Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 3:7
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
7. Arise, O Lord ] The opening words of the ancient marching-shout of Israel, rich in memories of deliverance and victory. See Num 10:35. Cp. Psa 68:1.
for thou hast smitten ] Again, as in Psa 3:4, appeal is made to the experience of the past as the ground of prayer. Hitherto Jehovah has put His enemies to shame, and destroyed their power for mischief. The buffet on the cheek was a climax of insult which shewed that all spirit and power of resistance were gone. Cp. 1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Lam 3:30; Mic 5:1. Then, by a natural figure (how appropriate in David’s mouth! cp. 1Sa 17:34), the wicked are pictured as ferocious wild beasts, rushing upon their prey, but suddenly deprived of their power to hurt. Cp. Psa 58:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
7, 8. The Psalm concludes with a prayer for deliverance as in times past, and for a blessing on the people.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Arise, O Lord – This is a common mode of calling upon God in the Scriptures, as if he had been sitting still, or had been inactive. It is, of course, language taken from human conceptions, for in the intervals of active effort, in labor or in battle, we sit or lie down, and when we engage in toil we arise from our sitting or recumbent posture. So the mind accustoms itself to think of God. The idea is simply that David now calls upon God to interpose in his behalf and to deliver him.
Save me, O my God – He was still surrounded by numerous enemies, and he, therefore, calls earnestly upon God to help him. In accordance with a common usage in the Scriptures, and with what is right for all the people of God, he calls him his God: O my God. That is, he was the God whom he recognized as his God in distinction from all idols, and who had manifested himself as his God by the many mercies which he had conferred on him.
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies – That is, in former exigencies, or on former occasions. In his conflicts with Saul, with the Philistines, and with the surrounding nations, he had done this; and as the result of all he had established him on the throne, and placed him over the realm. In the remembrance of all this he appeals with the full confidence that what God had done for him before He would do now, and that, notwithstanding he was surrounded with numerous foes, He would again interpose. So we may derive comfort and assurance in present trouble or danger from the recollection of what God has done for us in former times. He who has saved us in former perils can still save us; we may believe that he who did not forsake us in those perils will not leave us now.
Upon the cheek-bone – This language seems to be taken from a comparison of his enemies with wild beasts; and the idea is, that God had disarmed them as one would a lion or tiger by breaking out his teeth. The cheek-bone denotes the bone in which the teeth are placed; and to smite that, is to disarm the animal. The idea here is not that of insult, therefore; but the meaning is simply that he had deprived them of the power of doing him wrong.
Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly – The same idea is here expressed under another form, as if the teeth of wild animals were broken out, rendering them harmless. As God had thus disarmed his enemies in times past, the psalmist hoped that he would do the same thing now, and he confidently called on him to do it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 3:7
Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone.
The secret of Davids confidence
This shows that Davids expectation of victory was not in himself, in his personal prowess as a warrior, but in the faithfulness of the Lord his God. Hence his impassioned cry, Arise, O Lord! save me, O my God! It is true that David marshalled his forces as a skilful and experienced general should, and as carefully as if everything in the battle to ensue was to be accomplished by the sword alone;–and yet he still looked to God alone for success. And to inspire himself with confidence that God would give success, he refers to the victories He had given him in times past, saying, Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. This imagery of breaking the cheek bone and teeth of enemies is likening them to wild beasts whose great power is in their jaws and teeth, so that when their jaws and teeth are broken their power to injure is gone. The imagery, then, indicates that the Lord had always destroyed the power of Davids enemies to injure him. And as the Lord had subdued his enemies before him hitherto, David could not but believe that He would subdue them still. This, his belief, was not in vain, as the speedy winding up of Absaloms rebellion showed; for Absaloms forces, though outnumbering his fathers probably more than ten to one, were utterly routed and dispersed, and himself slain, in the first and only battle fought. The battle was the Lords, the victory His, and to Him David ascribes it. (David Caldwell, A. M.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 7. Arise, O Lord] Though he knew that God had undertaken his defence, yet he knew that his continued protection depended on his continual prayer and faith. God never ceases to help as long as we pray. When our hands hang down, and we restrain prayer before him, we may then justly fear that our enemies will prevail.
