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Psalm Fifty-five
New King James Version (NKJV)
YLT
To
the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction
by David.
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 55
To the chief Musician on Neginoth
Maschil cf15I A Psalm of David. The
occasion of this psalm was either the persecution of Saul
or the conspiracy of
Absalom. Some think it was written when David understood that the inhabitants
of Keilah would deliver him into the hands of Saul
1 Samuel 23:12; and
others when the Ziphites attempted a second time to do the same
1 Samuel 26:1; but
since a single person is spoken of that magnified himself against him
Psalm 55:12; and
Ahithophel seems to be designed; it may be thought rather to be written on
account of Absalom's rebellion
and Ahithophel's counsel against him; who is
considered by many Christian interpreters as a type of Judas
the betrayer of
our Lord; and
indeed
there are many things in this psalm
if not the whole
which may be truly applied to Christ
as will be seen in the following
exposition of it.
Psalm 55:1 Give
ear to my prayer
O God
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
YLT
1Give ear
O God
[to] my
prayer
And hide not from my supplication.
Give ear to my prayer
O God
.... Which was for that
which is just and right
and equitable to be given
as the wordF14תפלתי "orationem meam"
i.e. "secundum
judicium"; so Arana. used signifies; being promised in the covenant of
grace
ratified and confirmed by the blood of Christ
Not only David was a man
much given to prayer
as well as was the sweet psalmist of Israel; but the
Messiah
as man
was much and often engaged in this work
in the days of his
flesh
Luke 6:12;
and hide not thyself from my supplication; made for
mercies and blessings
which spring from the free grace and goodness of God
which is the sense of the wordF15תחנתי
"my supplication for grace"
Ainsworth. here used; and such are all
mercies
whether temporal or spiritual; for none are merited by men: and from
his supplication for such things the psalmist desires
that as he would not be
as one deaf to him
so that he would not hide his eyes
or refuse to look upon
him
and deny his
requests; see Isaiah 1:15.
Psalm 55:2 2 Attend to me
and hear me;
I am restless in my complaint
and moan noisily
YLT
2Attend to me
and answer
me
I mourn in my meditation
and make a noise
Attend unto me
and hear me
.... So as to answer
and
that immediately and directly
his case requiring present help;
I mourn in my complaint; or "in my
meditation"F16בשיחי "in
meditatione mea"
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis; so Ainsworth. ; solitary thoughts
and melancholy views of
things. Saints have their complaints
on account of their sins and corruptions
their barrenness and unfruitfulness
and the decay of vital religion in them;
and because of the low estate of Zion
the declining state of the interest of
Christ
and the little success of his Gospel; and they mourn
in these
complaints
over their own sins
and the sins of others
professors and
profane
and under afflictions temporal and spiritual
both their own and the
church's. Christ also
in the days of his flesh
had his complaints of the
perverseness and faithlessness of the generation of men among whom he lived; of
the frowardness
pride and contentions of his disciples; of the reproaches
insult
and injuries of his enemies; and of the dereliction of his God and
Father; and he often mourned on account of one or other of these things
being a
man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs;
and make a noise; not only with sighs and groans
but in so
loud a manner as to be called roaring; see Psalm 22:1.
Psalm 55:3 3 Because of the voice of
the enemy
Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble
upon me
And in wrath they hate me.
YLT
3Because of the voice of an
enemy
Because of the oppression of the wicked
For they cause sorrow to move
against me
And in anger they hate me.
Because of the voice of the enemy
.... Of Absalom
as
Arama; or of Ahithophel
who gave out he would smite the king only
2 Samuel 17:2; and
so of any spiritual enemy
as sin
Satan
and the world
when they threaten
dominion and tyranny; and of the Scribes and Pharisees reproaching Christ
as
being a Samaritan
and having a devil
and doing his miracles by his assistance;
menacing
insulting
and triumphing over him
when on the cross;
because of the oppression of the wicked; of Absalom or
Ahithophel
as Arama; who conspired against David
and obliged him to quit his
palace
and the city of Jerusalem; and is applicable to the troubles which
surround the people of God
from every quarter
by wicked men
and to our
Lord's being enclosed by them at the time of his Crucifixion
Psalm 22:12;
for they cast iniquity upon me; laid things to his
charge he knew not: so wicked men falsely accuse the good conversation of the
saints; and so the Jews imputed crimes to Christ he was innocent of; as
immorality
sedition
blasphemy
&c.
and in wrath they hate me; as they do all the
people of God
because chosen and called
and separated from them: and so they
did Christ
and with a mortal hatred
though without a cause.
