Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 7:4

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy: )

4. If I have rewarded evil &c.] If I have been guilty of unprovoked outrage, such, it is perhaps implied, as that of which Saul is guilty toward me (1Sa 24:17). This is probably right; but another possible rendering deserves mention: If I have requited him that rewarded me evil; i.e. taken revenge into my own hands. Cp. David’s solemn disclaimer of such conduct in 1Sa 24:12.

Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy ] R.V., him that without cause was mine adversary, as in Psa 7:6. See on Psa 6:7. The clause is a parenthesis, asserting that his conduct had been the very opposite of that which was attributed to him. Far from committing unprovoked outrages, he had saved the life of his enemy, and that though the enemy’s hostility to him was causeless. The words refer to the occasions in the cave and in the camp, when David prevented his followers from taking Saul’s life (1Sa 24:4 ff; 1Sa 26:8 ff.). The construction is bold, but it is thoroughly in keeping with the style of the Psalm, with its passionate protestations of innocence; and there is no need to adopt an unsupported meaning of the word for ‘deliver,’ and render, not as a parenthesis but in direct continuation of the preceding clause, and have spoiled him that without cause was mine adversary, with a supposed reference to 1Sa 24:4-5, or Psa 26:11: or to alter the text by transposing two letters, so as to mean: and oppressed mine adversary without cause.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me – If I have done evil; or if I have requited him that was friendly by some unjust and evil conduct. If I have come upon him wantonly and unprovoked, and have done him wrong. This seems to have been the substance of the accusation; and, as remarked above, it is most probable that the accuser (Cush) referred to himself.

Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy – So far is this from being true, that the very reverse is true. So far from taking advantage of another that was at peace with me, and depriving him of his just rights by fraud or force, it is a fact that I have rescued from impending danger the man that was at war with me, and that was an avowed enemy. It would seem probable that in this he refers to this very Cush, and means to say that there had been some occasion in which he, who was long hostile to him, was wholly in his power, and when he had not only declined to take advantage of him, but had actually interposed to rescue him from danger. An instance of this kind actually occurred in the life of David, in his treatment of Saul 1Sa 24:10-11; and it is possible that David referred to that case, and meant to say that that was an indication of his character, and of his manner of treating others. Those who suppose that the whole psalm refers to Saul (see the introduction, Section 2), of course regard this as the specific case referred to. There may have been other instances of the same kind in the life of David, and there is no improbability in supposing that on some occasion he had treated this very man, Cush, in this way, and that he refers here to that fact.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. Yea, I have delivered him] When, in the course of thy providence, thou didst put his life in my hand in the cave, I contented myself with cutting off his skirt, merely to show him the danger he had been in, and the spirit of the man whom he accused of designs against his life; and yet even for this my heart smote me, because it appeared to be an indignity offered to him who was the Lord’s anointed. This fact, and my venturing my life frequently for his good and the safety of the state, sufficiently show the falsity of such accusations, and the innocence of my life.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Unto him that was at peace with me, i.e. to Saul, when he was peaceable and friendly towards me; for David was charged with evil designs against Saul before Saul broke out into open enmity against him.

Yea: this particle is here used by way of correction or opposition, as it is also Psa 2:6; Pro 6:16. So far have I been from doing this, that I have done the contrary.

I have delivered him, when it was in my power to destroy him, as 1Sa 24; 1Sa 26;.

Without cause; without any provocation on my part.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4. If I have injured my friend.

yea, I have delivered,c.This makes a good sense, but interrupts the course of thought,and hence it is proposed to render, “if I have spoiled myenemy”in either case (compare 1Sa 24:4-171Sa 31:8; 1Sa 31:11).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me,…. That is, when Saul was at peace with him; when he lived at his court, and ate at his table his meaning is, that he did not conspire against him, nor form schemes to deprive him of his crown nor of his life: or, as it may be rendered, “if I have rewarded to him that rewarded me evil” u; that is, as Jarchi explains it, if I rewarded him as he rewarded me, evil for evil. This David did not; and it is eminently true of Christ his antitype, 1Pe 2:23; and in it he ought to be imitated by every believer, Ro 12:17;

yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy; meaning Saul, who persecuted David without any just reason, and whom David delivered without any obligation to do it; not for any benefit and kindness he had received from him; for the phrase “without cause” may be read in connection either with the word “delivered” w; for the deliverance was wrought without any cause or merit on Saul’s part, or profit to David; or with the word “enemy”, for Saul was David’s enemy without any just cause on David’s part: and the deliverance referred to was when he cut off Saul’s skirt, in the cave at Engedi, and spared his life; and when he took away his spear from him, as he was sleeping in the trench, and did not destroy him, nor suffer those that would to do it, 1Sa 24:4. The words may be rendered, “only I stripped him” x. The sense is, that he cut off the skirt of his coat, and took away his spear, and so in part stripped him both of his clothes and armour, at two different times; not to do him any hurt, but to let him know, as Jarchi observes, that he was delivered into his hands, and he could have slain him, but did not. The same Jewish writer interprets the word used “of stripping of garments”; and Aben Ezra observes, from R. Moses, that the “vau”, rendered “yea”, signifies “only”, as in Ge 42:10.

u “Si malum malo rependi”, Castalio. w “absque emolumento ullo ad me inde redeunte”, Gussetius. x Verbum “proprie extrahere, &c. significat, et de vestibus quae alieui exuuntur et eripiuntur proprie dicitur”, De Dieu.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