Thou hast smitten] That is, Thou wilt smite. He speaks in full confidence of God’s interference; and knows as surely that he shall have the victory, as if he had it already. Breaking the jaws and the teeth are expressions which imply, confounding and destroying an adversary; treating him with extreme contempt; using him like a dog, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Arise; bestir thyself on my behalf, and be no longer as an idle spectator of my miseries.
O my God; who art mine by special relation and covenant, and I am thy son and thy servant; Lord, save thine own.
Thou hast smitten all mine enemies thou hast hitherto helped me, do not now leave me.
Upon the cheek-bone; which implies either contempt and reproach, as this phrase signifies, 1Ki 22:24; Mic 5:1; Joh 18:22; 19:3; or the smartness and soreness of the blow, whereby, as the next clause explains it, their teeth were struck out; and so they did not only receive hurt themselves, but were disenabled from doing that mischief to others which they desired and were accustomed to do.
The teeth, i.e. their strength and the instruments of their cruelty. He compares them to wild beasts.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Arise, O LordGod isfiguratively represented as asleep to denote His apparentindifference (Ps 7:6). The useof “cheekbone” and “teeth“represents his enemies as fierce, like wild beasts ready to devour(Ps 27:2), and smiting theircheekbone (1Ki 22:24) denotesviolence and insult.
thou hast brokenGodtook his part, utterly depriving the enemy of power to injure.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God,…. God sometimes, in the apprehension of his people, seems to be as if he was asleep: when he does not appear to them and for them, and does not exert his power on their behalf, then they call to him to awake and arise; see Ps 44:23; and it may be some respect is had to the words of Moses when the ark set forward, Nu 10:35; and it may be observed, that though David enjoyed so much peace and tranquillity of mind, and was in such high spirits as not to be afraid of ten thousands of men, yet he did not neglect the right means of deliverance and safety, prayer to God, who he knew was his God; and he addresses him as such, and uses his covenant interest in him, as an argument with him to arise and save him from his enemies, who was able to do it, and to whom salvation belongs: so Christ, his antitype, prayed to God as his God to save him, and was heard by him in like manner; so the saints call upon God in a day of trouble, cry to him in their distresses, to be delivered out of them;
for thou hast smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheekbone; to smite anyone upon the cheek is reckoned reproachful, and is casting contempt upon them; see Job 16:10 and the sense is, that God had poured contempt upon his enemies in time past, and had brought them to shame and confusion: hence he puts up the above prayer as a prayer of faith for salvation, founded on past experience of God’s goodness; he prayed that his God would arise and save him, and he believed he would because he had hitherto appeared for him, and against his enemies;
thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly; who were like to beasts of prey, whose strength lies in their teeth, whereby they do the mischief they do; and the breaking of their teeth signifies the taking away from them the power of hurting, and refers to the victories which God had given David over the Philistines, Edomites, Syrians, and others; and maybe applied to Christ, and be expressive of sin, Satan, the world, and death, being overcome and abolished by him, and of the victory which the saints have through him over the same enemies.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(Heb.: 3:8-9) The bold is taken from the mouth of Moses, Num 10:35. God is said to arise when He takes a decisive part in what takes place in this world. Instead of kumah it is accented kumah as Milra , in order (since the reading is assumed) that the final ah may be sharply cut off from the guttural initial of the next word, and thus render a clear, exact pronunciation of the latter possible (Hitz., Ew. 228, b).