Psalm 55:4 4 My heart is severely
pained within me
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
YLT
4My heart is pained within
me
And terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart is sore pained within me
.... At the civil war in
his kingdom; at the battle likely to ensue between his forces and Absalom's
and at the issue of it; see Jeremiah 4:19; this
was true of Christ in the garden
when his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto
death
and he was in pain
as a woman in travail
as the wordF17תכסני "operuit me"
Pagninus
Montanus
Gejerus
Michaelis; "operit"
Cocceius; "obtegit"
Junius &
Tremellius; "obtexit"
Piscator; so Ainsworth. here used signifies;
and on the cross
when his heart
like wax
melted in the midst of his bowels;
and the terrors of death are fallen upon me; see 2 Samuel 15:14;
thus it was with the human nature of Christ
when he desired
if possible
the
cup might pass from him.
Psalm 55:5 5 Fearfulness and trembling
have come upon me
And horror has overwhelmed me.
YLT
5Fear and trembling come in
to me
And horror doth cover me.
Verse 5
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me
.... Fear and
dread of mind
and trembling of body;
and horror hath overwhelmed me; or "covered
me"; he was in the utmost consternation and surprise at what he
apprehended would be the issue of things; so Christ in the garden is said to be
"sore amazed"
Mark 14:33; all
which terror
fearfulness
trembling
and horror
arose from a sense of sin
imputed to him
even of all the sins of his people
the faith of which must be
nauseous to him
and the guilt thereof pressing upon him; and from a feeling of
the wrath of God
and the curse of the law
which he endured in the room and
stead of his people; and this shows the truth of his human nature
and the
weakness and insufficiency of that
without his divine nature
to have
performed the great work of redemption; also the evil of sin
the exceeding
sinfulness of it
and the strictness of divine justice; and likewise the
wonderful love of Christ in becoming a surety for his people
and what ease and
pleasure they may take; all the pain
the trembling
and horror
were his
and
all the joy is theirs.
Psalm 55:6 6 So I said
“Oh
that I had
wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
YLT
6And I say
`Who doth give
to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest
And I said
oh that I had wings like a dove
.... The
psalmist pitches upon this creature
partly to suggest that his enemies
pursuing him were like the ravenous hawk
and he like the harmless
innocent
and trembling dove; and partly because of its swiftness in flying. Aben Ezra
thinks the dove is mentioned
because it is sociable with men
and who send
letters by them for quick dispatch
of which instances may be givenF18Vid.
Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 9. c. 2. . This wish is expressed suitably to his character
and case. The church is sometimes compared to a dove for its innocence
modesty
chastity
purity
affection
inconsolableness for the loss of its
mate
and for its fearfulness
Song of Solomon 2:14;
and so is Christ
Song of Solomon 5:12;
who was typified by Jonah
whose name signifies a dove; and on whom the Spirit
of God descended as a dove
at his baptism
and by whom he was filled with his
dovelike graces;
for then would I fly
away; so David desired to flee
and did flee with good speed and haste
from Absalom his son
2 Samuel 15:14
title. Arama observes of the dove
that
when weary with flying with one wing
it rests that
and flies with the other
and so has strength to fly continually
without stopping
which he supposes to be the reason why the wing of a dove is
desired. So every sensible sinner desires to flee from sin and sinners
and
from wrath to come; from avenging justice
to Christ the city of refuge; so
Christ
under the terrors of death
in his human nature
in a view of the law's
curse and wrath
desired the cup might pass from him
and he might flee and
escape death
though with submission to the divine will;
and be at rest; safe and secure from the conspirators
as
David was; and as a sinner is that has fled to Christ; in whom is rest from the
burden and guilt of sin
from the wrath
curse
and condemnation of the law
and under all afflictions
whether of body or mind; and not in the world
and
worldly enjoyments; nor in the law
and the works of it: and as Christ is; not
by escaping death
but through dying
and having done his work has ceased from
it
and is entered into his rest; which was the joy set before him
that
animated him as man to endure the cross
and despise the shame; here also true
believers
weary of the world
desire to be
enjoying that rest which remains
for the people of God.
Psalm 55:7 7 Indeed
I would wander far
off
And remain in the wilderness. Selah
YLT
7Lo
I move far off
I lodge
in a wilderness. Selah.
