Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 7:2
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending [it] in pieces, while [there is] none to deliver.
2. His enemies are many, but one is conspicuous above all for merciless ferocity. Cush, or perhaps Saul himself, is meant (1Sa 20:1). For the simile cp. Psa 10:9, Psa 17:12, Psa 22:13; Psa 22:21.
my soul ] My life: me regarded as a living individual.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lest he – Lest Cush should do this. See the title, and the introduction to the psalm, Section 2.
Tear my soul like a lion – Tear or rend my life – that is, me – like a lion. The word rendered soul here – nephesh – refers, as it properly does elsewhere, to the life, and not to the soul, as we use the term, denoting the thinking, immortal part. The simple idea is, that David was apprehensive of his life, and, in order to indicate his great peril, he uses language derived from the fierceness of the lion. Such imagery would be well understood in a country where lions abounded, and nothing could more strikingly denote the danger in which David was, or the fierceness of the wrath of the enemy that he dreaded.
Rending it in pieces – Rending me in pieces. Or rather, perhaps, breaking or crushing the bones, for the word used – paraq (from our English word break) – means to break, to crush, and would apply to the act of the lion crushing or breaking the bones of his victim as he devoured it.
While there is none to deliver – Denoting the complete destruction which he feared would come upon him. The figure is that of a solitary man seized by a powerful lion, with no one at hand to rescue him. So David felt that if God did not interfere, he would fall into the hands of this fierce and wrathful enemy.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 7:2
While there is none to deliver.
Times when there must be a God
Why pray so loudly, clearly, and distinctly? Because the enemy is mighty, and he may tear my soul like a lion . . . while there is none to deliver. If it be a question between man and man, woe betide the weak! If the great battles of human existence are to be measured by the strength of the contending parties, virtue will be thrown down, discrowned, destroyed. But there are times when there must be a God: controversy would be intolerable, doubt would be out of place–not blasphemy against heaven, but blasphemy against the agonised heart. In these dark times we may be said to create a God. Judge these questions in your high moods; there is no intellectual ladder that you can set up against this mystery, and by which you can climb your way into the presence of the throne: the heart can fly all the distance, counting the separate constellations nothing in the exercise of its infinite strength, created by infinite trust. What we have lost in all these matters may be described as the Divine fire. We have thought to beat cold iron into shape. Iron will only obey the hammer and the hand when fire has undertaken to do the intermediate work; it is when the soul is on fire that we have no doubt about God. When we are prosperous, too highly indulged, even sated with luxury and plenty, we play the agnostic, the atheist, the speculative thinker; but when circumstances change, when the floor gives way, when the earth rocks, when the sun sinks, as if in mortal fear, and shuts out the day; when the child dies, and when all nature seems to be set in array against the processes of life–then the real man within us will talk. When agony is stinging the soul, and darkness is accumulating itself upon the life like a burden, then let man say whether he is imbecile, whether he is unworthy of the related condition of things, and of the sovereignty which overrules and guides and crowns them all. (Joseph Parker, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. Lest he tear my soul like a lion] These words seem to answer well to Saul. As the lion is king in the forest; so was Saul king over the land. As the lion, in his fierceness, seizes at once, and tears his prey in pieces; so David expected to be seized and suddenly destroyed by Saul. He had already, in his rage, thrown his javelin at him, intending to have pierced him to the wall with it. As from the power of the lion no beast in the forest could deliver any thing; so David knew that Saul’s power was irresistible, and that none of his friends or well-wishers could save or deliver him out of such hands. “Lest he tear my soul (my life) like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.” All this answers to Saul, and to none else.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lest he, i.e. mine enemy, as it is expressed, Psa 7:4, even Saul, or any of his followers,
tear my soul out of my body; or destroy me and my life, as Psa 6:5.
Like a lion; to which he compares him both for power and cruelty, and withal intimates his own inability to oppose or escape his rage without Gods almighty help.
