The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 46

EXPOSITION. self (Hengstenberg) : • (3) thnt he was PSALM vn. Shimei (2 Sam. xvi. 5-13), represented THE composition or this psalm by David, nuder e. feigned name (Kay). '.rliis last osscrted in the tiile, is genera.Uy o.llowcd. conjecture brings the psalm down to too Internal evidence seems to indicRte for its late a date; the two others arc equally date the earlier portion of David's public possible, o.nd almost equally plousible. If life-tho.t dming which he suifered perso- a preference is to be gi vou to either of them cntion at the hnnds of Saul. There are over the other, w11 should incline to the two considerable difficulties connected with view of Hengatenberg, that Saul ia meant, the tille: (1) the moo.Ding of "Shiggaion and that he is called "Cush," with o.llusion of David;" and (2) the determination of the to his father's name bciug Kish. Such identity of" Cush the Benjamite." "Shig- plays npon words have always found much gaion" is connected by some with the fe.vour in the East. "Shigioneth" of Hab. iii. I, which is com• The psalm has but ono markoil division, monly explained to be a particula.r kind of that between vers. 1-5 ancl vers. 6-17, tune or tunes. But the identity of the two where the term selah occurs. Tho re• words is nncerta.in, and the identity of their mainder ruil.ll on continuously, without any meaning, at e.n interval of nea.rly six cen- marked break. 1urica, is still more open to question. The Ver. 1.-0 Lord my God, in thee do I put tt1eaning of "Shiggaion" ha.a really to be my trust (compare the openings of Pas. yuessed from the context; and the most xi., xxxi., and lxxi.). Whon David is most probable of the conjectures made would seem sorely pressed by persecution nud danger, then is his faith and trust in God most to he, either simply, "a poem of David," or plainly apparent. Save me from e.11 them "a lyrical composition of David "-a mean- that perseonte me, and deliver me. Tho ing which obtains o. certain amount of sup- Revised Ver8ion hns, "from all them that port from the Arabic. With respect to pursue me; " but "pcr,;ccute" is better. "Cush the Benjamite," it has been argued Hcngstcnberg e.nd Kay luwe, "from nll my persecutors." So o.lso French and Skinner. (1) that he was a person, otherwise un- 'fhe persecutors arc such men as the Ziphitea known, who held o. high position among the and others, who encouraged Saul in his courtiers of B"ul (' Speaker's Commentary,' o.ttcmpts to ta.kc David's life (1 So.m. xxvi. vol. iv. p. 183); (2) that he was So.ul him- I, 19). PB, VU, 1-17.j THE BOOK OF, PSALMS. 43