Lo
then would I wander far off
and remain in the
wilderness
.... So David did when he fled from Absalom
2 Samuel 15:23; so
gracious souls desire to be; not in the wilderness of the people; but to be
solitary as in a wilderness
clear of the company of wicked men
as Jeremiah
wished for
Jeremiah 9:2; and
that they might be more at leisure for and given up unto spiritual devotion
and be secure from their enemies: and as this may be applied to Christ
it
shows the wickedness
cruelty
and barbarity of the men of that generation
among whom he lived; that he chose rather to be in the wilderness
among wild
beasts
than to dwell among them
Matthew 17:17; some
apply this to the state of the primitive church under Jewish persecution
when
it fled from Judea
and settled in the wilderness of the Gentiles; the
preachers of the word being scattered abroad by the windy storm and tempest of
persecution
and the Gospel taken from the Jews
and carried to a nation bringing
forth the fruit of it
where it has remained ever since. With this may be
compared the state of the church under Rome Pagan
in Revelation 12:6.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 55:8 8 I would hasten my escape From
the windy storm and tempest.”
YLT
8I hasten escape for myself
From a rushing wind
from a whirlwind.
I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. Of an army of
rebellious subjects
bearing down all before them
and threatening with utter
ruin and destruction; so a powerful army of enemies invading a country is
signified by a storm and tempest
Isaiah 28:2; and
may be expressive of the storm and tempest of divine wrath and vengeance the
sensible sinner hastens his escape from by fleeing to Christ; and of the
blowing and furious winds of persecution
which the church
Christ's dove
flees from
by getting into the clefts of the rock
and the secret places of
the stairs
Song of Solomon 2:14;
and of the storms of divine wrath and justice that fell upon Christ as the
surety of his people; from which the human nature
seized with fearfulness
trembling
and horror
desired an hasty escape.
Psalm 55:9 9 Destroy
O Lord
and
divide their tongues
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
YLT
9Swallow up
O Lord
divide
their tongue
For I saw violence and strife in a city.
Destroy
O Lord
.... Or "swallow up"F19בלע "degluti"
Montanus
Tigurine version;
"absorbe"
Piscator
Gejerus
Michaelis; so Ainsworth.
as Pharaoh
and his host were swallowed up in the Red sea; or as Korah
Dathan
and Abiram
were swallowed up in the earth; so all the enemies of Christ and his church
will be destroyed; and death
the last of them
will be swallowed up in
victory
Isaiah 25:8. The
Targum interprets it
"destroy"
or "scatter their counsel":
but this seems to be intended in the next clause;
and divide their tongues: as at the
confusion of languages at Babel
to which the allusion is: this had its
accomplishment in Absalom's counsellors according to David's wish
2 Samuel 15:31; and
in the Jewish sanhedrim in Christ's time
and in the witnesses they produced
against him
Luke 23:51; and of
which there is an instance in the council of the Jews
held on account of the
Apostle Paul
Acts 23:7;
for I have seen violence and strife in the city: in the city
of Jerusalem
now left by David
and possessed by Absalom
by whom
"violence" was done to David's wives
through the advice of
Ahithophel; and "strife"
contention
and rebellion
were fomented
among the people: this David saw
understood
and perceived
by the
intelligence brought him from time to time: and in the times of Christ the
kingdom of heaven suffered "violence" in this place
and he endured
the "contradiction" of sinners against himself.
Psalm 55:10 10 Day and night they go
around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of
it.
YLT
10By day and by night they go
round it
on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst
Day and night they go about it
upon the walls thereof
.... That is
"violence" and "strife" go about the walls of it
continually; men of violence and contention are the only watchmen of it: a city
must be sadly guarded that has no better watch than this;
mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it; it was full
of wickedness within and without; the city
as Aben Ezra observes
was like a
circle; violence and strife were as a line round about it
and mischief and
sorrow the centre of it: and these two commonly go together; where mischief is
sorrow follows.
Psalm 55:11 11 Destruction is in
its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.
YLT
11Mischiefs [are] in its
midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.
Wickedness is in the midst thereof
.... All
manner of wickedness; abominable wickedness; wickedness as arrived to its
highest pitch
and as having filled up its measure; see Ezekiel 9:4;
deceit and guile depart not from her streets; where truth
was fallen
and equity could not enter
Isaiah 59:14; for
these are contrary the one to the other
and are incompatible; where the one
prevails
the other must give way. This whole account shows the aboundings of
sin in Jerusalem at this time
and that it was openly and publicly committed
and contains so many reasons of the imprecations in Psalm 55:9.