In the second clause of the fourth verse, he proceeds farther, and states, that he had been a friend, not only to the good, but also to the bad, and had not only restrained himself from all revenge, but had even succoured his enemies, by whom he had been deeply and cruelly injured. It would certainly not be very illustrious virtue to love the good and peaceable, unless there were joined to this self-government and gentleness in patiently bearing with the bad. But when a man not only keeps himself from revenging the injuries which he has received, but endeavours to overcome evil by doing good, he manifests one of the graces of a renewed and sanctified nature, and in this way proves himself to be one of the children of God; for such meekness proceeds only from the Spirit of adoption. With respect to the words: as the Hebrew word חלץ chalats, which I have translated to delivers signifies to divide and to separate, some, to prevent the necessity of supplying any word to make out the sense, (103) thus explain the passage, If I have withdrawn myself from my persecutors, in order not to succour them. The other interpretation, however, according to which the verb is rendered to deliver or rescue from danger, is more generally received; because the phrase, to separate or set aside, is applied to those things which we wish to place in safety. And thus the negative word not must be supplied, an omission which we will find not unfrequently occurring in The Psalms.

(103) In the clause, “And have NOT delivered him that persecuted me without cause,” the word not is a supplement, there being nothing for it in the Hebrew text.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(4) Yea, I havei.e., on the contrary, so far from returning evil for good, I have returned good for evil. With allusion, there can be little doubt, to the incidents referred to in the last Note. From metrical reasons, and also to avoid the abruptness of the change of construction, Ewald conjectures that two clauses have dropped out of the text, and restores as follows

If I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me

(And cunning unto him that was at peace with me,

Yea, if I have not rewarded his soul with good).

And delivered him that without cause is my enemy.

Miltons translation gives yet another colour to the passage

If I have wrought
Ill to him that meant me peace,
Or to him have rendered less,
And not freed my foe for nought.
The conjecture of a corruption of the text is supported by the rendering of the LXX. and Vulg., and a very slight change gives the probable rendering: If I have returned evil to him that dealt friendly with me, and injured my enemy without cause.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

4. Yea, I have delivered him, etc. A plain allusion to the events of 1Sa 24:6-7; 1Sa 26:8-11

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psa 7:4. If I have rewarded evil, &c. Or, If I have repayed [evil] to him who dealt ill with me; or if I have despoiled him, who without cause was my enemy. The verse, according to our translation, points strongly to the cave where David saved Saul from being killed.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psa 7:4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

Ver. 4. If I have rewarded evil, &c. ] If I have broke the conditions of our reconciliation, or betrayed my trust.

Yea, I have delivered him that, &c. ] This was true Christianity, to overcome evil with good, Mat 5:44 , &c.; Rom 12:17 , &c. O quam hoc non est omnium! O how few can skill of this! Elisha made the Syrians a feast who came to make him a grave. David spared Saul, and delivered him, not without the hazard of his own life. Bradford conducted Bourn from the pulpit at Paul’s Cross (where he had cried up Popery at the coming in of Queen Mary) safe to his lodging. A certain gentleman said unto him, Ah, Bradford, Bradford, thou savest him that will help to burn thee. I give thee his life; if it were not for thee I would run him through with my sword. And it proved as the gentleman had prophesied. There he sits, I mean my lord of Bath, Mr Bourn (said Bradford in his third examination before Stephen Gardiner), which desired me himself for the passion of Christ, I would speak to the people. Upon whose words I, coming into the pulpit, I had like to have been slain with a dagger which was hurled at him, I think, for it touched my sleeve, he then prayed me I would not leave him, and I promised that as long as I lived I would take hurt before him that day. And so went I out of the pulpit, and entreated with the people, and at length brought him myself into a house. Besides this, in the afternoon I preached in Bow Church, and there, going up into the pulpit, one willed me not to reprove the people; for, quoth he, you shall never come down alive if you do it. And yet in that sermon I did reprove their fact, and called it sedition at least twenty times. For all which my doing I have received this recompense, prison for a year and half and more, and death now, which you (my lord of Bath among the rest) go about. Let all men be judge where conscience is. Thus Master Bradford, like another David, in his own defence.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

evil. Hebrew. raa’. App-44.

delivered = rescued. Aramaean and Syriac read “oppressed”.

enemy = adversary. Hebrew. zarar.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

If I: Psa 55:20, Psa 109:5, Gen 44:4, Pro 17:3, Jer 18:20, Jer 18:21

I have: 1Sa 24:7, 1Sa 24:10, 1Sa 24:11, 1Sa 26:9-17, 1Sa 26:24

without: 1Sa 19:4, 1Sa 19:5, 1Sa 20:1, 1Sa 22:14, 1Sa 24:11-15, 1Sa 24:17-19, 1Sa 25:28, 1Sa 25:29, 1Sa 26:21

Reciprocal: Num 5:22 – the woman Deu 21:7 – General 1Sa 20:8 – if there be 2Sa 22:21 – rewarded 2Ch 20:11 – how they reward us Job 31:22 – let Psa 13:2 – enemy Psa 17:3 – shalt Psa 25:3 – without Psa 38:20 – render Psa 139:24 – And see Mat 5:22 – without Mat 5:44 – General Luk 6:27 – Love Joh 15:25 – They Act 16:28 – cried 1Th 5:15 – none

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psa 7:4. If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me He probably means to Saul, when he was peaceable and friendly toward him; for David was charged with evil designs against Saul, before Saul broke out into open enmity against him. Yea I have been so far from doing this that I have done the contrary; I have delivered him When it was in my power to destroy him; that without cause Without any provocation on my part, is mine enemy It is probable that David alludes here to his preserving the life of Saul when he was pressed by his attendants to suffer them to take it away, 1Sa 24:6; 1Sa 26:8, &c.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

7:4 {c} If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me;

(yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

(c) If I did not reverence Saul for affinities sake, and preserved his life, 1Sa 26:8-9.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes