The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 227

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-24.-The saint reliearsing his experience of the great Protector's care. There is no good reason to doubt that this is one of David's psalms. Its forms of expression bear the marks of his pen,1 and the "undesigned coincidences"~ between it and the history of his life are both interesting and striking. The old interpreters supposed the psalm to belong to the time when David fled from Saul into the witderness of Maon ; others attribute it to the time of his deliverance from being shut up in Keilah, with which, indeed, it seems well to agree. While, in some respects, the psalm resemble~ others, yet, in others, it be.s features exclusively its own. Its title, o.ccording to the LXX., is, "For the end, a Psnlm of David, of extreme fenr" (l1<11-rd11,o,s). The Vulgate has pro extasi. Under such emotion, it is not to be wondered nt if the verses bid defiance to all logical order. '!'here is, however, bencnth the surface an order which is full of helpful teaching, by which, when perceived, the beauty of the ps1Llm will st1Lnd revealed, as otherwise it could not have been. 'l'his order we will seok carefully tt.' follow o.nd to expound. I. Goo's BAIN'l'S HAY DE AT TIMES IN EXTREME DISTRESS. The list of troubles here specified is an unusually long one. 1. A net is spread for David (ver. 4). 2. There is a design on his life (ver. 13). 3. Bands of men are conspiring together (ver. 20, Hebrew). 4. His friends forget him (ver. 12). 6. His enemies are guilty of falsehood (vor. 18), reproach (ver. 11), slander (var. 13). 6. Others unfeelingly flee :·rom him (ver. 11). 7. He is in perplexity (ver. 9). 8. His strength fa.Heth, his bones are consumed, because the consciousness of his own sin adds its bitterness to bis woe (ver. 10). 9. His alarm (Hebrew) is so great, that ho rego.rds his case o.s one deserted by God (ver. 22). Here, surely, is a list of woes longer than most men could reckon up. 'l'here a.re few against whom enemies would take so much trouble to plot I But David was in a high position, e.nd therejQ1"e he was a mo.rk to bo shot at I N uto : 1 See Dr. Muelarcn's 'Life of David,' eto., pp. 132, 133. • As pointed out by Mr. Fausset, 'Horm Psalmi<ro,' lccts. ii., v., xii.: eee Gcikit·'~ Honrs with the Bible,' iii. IG4, IG5. 232 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. xxx1.1-..2,1,