(Note: This is the traditional reason of the accentuation shub h , kum h , shith h before : it is intended to prevent the one or other of the two gutturals being swallowed up ( ) by too rapid speaking. Hence it is that the same thing takes place even when another word, not the name of God, follows, if it begins with or the like, and is closely connected with it by meaning and accentuation: e.g., Jdg 4:18 twice Milra before ; Psa 57:9 , Milra before ; , Milra before ; Exo 5:22; Isa 11:2, and Gen 26:10, Milra before ; and the following fact favours it, viz., that for a similar reason Pasek is placed where two owt would come together, e.g., Gen 21:14 Adonaj jir’eh with the stroke of separation between the two words, cf. Exo 15:18; Pro 8:21. The fact that in Jer 40:5, remains Milel , is accounted for by its being separated from the following by Pazer; a real exception, however ( Michlol 112 b), – and not as Norzi from misapprehension observes, a controverted one, – is , Milel before 2Sa 15:27, but it is by no means sufficient to oppose the purely orthophonic (not rhythmical) ground of this ultima -accentuation. Even the semi-guttural sometimes has a like influence over the tone: rbah rb Psa 43:1; Psa 119:154.)
Beside we have evah , with the suff. of appropriating faith. The cry for help is then substantiated by and the retrospective perf. They are not such perff. of prophetically certain hope as in Psa 6:9; Psa 7:7; Psa 9:5., for the logical connection requires an appeal to previous experience in the present passage: they express facts of experience, which are taken from many single events (hence ) down to the present time. The verb is construed with a double accusative, as e.g., Iliad xvi. 597 . The idea of contempt (Job 16:10) is combined with that of rendering harmless in this “smiting upon the cheek.” What is meant is a striking in of the jaw-bone and therewith a breaking of the teeth in pieces ( ). David means, an ignominious end has always come upon the ungodly who rose up against him and against God’s order in general, as their punishment. The enemies are conceived of as monsters given to biting, and the picture of their fate is fashioned according to this conception. Jahve has the power and the will to defend His Anointed against their hostility: penes Jovam est salus . (from , Arab. wasia , amplum esse ) signifies breadth as applied to perfect freedom of motion, removal of all straitness and oppression, prosperity without exposure to danger and unbeclouded. In the of possession lies the idea of the exclusiveness of the possession and of perfect freedom of disposal. At Jahve’s free disposal stands , salvation, in all its fulness (just so in Jon 2:10, Rev 7:10). In connection therewith David first of all thinks of his own need of deliverance. But as a true king he cannot before God think of himself, without connecting himself with his people. Therefore he closes with the intercessory inference: Upon Thy people by Thy blessing! We may supply or . Instead of cursing his faithless people he implores a blessing upon those who have been piteously led astray and deceived. This “upon Thy people be Thy blessing!” has its counterpart in the “Father forgive them” of the other David, whom His people crucified. The one concluding word of the Psalm – observes Ewald – casts a bright light into the very depths of his noble soul.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
7 Arise, O Lord. As in the former verses David boasted of his quiet state, it would now appear he desires of the Lord to be preserved in safety during the whole of his life; as if he had said, Lord, since thou hast overthrown my enemies, grant that this thy goodness may follow me, and be continued even to the end of my course. But because it is no uncommon thing for David, in the Psalms, to mingle together various affections, it seems more probable, that, after having made mention of his confidence in God, he returns again to make the same prayers as at the beginning. (45) He therefore asks to be preserved, because he was in eminent peril. What follows concerning the smiting of his enemies, may be explained in two ways: either that in praying he calls to his remembrance his former victories, or that having experienced the assistance of God, and obtained the answer of his prayers, he now follows it up by thanksgiving: and this last meanings I am much inclined to adopt. In the first place, then, he declares that he fled to God for help in dangers, and humbly prayed for deliverance, and after salvation had been granted him, he gives thanks, by which he testifies, that he acknowledged God to be the author of the deliverance which he had obtained. (46)
(45) A faire les mesmes prieres qu’au commencement. — Fr.