Psalm 55:12 12 For it is not an
enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it
one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could
hide from him.
YLT
12For an enemy reproacheth me
not
or I bear [it]
He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me
Or I hide from him.
For it was not an enemy that reproached me
.... An open
and avowed one; a Moabite or a Philistine; such an one as Goliath
who cursed
him by his gods; but one of his own country
city
court
and family
who
pretended to be a friend; his son Absalom
according to Arama: so it was not
one of the Scribes and Pharisees
the sworn enemies of Christ
who rejected him
as the Messiah
and would not have him to reign over them
that reproached him
but one of his own apostles;
then I could have borne it; reproach from an enemy
is to be expected
and may be patiently endured; and
when it is for
righteousness' sake
should be accounted an happiness
and rejoiced at; but the
reproaches of one that has been thought to be a friend are very cutting
wounding
heartbreaking
and intolerable
Psalm 69:7; the
calumnies and reproaches of the Scribes and Pharisees were borne by Christ with
great patience
and were answered with great calmness and mildness
Matthew 11:19. Or
"I would have lifted up"F20ואשא.
; that is
my hand
and defended myself; I should have been upon my guard
ready to receive the blow
or to have put it off
or repelled it;
neither was it he that hated me: openly
but
secretly in his heart;
that did magnify himself
against me; made himself a great man
and set himself at the head of the
conspiracy and opposition against him
and spoke great swelling words
in way
of raillery and reproach;
then I would have hid myself from him; as David did
from Saul
when he became his enemy
1 Samuel 20:24; and
as Christ from the Jews
John 8:59; but as
for Judas
he knew the place he resorted to; and therefore easily found him
John 18:2; the
sense may be
that he would have shunned his company
refused conversation with
him; much less would he have admitted him to his privy councils
by which means
he knew all his affairs
and there was no hiding and concealing things from
him.
Psalm 55:13 13 But it was you
a
man my equal
My companion and my acquaintance.
YLT
13But thou
a man -- as mine
equal
My familiar friend
and mine acquaintance.
But it was thou
.... The Targum is
"but thou Ahithophel"; of whom the words are literally to be
understood
and so they are in the TalmudF21T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol.
106. 2. Pirke Abot
c. 6. s. 3. ; and mystically and typically of Judas;
a man mine equal; "a man"
and not a beast
nor a
devil; but a man
from whom humanity
kindness
and tenderness might have been
expected; though both Ahithophel and Judas acted the part of a devil; and the
latter is expressly called one
John 6:70;
"mine equal"; or like unto me; as the Targum. Ahithophel was not
equal to David in dignity
as the king of Israel; nor in gifts
as the sweet
psalmist of Israel; nor in grace as he; but as a man
a mortal dying man: kings
and subjects are of the same blood
equally liable to death
and in the grave
will be manifestly on a level: or rather the sense is
that he was in his
esteem and affliction as himself; he was his friend that he loved as his own
soul: so Judas could not be in every sense equal to Christ who is Jehovah's
fellow
and thought it no robbery to be equal with God. Indeed as a man he was
like unto him; a frail
mortal man
though not sinless as Christ. The word כערכי may be rendered "according to my
appointment"F23"Secundum dispositionem
sc. ordinationem
et constitutionem meam"
Calvinus in Michaelis.
ordination
or
constitution; Judas being a man appointed and ordained to be an apostle of
Christ with the rest: or
"according to my esteem"F24"Juxta
estimationem meam"
Vatablus
Gejerus
Michaelis; "qui par mihi
estimatus est"
Piscator. ; being had in great esteem and familiarity with
Christ: or
"according to my order"F25"Secundum
ordinem meum"
Mollerus.
rank and class; being taken into his family
admitted to his table
where be sat down and ate with him
as if he was his
equal;
my guide: or "governor"F26אלופי
"dux meus"
Pagninus
Tigurine version
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "princeps meus"
Cocceius. . Ahithophel was not governor
over David; but was made a governor by him: he was one of his dukes or nobles
as the word is rendered in Genesis 36:15
was
raised to great dignity by him; perhaps was chief minister of state: it is
certain he was his counsellor
and his counsel was with him as the oracle of
God
1 Chronicles 27:33;
he was his guide in civil affairs; he was directed by his advice
and it may be
was president of his privy council. Judas was not only the guide of them to
Christ who took him
Acts 1:16; but when
the apostles were sent out two by two before the face of Christ
to preach
where he himself should come
Judas was sent also
Mark 6:7;
and mine acquaintance: one well known to him
as Ahithophel was to David
and Judas to Christ
his friend and companion
in
whom he confided
and who ate of his bread; and all these characters are so
many aggravations of his treachery and wickedness.
