we expect him to do. Through God we shall do valiantly--Through his help we shall behave ourselves courageously, and do valiant acts; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies -And not we ourselves. Though we do ever so valiantly, the success must be attributed entirely to him. All our victories, as well as our valour, are from him, and therefore at his feet all our crowns must be laid. Observe again, reader, as it is only through God, and by the influence of his grace, that we can, at any time, do valiantly; as it is he that puts strength into us, and inspires us, who of ourselves are weak and timorous, with true courage and |