(46) Et puis a cause qu’il a obtenu cela, c’est a dire, qu’il est demeure, en sauvete, it luy en rend graces; tesmoignant par cela qu’il tient de Dieu sa deliverance et la recognoist de luy. — Fr. And then having obtained this, that is to say, having been preserved in safety, he gives thanks to God, testifying by this, that he owed his deliverance to him, and recognized it as coming from him.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) Thou hast smitten . . . broken.Better, thou smitest . . . breakest. The enemies are conceived of as wild beasts, like the lion and bear of the adventures of Davids own youth, whom God would render harmless to him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Arise, O Lord The rising, here, is to be taken in the military or hostile sense, as in Psa 3:1, and Psa 92:11. The crisis is upon him, and he calls upon Jehovah to take a position openly against his enemies. They had said, “There is no help for him in God,” Psa 3:2; he had said, “Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head,” Psa 3:3. Everything depended upon some manifest interference of God in behalf of the exiled king.
Thou hast smitten The perfect tense here either refers to past triumphs in support of present faith, and as an argument for present help, or is what is called the “prophetical perfect,” as indicating the answer which is immediately expected, as if it had been already made. And this latter appears to be the true sense.
Broken the teeth David’s enemies are here compared to wild beasts, who, with their teeth and strong jaws, tear their prey; but God had now rendered them as powerless as these beasts of prey would be with their jaws broken and their teeth dashed out. See Job 29:17; Psa 58:6
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
His Prayer for Deliverance, and Cry for Blessing on His People.
‘Arise, O YHWH, save me, O my God,
For you have smitten all my enemies on the cheekbone
You have broken the teeth of the wicked.’
David’s cry here parallels the marching song of the hosts of Israel (Num 10:35; compare Psa 68:1) as they went forward in confidence with the Ark leading the way. In the same way he was confident that YHWH would equally be with him even though the Ark was not there, for he knew that YHWH was not restricted to a physical object, however sacred.
He brings to mind past victories when God had smitten his enemies on the cheekbone. The smiting on the cheekbone was an act of reproach to a defeated opponent (Job 16:10; 1Ki 22:24). It indicated reproach offered to someone who should have known better, and was a sign of total victory, and that all their resistance had ceased. Thus would YHWH again vindicate him at this time.
‘Breaking the teeth’ of the wicked meant rendering them powerless, removing their weapons, and was based on the idea that captured wild animals would often have their teeth broken so as to render them safe (see Psa 58:6). He has no doubt that God will deliver him again, rendering his enemies powerless and subject to reproach for attacking YHWH’s anointed.
Those who trust in God can always be sure that even though they may have reached their weakest point God will hear them. Indeed the fact is that He often deliberately brings us to our weakest point so that we might learn to trust Him more.
Psa 3:8
‘Salvation belongs to YHWH.
Your blessing be on your people.’
The psalm ends with a cry of confidence. Salvation is in the hands of YHWH, for all deliverance is finally in His hands. This includes the deliverance of a nation or a king, and it includes a person’s own personal deliverance. He is the Saviour (or otherwise, as He chooses) of kings, nations and individuals. All salvation belongs to Him. We are not therefore to look to strength of arm, but to the strength of God. In the New Testament this develops into the idea of God’s saving action in each individual life. He works within us to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php 2:13). So daily we should face life with the same cry, ‘Salvation belongs to God’. And it is to Him that we should look daily in order to continually enjoy it. For although in one sense once we become His our salvation is complete, in another we need Him to continue to save us daily.
‘Your blessing be on your people.’ Finally he prays that God’s blessing may be on His people. Not just those who were with him at that time but on all his people. He recognised that much of the blame for the rebellion lay at his own door. Thus he sought that when he was finally delivered they might be blessed under his own re-enlightenment. Even in his extremity he did not forget his intercessory role. And as 2Sa 19:8-10 reveals, not all the people had followed Absalom. In the confusion of unexpected civil war, and leaderless, many of them had simply sought refuge in their homes to await events.