Psalm 55:14 14 We took sweet counsel
together
And walked to the house of God in the throng.
YLT
14When together we sweeten
counsel
Into the house of God we walk in company.
We took sweet counsel together
.... Not in religious
matters; for in these the testimonies of the Lord were David's counsellors
Psalm 119:24; but
in civil things: hearty counsel is one branch of friendship
and which greatly
sweetens it
Proverbs 27:9; as
this may be applied to Christ and Judas
it may denote the mutual delight and
pleasure they had
the one in communicating
the other in receiving a notional
knowledge of the Gospel
and the mysteries of it
which are the counsel of God
Acts 20:27; for if
hearers may hear the word gladly
as Herod did
and receive it with joy
as did
the stony ground hearers
and yet be destitute of the grace of God; why may not
Judas
and other preachers devoid of true grace
be thought to receive and
preach the doctrines of the Gospel in a speculative way
with some kind of
delight and pleasure? so professors of religion take sweet counsel together
when they communicate to each other what light and knowledge they have in the
mysteries of the Gospel
and converse about experience
and the mysteries and
secrets of internal godliness
and give and take advice in spiritual things;
and sad it is when anyone of these drop their profession
and reproachers
scoffers
or persecutors;
and walked unto the house of
God in company: David with his royal family and courtiers
and Ahithophel among
the rest; where he delighted to go
and that with a multitude. So Christ and
Judas often went to the temple together
with the rest of the disciples
who
heard many an excellent sermon from his mouth: all which are further
aggravations of sin and guilt. And so such persons
who have walked together to
the house of God and in it
have attended together on public worship
and
walked together in holy fellowship; when any of these forsake the assembling of
themselves together
scoff at religion
speak evil of ordinances
reproach the
saints
or persecute them
it is very shocking
cutting
and grieving indeed.
Psalm 55:15 15 Let death seize them; Let
them go down alive into hell
For wickedness is in their dwellings and
among them.
YLT
15Desolations [are] upon
them
They go down [to] Sheol -- alive
For wickedness [is] in their dwelling
in their midst.
Let death seize upon them
.... Ahithophel and his
accomplices
Judas and the men with him; as a mighty man
as the king of
terrors
and shake them to pieces. Or
"let him exact upon them"F1ישי "exigat debitum"
Pagninus; "aget vel
agat exactorem"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Gejerus
Amama. ; as a creditor upon the debtor
and demand the debt of punishment for
sin: or let him come upon them at an unawares; let them not die a natural
but
a violent death. The Targum mentions Doeg and Ahithophel;
and let them
go down quick
into hell: as Korah
Dathan
and Abiram
went down quick or alive into the
earth; so let these men die
and descend into the grave
in their full
strength; and accordingly Absalom and Ahithophel died sudden and violent
deaths
2 Samuel 17:23; and
so did Judas
Matthew 27:5; and
the beast and false prophet
another part of the antitype
will be taken and
cast alive into the lake of fire
Revelation 19:20;
for wickedness is in their dwellings; and dwells in
them; wherever they go or sojourn
this goes and abides with them
being the
reigning principle in their hearts and lives;
and among them; in the midst
of them; their inward part is very wickedness. The Targum is
"in their
bodies". But rather the sense is
in their hearts; wickedness was both in
their houses and in their hearts
and is the reason of the imprecation on them;
which arises not from a revengeful spirit
but from a zeal for the glory of
God; and is to be considered as a prophecy of what would be
and not to be
drawn into an example for private Christians to act by.
Psalm 55:16 16 As for me
I will call
upon God
And the Lord
shall save me.
YLT
16I -- to God I call
and
Jehovah saveth me.
As for me
I will call upon God
.... Not upon a creature
on idols and images
on angels or saints departed; but upon God
in his time of
trouble
for salvation and deliverance from enemies; who is able to save. This
is to be understood of calling upon God in prayer; as Psalm 55:17
explains it
and the Targum here renders it; though sometimes invocation of the
name of God takes in the whole of divine worship;
and the Lord shall save me; which confidence was
founded partly upon his promise to deliver such that call upon him in the day
of trouble
Psalm 50:15; and
partly upon his power
whose hand is not shortened that it cannot save. The
Targum is
"the
Word of the Lord shall redeem me.'
