The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 53

Yer. 1.-In thee, 0 Lord, do I put my nel\r to tlrn natural term of h um,m Ii fe, nnd trust : let me never be put to confusion; alrea<ly felt the infirmities of old ngo 01·ccp- rnlher, ae iu Ps. xxxi. 1, "lot me never ing upou him. This note c>f dato suits hP ashamed;" or, let me net-er be put to better the lime of Adonijah's rebellion thnn ,hrrme (Cheyne). that of Abs'llom's. Forsake me not when Yer. 2.-Delivcr me in thy righteousne11. my strength faileth. An appertl to the Identical with the last clanse of Ps. xxxi. 1, Dirine corupnssion. If God wns his" Rock And cause me to escape. The danger seems andFortress"(ver. 3), his" strong Refuge" to be pressing, and such as chnracterizcd (ver. 7), when he wns in his full vigour, Absalom's rather thau Ado11ijnh's rebellion, much more will he support nnd befriend Incline thino enr unto me, and save me him when ho is weak nnd helpless. (comp. Ps. xxxi 2). Ver.10.-For miuo enemies speak against Yer. 3.-Be thou my stro~g Habitation; me. The psalmist's weakness encourages literally, be thnu to me/or a Rock of habita- his enemies to make their ntta.cks. They tion ; i.e. a rock upon which l may tuke up begin by speald11gagninsthim-cnlumuinting mv abode. Wherennto I may continually him (2 Sam. xv. 3, 4), and shortly they will resort. Exeg-eticn I of the preceding clause, proceed to acts. And they tho.t lay wait for "n rock of habitation." Thou hast given my soul take counsel together; or, "they commandment to save me. It is iu thy tlrnt watch for my soul" (Revised Version). counsels thal I am to be helped aud sa,ed- Ver. 11.-Saying, God hath forsakan him: nol left to the will of my enemies (comp. persecute and take him ; for there is none Ps. lxviii. 2S). This comiction lies at the to deliver him. Compare the words or root of the ps:c1misl's faith and trust. For Ahithophel, " Let me now choose out thou art my Ilock a!!d my Fo:rtress (comp. twelve thousand meu, and I will nrise and Pss. xviii. 2; lxi. 2, 3, etc.). pursue after David this night; 11nd I will Yer. 4.-Deliver me, 0 my God, out of the come upon him while he is weai·y and weak- hand of the wicked, out of the hand (rather, handed; o.nd nil the people that are with grasp) of the =righteous and cruel man. him shall flee; and I will smite the king It is characteristic of David to single out only" (2 Sam. xvii. 1, 2). It no doubt from his ndv~rsaries an individual man, appeared to Ahse.lom's party generally, as from whom he especially asks to be delivered it did to Sl,imei, that Go<l had "forsaken" ( comp. Pss. xiii. 2 ; xvii. 13 : xviii 17, 48 ; David, and turned against him (2 Sam, xxxv. 8; xii. G, 9, 11; Iv. 13, 14, etc.). x,i. 8). Ver. 5.-For thou art my Hope, 0 Lord Ver. 12.-0 God, be not far from me: 0 God (comp. Ps. xxxi.x. 7; Jer. xiv. 8; xvii. my God, make haste for my help (comp. Pss. 13; I. 7). Thon nrt my Trust from my xxii. 19; XXXV. 22). youth (comp. Ps. xl. 4). Ver. 13.-Let them be confounded and Ver. G.-By thee have I been holdan up consumed that are adversaries to my soul; from the womb : thou art he that took me let them be covered with reproach and dis- out of my mother's bowels (comp. Ps. xxii. honour that seek my hurt (comp. Pss. xxxv, 9, 10, of which this is plainly an echo or 4: xl 14 ; lxx. 2). reminiscence). :My praisa shall be co:.i.- Vers.14-24.-Regard.ing his praye1·e as tinually of thee (see vers. 14--16, 22--24). heard, and their fulfilment as certain, fue Ver. 7.-1 am as a wonder unto many; or as a portent, a prodigy-wmc:thing psalmist now betakes himself to praise and m~nstrous. Some explain, "ns an object thanksgiving, He will never cease to hope; of God's singular favour from his youth" he will praise God more and more (ver. 14). (Kay, Cheyne); others, "as ~ marvellous He will spend the whole day in telling of example of God's punishments (SchuHens, God's righteou,mcss and snlvatiou (ver. 15). Hen~stenberg, Professor .Alexander, Canon Cook). The latter explanation is supported The mighty acts or the Lord shall form his by Deut. x1viii. 46, nnd, ou the whole, theme, together with the righteousness of seems preferable. But thou art my Etrong God, and of none other (ver. 16). As God Jl.efuge (see above, ver. 3, ad fin.). has enabled him to declare his praise in the Ver. 8.-Let my mouth be filled with thy past (vcr. 17), so he !rusts to be still up- praise o.nd with thy _honour all ~he day. Pro.i.se al terne.tes with complarnt and held and enuLled to proclaim tht1 eame to prayer, even in this first portion of. tbe the new generation (ver. 18). God's right- psalm, preparing the way fo1· the susta1ned eousness is "very high," o.nd there is none praise of the second port10n. like hiw (ver. 19), When he brings men Ver. 9.-Cast me not off in the time of into trouble, it is only to "turn again and old age. This expression, combined with tl,e allusion to old age and grey !,airs in comfort them" (vers. 20, 21). Inconolusion, ·n,r. 18, indicates thnt the writer wns drawing the writer promises tha.t his hymns of praise re. LXXI. 1-24.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 61