And as we know from our knowledge of later events, things turned out just as the Psalm says.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 3:7. Arise, O Lord, &c. David having related in the former verses the state of his mind during his flight, in the following he expresses his thankfulness to God for his deliverance, which he ascribes entirely to his power and goodness; and, conscious that his future safety must depend on his favour, he suddenly cries out, Arise, O Jehovah, and save me, O my God! and then, instantly recollecting the salvation that God had wrought for him, he starts into the thankful acknowledgment of it. Verily, thou hast smitten all mine enemies. They who know what the pleasures of devotion are, cannot be unacquainted with these sudden transitions of the mind from one object to another, and the various affections which are excited, as the different thoughts of the heart awaken and enliven them. David in this verse compares his enemies to savage beasts, which tear their prey with their teeth, and grind it with their jaws. In countries abounding with these ravenous creatures, such allusions are natural and expressive. David here encourages himself in God, by the experience he had of his gracious interposition in his favour; by saving him from his cruel enemies, who frequently attempted his destruction. But God smote them on the cheek-bone, and broke their teeth; i.e. utterly deprived them of their power to hurt him; as a wild beast is disabled from devouring its prey, when its jaws are broken, and its teeth dashed out. Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 3:7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Ver. 7. Arise, O Lord, &c. ] If the Lord do but arise only his enemies shall be scattered; those also that hate him shall flee before him, Psa 68:1 . And God will arise and harness when his people put his promises in suit by their faithful prayers. This Moses knew, and therefore appointed the priests, whensoever the ark removed, to say, “Rise up, Lord,” &c., Num 10:35 . Commanders must pray before they lead on their forces to battle, as did Huniades, and that late brave king of Sweden, more addicted to prayer than to fighting; according to that,
Vincere quisquis aves hostilem exercitum, age ante
Invictum, vincas per tun vota, Deum.
Save me, O my God
For thou hast smilten all mine enemies on the cheek bone
Iaetantemque utroque caput, crassumque cruorem
Ore reiectantem, mistosque in sanguine dentes.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 3:7-8
7Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God!
For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek;
You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
8Salvation belongs to the Lord;
Your blessing upon Your people! Selah.
Psa 3:7 This verse begins with two imperatives (i.e., prayer requests).
1. arise BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal imperative used in the sense of entreating YHWH to act, cf. Num 10:35; Psa 7:6; Psa 9:19; Psa 10:12; Psa 44:26; Psa 68:1; Psa 74:22; Psa 82:8; Psa 132:8; as enemies arose, now the palmist calls on YHWH to rise up (i.e., from His throne)!
2. save BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil imperative, which in the OT, denotes deliverance from the trials, pains, issues of this life (Psa 3:8)
SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (OLD TESTAMENT TERM)
has smitten. . .has shattered YHWH brings deliverance by forcefully dealing with the psalmist’s adversaries.
1. has smitten BDB 645, KB 697, Hiphil perfect
2. has shattered BDB 990, KB 1402, Piel perfect
The cheek (BDB 534 I) and teeth 9BDB 1042 I) are idioms of shame and defeat (cf. 1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Psa 58:6; Mic 5:1). It specifically refers to their hateful words (cf. Psa 3:2).
Psa 3:8 There are no verbs in Psa 3:8. Often the biblical Hebrew to be verb is supplied by the reader.
Selah See notes at Psa 3:2.
3:9 Notice how an individual lament is used to reflect a corporate concern (i.e., Thy people, of Ps. 3:9; Psa 25:22; Psa 28:9). YHWH brings salvation/deliverance, not only to individuals who ask but to the nation who asks (i.e., 2Ch 7:14).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Who are the adversaries?
2. Why are they denying YHWH’s deliverance?
3. What does the imperative arise mean?
What are its possible backgrounds
4. What does Selah mean?
ungodly = lawless. Hebrew. rasha’. App-44.