Psalm 55:17 17 Evening and morning and at
noon I will pray
and cry aloud
And He shall hear my voice.
YLT
17Evening
and morning
and
noon
I meditate
and make a noise
and He heareth my voice
Evening
and morning
and at noon
will I pray
.... These
being the stated times of prayer with the Jews
and which continued to later
ages
Daniel 6:10. These
times
they sayF2Yalkut Simeoni in loc.
were fixed by Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob: the morning prayer by Abraham
according to Genesis 22:3
the
prayer of the "minchah" by Isaac
according to Genesis 24:63; and
the evening prayer by Jacob
according to Genesis 28:11. The
prayer of the evening was at the time of the evening sacrifice
to which it is
compared
Psalm 141:2. This
was at the ninth hour
at which time Peter and John went up to the temple to
pray; and Cornelius prayed in his own house
Acts 3:1. The
prayer of the morning was at the time of the morning daily sacrifice
and was
about the third hour of the day; at which time the apostles met together for
prayer on the day of Pentecost
Acts 2:1; and that
at noon was at the sixth hour of the day; at which time Peter went up to the
housetop to pray
Acts 10:9. And now
though we are not tied down to these exact and precise times of prayer
yet
this teaches us that we ought to pray frequently and constantly
and that a day
should not pass without it; and the morning and evening seem to be very proper
seasons for it
seeing the mercies of the Lord are new every morning; and we
should be thankful for them and the mercies of the night past
and implore
divine protection and grace for the day following; and at evening we should express
our thankfulness for the mercies of the day
and commit ourselves and families
into the hands of God
who is Israel's Keeper
that neither slumbers nor
sleeps;
and cry aloud; denoting the distress he was in
the
fervency of his prayer
and the importunity of it;
and he shall hear my voice; this he might be assured
of
from the general character of God
as a God hearing prayer
and from his
own special and particular experience of the truth of it
and from the promises
made unto him.
Psalm 55:18 18 He has redeemed my soul in
peace from the battle that was against me
For there were many against
me.
YLT
18He hath ransomed in peace
my soul From him who is near to me
For with the multitude they were with me.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was
against me
.... That is
God had preserved his life
and delivered him safe
and sound from many a battle which was fought against him
and might seem at
first to go against him; and had given him peace and rest from all his enemies
before the present trouble came upon him
2 Samuel 7:1;
wherefore he believed
that he who had delivered him in time past would deliver
him again; this is the reasoning of faith
2 Corinthians 1:9.
The Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Arabic
and Ethiopic versions
render the last
clause
"from them that draw nigh unto thee"; and the Syriac version
renders it
by way of petition
"deliver my soul from them that know
me"; and the Targum
"lest
evil should come unto me;'
for there were many with me; either enemies fighting
with him; and so this is mentioned to set forth the more the power of God in
his deliverance: or friends
who were on his side; all Israel and Judah
who
loved David and prayed for him
as Jarchi interprets it: or the angels of God
as Aben Ezra; who being for the Lord's people
are more than they that are
against them
2 Kings 6:16; or
God
Father
Son
and Spirit; and if he is for us
who shall be against us? Romans 8:31. The
Targum is
"for
in many afflictions his Word was for my help.'
Psalm 55:19 19 God will hear
and afflict
them
Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because
they do not change
Therefore they do not fear God.
YLT
19God doth hear and afflict
them
And He sitteth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes
and fear not
God
God shall hear and afflict them
.... That is
either he
shall hear the prayers of his servant
imprecating evils upon his enemies
Psalm 55:9; and
shall bring them down upon them
in answer to his requests; or it may be
rendered
"God shall hear and answer them"F3ויענם "et respondeat illis"
Cocceius. ; he shall
hear their blasphemies
and take notice of their wickedness
and answer them by
terrible things in righteousness;
even he that abideth of old; or "is the
inhabitant of eternity"F4וישב קדם "et incola antiquitatis
vel aeternitatis"
Gejerus. Isaiah 57:15; the
eternal God
from everlasting to everlasting
who was before all creatures and
before all time
and will ever remain the same
out of whose hands there is no
escaping. The Targum is
"and
he inhabiteth the heavens from of old to everlasting.'