While there is none to deliver; whilst I have no considerable force to defend myself, but am forced to flee to mountains, and caves, and woods for my safety.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Lest he tear my soul like a lion,…. That is, one of his persecutors, the chief of them; it may be Saul, whom the psalmist compares to a lion for his majesty and greatness, the lion being the king among beasts; and for his authority, power, and might, and for his wrath and cruelty, which he feared; and which, should it be exerted on him, would tear his soul, or himself, in pieces; would rend his soul from his body, and dispatch his life; see Pr 19:12. So the Apostle Paul calls the Roman governor, before whom he was, and from whose hands he was delivered, a lion, for his power and fierceness, 2Ti 4:17. And so our adversary the devil, the chief of all persecutors, and who instigates others against the saints, is by Peter said to go about like a roaring lion, 1Pe 5:8;
rending [it] in pieces, as the lion does his prey when hungry. So Homer s compares Polyphemus to a mountain lion, which devours and leaves nothing, neither the intestines, nor flesh, nor bones; and represents t it first taking hold of the creature with its strong teeth, and breaking its neck, and drawing out its blood and all its inwards; see
Isa 38:13;
while [there is] none to deliver; no saviour, no deliverer: for if God does not save and deliver his people out of the hands of their persecutors, none can; especially out of the hands of such an one as is here described tearing and rending in pieces. As there is no God besides the Lord, there is no saviour besides him: there is no temporal nor spiritual saviour but he: salvation is not to be expected from any other; and were it not for him, saints must fall a prey to their enemies.
s Odyss. 9. v. 292, 293. t Iliad. 11. v. 175, 176. & Iliad. 17. v. 63.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Lest he tear.The poet turns from the thought of his enemies generally to the one who has just made himself conspicuous. Such a change from plural to singular often occurs in the Psalms. (Comp. Psa. 41:5-6.)
Rending it in pieces.The LXX., followed by the Vulg. (so too the Syriac), take the verb in its primitive sense of snatch away, and translate, there being none to redeem or deliver. So Milton: Tearing, and no rescue nigh. Notice the comparison of human enemies to beasts of preya reminiscence of the lion and the bear of his youth, so constantly present to David. (Comp. Psa. 3:7; 1Sa. 17:37.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Tear rending Different words of kindred import, describing the habits of wild beasts in lacerating, crushing, and separating part from part, their prey. David compares his enemies to lions for their power and ferocity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 7:2. Lest he tear my soul The singular here evidently proves that one particular enemy is referred to; Fenwick supposes it to mean the great enemy and accuser, whose agents and tools wicked men are. Soul sometimes signifies life itself, of which it is the principle; and sometimes it implies the person himself; both which senses are agreeable to this place.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
That Satan is here meant, and that it is Christ to whom the chief scope of the Psalm is directed, see Psa 22:12-21 ; Son 4:8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 7:2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending [it] in pieces, while [there is] none to deliver.
Ver. 2. Lest he tear my soul like a lion ] i.e. Put me to a cruel and tormenting death; exercising against me both cruelty and also craft, by taking me at such a time as there is none to deliver me.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he: i.e. Cush.
tear. Hebrew. taraph. Refers to living prey.
my soul = me. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
while there is none to deliver. Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulg, read “and there be no deliverer to rescue”. Better, no sign of a rescuer. Compare Lam 5:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lest: Psa 35:15, Isa 38:13
like: Psa 10:9, Psa 17:12, Psa 22:13, Deu 33:20, Pro 19:12, 2Ti 4:17, 1Pe 5:8
rending: Psa 50:22, Hos 13:7, Hos 13:8
while: Jdg 18:28, 2Sa 14:6, *marg. Job 10:7, not to deliver, Heb. not a deliverer
Reciprocal: Job 4:11 – old lion Job 5:4 – neither Psa 13:2 – enemy Psa 59:1 – Deliver Psa 71:11 – for there Psa 94:5 – break Psa 143:3 – the enemy Lam 5:8 – there Dan 8:4 – neither Hos 5:14 – as a lion Act 23:10 – fearing
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 7:2. Lest he That is, mine enemy, as it is expressed, Psa 7:4. The singular number here used, evidently proves that one particular enemy is referred to, whom some suppose to be the great enemy and accuser, whose agents and tools wicked men are. But it is much more probable that either Saul or one of his followers is intended; tear my soul Out of my body: or destroy me and my life, for soul sometimes signifies the life, of which it is the principle, and sometimes the person himself; either of which senses agrees to this place. Like a lion To which he compares his enemy, both for power and cruelty. While there is none to deliver While I have no power to defend myself, but am forced to flee to mountains, and caves, and woods, for my safety.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:2 Lest {a} he tear my soul like a lion, rending [it] in pieces, while [there is] none to deliver.
(a) He desires God to deliver him from the rage of cruel Saul.