Psalm 3:7-8
Psa 3:7-8
“Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God:
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone
Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongeth unto Jehovah:
Thy blessing upon thy people. (Selah)”
“Thou hast smitten all mine enemies.” Some scholars suppose that David here recalled prior occasions in his life when God had given him mighty victories over his foes; but our own opinion is that the use of the past perfect tense here is prophetic, in which David prophesied his victory over Absalom and spoke of it as so certain of fulfillment that it was appropriate to use the past tense in speaking of it.
“Smitten upon the cheek bone … thou hast broken the teeth.” Many scholars have observed that, “The enemies alike of David and of God are represented here as wild beasts, whose weapons are their jaws and teeth. Let God break these, and they are harmless.
“Salvation belongeth unto Jehovah.” When Jonah cried to God from the fish’s belly, his triumphant cry was, “Salvation is of Jehovah”! (Jon 2:9).
“Thy blessing be upon thy people.” The Psalmist here rose above his own selfish interests in seeking God’s help, linking it with the blessing of God upon all of his people.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 3:7. David was thinking of God’s past victories over the enemy. In view of that record he called upon Him to come to his rescue now. Cheek bone or jaw is a vital part of the human body, and to be able to attack one at that place would indicate having the mastery.
Psa 3:8. All salvation must come from the Lord. It is true that such a blessing will be on his people only, but it is true also that all men have the opportunity of becoming a part of the people of the Lord.
Arise: Psa 10:12, Psa 12:5, Psa 35:23, Psa 44:23, Psa 59:5, Psa 74:11, Psa 76:9, Isa 51:9, Hab 2:19
thou: Psa 58:6, Job 16:10, Job 29:17, Lam 3:30
Reciprocal: Jdg 4:21 – smote Jdg 15:18 – Thou hast given 2Sa 15:32 – he worshipped 2Sa 18:8 – General 2Sa 22:18 – delivered Job 4:10 – the teeth Psa 7:1 – save Psa 7:6 – Arise Psa 9:19 – Arise Psa 10:15 – Break Psa 12:1 – Help Psa 17:13 – Arise Psa 18:37 – General Psa 27:2 – wicked Psa 55:18 – He hath Pro 30:14 – whose Lam 3:16 – broken Zec 9:7 – I will Mat 14:30 – Lord
Psa 3:7. Arise, O Lord, save me Defer no longer, but let them see thou hast not forsaken me; O my God Who art mine by special relation and covenant: Lord, save thy own. Deliver me from these my rebellious subjects, whose policy and power I am unable to withstand without thee. For thou hast smitten mine enemies Namely, in times past; on the cheek bone Hast discomfited and put them to shame, hast subdued and exposed them to contempt and reproach. Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly That is, their strength, and the instruments of their cruelty. As, then, thou hast hitherto helped me, do not now leave me; but deliver me from these, as thou hast formerly delivered me from other powerful enemies. Thus David, in his distress, encouraged himself in God by the experience he had had of his former gracious interpositions in his favour, by saving him from his cruel enemies, who had frequently attempted his destruction, and whom he compares to savage beasts, which tear their prey with their teeth, and grind it with their jaws, an allusion which, in a country abounding with these ravenous creatures, was natural and expressive. Some, however, consider him as relating, in the former verses, the state of his mind during his flight, and as expressing, in the latter part of this, and in the following, his thankfulness for his deliverance, which he ascribes entirely to Gods power and goodness. See Chandler.
3. Ultimate victory 3:7-8
The writer continued to pray for complete deliverance. Evidently David was so certain that God would save him that he described his enemy as already defeated. Perhaps he was referring to God’s faithfulness in defeating former enemies. The Hebrew verbs permit either interpretation. The imagery is very graphic and even somewhat grotesque from the viewpoint of a modern reader, but Hebrew poets often expressed their thoughts in strong, vivid terms.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)