Selah; of this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Because they have no changes; Kimchi renders it
who
hath no changes; taking למו to be the same with לו
and interprets it of God; connecting it with the former
clause
that he that abideth of old hath no changes. There is no variableness
nor shadow of turning with him; he never changes his mind
nor alters his
counsel
whether it be for good or evil; and yet wicked men fear him not. But
rather this is to be understood of sinners
as the Targum paraphrases it
"who
are not of old
and who do not change their evil way;'
who
have no changes in their hearts
nor in their lives
but continue in their
natural and sinful estate
without any impression of the power and grace of God
upon them. Or they have no changes in their worldly circumstances
from good to
bad
as Aben Ezra explains it; things go well with them
and they are not in
trouble as other men; they are at ease and quiet
and are settled on their
lees; see Job 10:17. Or they
have no regard to their last change by death; and are not afraid of that
as
Jarchi interprets it; they put away this evil day far from them; think nothing
about it
as if it would never be
and as if they had made an agreement with it
that this change should never come upon them
Job 14:14;
therefore they fear not God; do not serve and worship
him now
and are not afraid of his judgments here or hereafter; no change being
made in their hearts
nor any alteration in their secular affairs for the
worse; but having much goods laid up for many years
and sentence against their
evil works not being speedily executed
their hearts are hardened
and they live
secure in sin.
Psalm 55:20 20 He has put forth his hands
against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant.
YLT
20He hath sent forth his
hands against his well-wishers
He hath polluted his covenant.
He hath put forth his
hands
.... The psalmist returns and describes
in this verse Psalm 55:3
the
cruelty
perfidy
and hypocrisy of his false friend; who had stretched forth
his hands
against such as be at peace with him
or he
pretended to be at peace with. So Ahithophel put forth his hands against David
by whom he had been admitted into his privy council
and there had taken sweet
counsel together
by entering into a conspiracy and rebellion against him
and
by forming a scheme to smite the king only
2 Samuel 17:1; and
Judas
though he did not lay hands on Christ himself
yet he gave his enemies a
sign by which they might know him
and seize him
and hold him fast
as they
did; and him Christ calls the man of his peace
Psalm 41:9; they
being at peace when he lifted up his heel against him;
he hath broken his covenant; of friendship that was
made between them; he proved false and treacherous
broke through his
engagements
and violated his faith.
Psalm 55:21 21 The words
of his mouth were smoother than butter
But war was in his heart; His
words were softer than oil
Yet they were drawn swords.
YLT
21Sweeter than honey hath
been his mouth
And his heart [is] war! Softer have been his words than oil
And they [are] drawn [swords].
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter
.... Such were
the words of Ahithophel
when in counsel with David; and such the words of
Judas
when he said to Christ
"hail
master"
and kissed him
Matthew 26:49;
but war was in his heart; even a civil war
rebellion against his prince; that was what Ahithophel meditated in his heart;
and nothing less than to take away the life of Christ was designed by Judas.
The words may be rendered
"they were divided"F5חלקו διεμερισθησαν
Sept.
"divisi sunt"
V. L. Hammond. ; that is
his mouth and his heart:
"his mouth was butter
and his heart war"; the one declared
for peace
when the other intended war; see Jeremiah 9:8;
his words were softer than oil; at one time full of
soothing and flattery:
yet were they drawn swords: at another time sharp
and cutting
breathing out threatening and slaughter
destruction and death.
Psalm 55:22 22 Cast your burden on the Lord
And He shall
sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
YLT
22Cast on Jehovah that which
He hath given thee
And He doth sustain thee
He doth not suffer for ever the
moving of the righteous.
