The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 47

curmies" wrongfully." And the enme may hypocrisy. Sha.me h11.th covered my !11.ce. be said of Absalom nnd Ahithophel. Then I have been me.de to feel shame at the I restored thnt whioh I took not away. Dr. chnrges which have been hrougbt against Kay supposes Da.vid's quasi-abdication of me (see 2 Sam. xv. 3; xvi. 7, 8). a. orown which he hnd not placed on his Ver. 8.-1 am becoma e. stranger 11nto my own head (2 Bo.m. xv. 14--17) to be brethren, and an a.lien unto my mother's chil- alluded to. dren. The preference of David over all his Vere. 5-12.-Da.vid follows up liis com- elder brethren was cnlcula.ted to arouse their jealousy (1 Sam. xvi. 6-13); and Eliab's plaint by a. confession of sin (ver. 5), which hostile feeling is distinctly shown in 1 Sam. shows that hi.~ sufferings a.re, at a.ny rate, in xvii. 28. We may gather from Pa. xxxviii., snme measure, deserved; but, nt tho same as well as from the preaent passage, that timo, he pleads tl111t, as his enemies are the alienation continued, and was not con- really persecuting him for his righteous fined to Elia.b. Ver. 9.-For the zeal of thine house bath deeds and hie a.dherence to Goel (vers. 7- eaten me up. David"s"zeal for God's house" 11), God is bound to come to hie aid, in was shown, first, in his establishment of the order that his own honour may be vindi- tabernacle on Mount Zion (2 Sam. vi. 12- cated, and that the godly ma.y not be put 19); next, in bis ea.meat desire to build a. to she.me on his (David's) a.ccouut. permanent and magnificent dwelling for the ark of the covenant (2 Sam. vii. 2; Ps. Yer. 5.-0 God, thou knowcst my foolish- cxxxii. 2-5); then, in his co.reful collec- ness (see Ps. xxxviii. 5). According to the tion of materials for the building which he teaching both of the Old Testament (Pro- was forbiclden to erect himself (1 Chron. verbs, passim) and of the New (1\la.rk vii. 22; xxviii. 11-18; xxix. 2-5); and finally, Rom. i. 21, 22; Gal. iii. 1, etc.), folly is a. in the directions that he left to So lomou form of sin. And my sins are not hid from with respect to it (1 Chron. xxviii. 9, 10, thee. The rebuke of Na.than and the death 20). It was also shown, if we take "house" of his child (2 Sam. xii. 7-19) had fully in a. wider sense, by bis careful government convinced David of this. Thenceforwllrd bis of the land and people, the kingdom and sins were ever before him (Pa. Ii. 3), con- household of God, for forty years. And the tinually confessed by him, and felt to be reproa.ohes of them that reproached thee are as well known to God ea to himself. Com- fa.llen upon me. David may either mean pare the opening of Pa. cxxxix., "Lord, that every reproach uttered against God thou ha.st sea.robed me, and known me. was a.a keenly felt by him as if it had been 'l'hou knowest my downsitting end mine directed age.inst himself, or that, when men uprising, thou understandest my thought reproached him, they really meant to re- afa.r off. Thou compassest my path and my proach God (i.e. religion) in him. lying down, and art acquainted with all Ver. 10.-When I wept, and chastened my ways. For there is not a. word in my my solll with fasting, that was to my re- tongue, but, lo, 0 Lord, thou knoweet it proaoh. David's practice of fasting appears a.ltogether" (vers. 1-4). both here and also in Pss. mv. 13; cix.. 2-l; Ver. 6.-Let not them that wait on thee 2 Kings xii. 16, 22. A.s fasting Wal! not (or, hope in thee), 0 Lord God of hosts, be enjoined by the Law, be might be reproached ashamed for my sake; or, tl&roug1& me (Re- for over-righteousness, and perhaps al.so for vised Version); onmyaccount(Kay)-asthey ostentation, on account of it. would bo if I, although thy faithful wor- Ver. 11.-1 made sa.ckoloth also my gar- shipper, were delivered into my enemies' ment (see Pss. xxx. 12; xxxv. 13); and I hunds. Let not those that seek thee be con- becama a. proverb to them; or, a byword, 11s fo11nded for my sake, 0 God of lsraol. One the same word, mdBhdl, is rendered in Ps. of the many plnces where the second clause xliv. 14. is o. aim pie echo of the first. Ver. 12.-They that sit in the gate speak Ver. 7.-Bacause for thy sake I have borne against me; rather, tulk about me (Revised reproach. The real secret of tho enmity Versiou)-make me their theme (Cheyne). which David provoked, both on the part of The gates, where the chief business was Saul, of Abso.lom, of Joab, o.nd of other done, were no doubt also places of gossip. ungodly men, woe his own piety and devo- And I was the song of the drunkards (comp. tion to God's service. Irreligious men lrnto Job xxx. 9); literally, of the drinkers of those who 11re religious, whose conduct strong dritiTc. shames them by its contrast with their own Vars. 13-21.-The psalmist now betakes evil courses. They revenge themselves, sometimes by scoffing at the religious obaer- himself to earnest prayer-ho has sufficiently vnncos of tho pious (vcr. 10), sometimes by represented his condition, though he still ln~inunting that all profofsion of religion is adds a. few wor,ls respecting it (vers. 19-21 ), 64 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. J,XIX. l-3G.