Cast thy burden upon the
Lord
.... These are either the words of the Holy Ghost to David
according to Jarchi; or of David to his own soul in distress
and may be
directed to any good man in like circumstances. The word rendered
"burden" signifies a gift and so the words are translated by many
"cast thy gift upon the Lord"F6יהבך
"donum tuum"
Montanus; "quicquid dat tibi"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator. ; what he has given in a way of providence and of grace
acknowledge him to be the author of it; pray for a continuance of mercies
and
for fresh supplies
and expect them; and also what he gives in a way of trial
the cross
with all afflictions and troubles: which sense seems most agreeable
to the context; and these may be said to be "the gift" of God
as the
cup of sorrow Christ drank of is said to be "given" him by his Father
John 18:11. These
are given by the Lord to bring his people to a sense of sin
and acknowledgment
of it; to humble them for it
and cause them to return from it; and to try
their graces: and then do they cast them upon him
when they acknowledge them
as coming from him; wait the removal of them in his time; desire a sanctified
use of them
and expect deliverance from them by him. Or the sense is
whatever
thou desirest should be given thee by the Lord
cast it on him; that is
leave
it with him to do as he pleases
who works all things after the counsel of his
own will. The Targum renders it
"cast
thy hope upon the Lord;'
as
an anchor on a good bottom
to which hope is compared
Hebrews 6:19. This
is done when persons make the Lord the object of their hope
and expect all
from him they hope to enjoy here and hereafter. The Septuagint version is
"cast thy care upon the Lord"; of thy body
and all the temporal
concerns of thy family
and everything relating thereunto; and of thy soul
and
its everlasting welfare and salvation; see 1 Peter 5:7. But
Jarchi
Aben Ezra
and Kimchi
interpret the word by משאך
"thy burden"
which is learnt from the use of it in the Arabic
language. The Rabbins did not know the meaning of the word
till one of them
heard an Arabian merchant sayF7T. Bab. Roshhashanah
fol. 26. 2.
Megillah
fol. 18. 1. Bereshit Rabba
s. 79. fol 69. 4.
"take
up יהביך
"thy burden"
and cast it upon
the camels.'
The
burden here meant is either the burden of afflictions
which is sometimes very
heavy; see Job 6:23; no
affliction is joyous
but grievous; but some are heavier in their own kind and
nature than others
and become so through the multiplicity of them
as in the
case of Job; or through the long continuance of them
and especially when
attended with the hidings of God's face
or with the temptations of Satan: or
else the burden of sin and corruption
which is an heavy burden
and a very
disagreeable one; under which the saints groan
and by which they are hindered
in running their Christian race
and which they are like to carry with them to
their graves; their only relief under it is to look to Christ
who has borne it
and took it away; which may be meant by casting it on the Lord:
and he shall sustain thee; in being
both natural
and spiritual; and supply with all things necessary both to the temporal and
spiritual life
and support under all trials and difficulties;
he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved; to be shaken
and stagger so as to fall
especially totally and finally; for the words may be
rendered
"he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved for ever"F8לעולם "in aeternum"
Musculus
Gussetius
p. 460.
"perpetuo"
Tigurine version
Lutherus
Gejerus; so Ainsworth. ; or
so to be moved by their afflictions as to desert the cause in which they are
engaged; nor shall they ever be moved by men or devils
or anything whatever
from their spiritual estate
in which they are by grace; nor from the love of
God and covenant of grace; nor out of the hands of Christ; nor from their state
of justification
adoption
and sanctification.
Psalm 55:23 23 But You
O God
shall bring
them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not
live out half their days; But I will trust in You.
YLT
23And Thou
O God
dost bring
them down To a pit of destruction
Men of blood and deceit reach not to half
their days
And I -- I do trust in Thee!
But thou
O God
shall
bring them down
.... Ahithophel and his accomplices in the conspiracy against
David
Judas and the wicked Jews concerned in Christ's death; and did not
believe in him;
into the pit of destruction
or
"corruption"F9שחת
"corruptionis"
Vatablus
Musculus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Ainsworth; approved by Gussetius
p. 850. ; either the grave
where bodies being put corrupt and putrefy; or hell
where the wicked are
punished with everlasting destruction; see Psalm 55:15;
bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; such as
Ahithophel and Absalom
Judas
and the murderers of our Lord: or
"do not
halve their days"F11יחצו
"dividiabunt"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ; do not come up to
the half of the ordinary term of man's life
which is threescore years and ten.
The Jews sayF12T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 69. 2. & 106. 2. &
Gloss. in Pirke Abot
c. 5. s. 19.
that all the years of Doeg were but thirty
four
and of Ahithophel thirty three; and probably Judas might be about the
same age. Or the sense is
that
generally speaking
such sort of men die in
the prime of their days
and do not live half the time that
according to the
course of nature
they might live; and which they promise themselves they
should
and their friends hoped and expected they would:
but I will trust in thee; the Lord
that he would
hear and save him
support him under his burden
supply him with his grace
and
every thing needful
and not suffer him to be moved; and that he should live to
fill up the measure of his days
do the will and work of God
and then be
received to glory.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)