Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 27:2
When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
2. When evil-doers came near against me to eat my flesh,
Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
This may refer to past experience, or it may be a confident anticipation of the discomfiture of his foes. According to a common Hebrew idiom the perfect tense may realise their defeat as an accomplished plished fact. See Appendix, Note IV. He compares his assailants to wild beasts, eager to devour him. Cp. Psa 3:7.
stumbled and fell ] Cp. Isa 8:15; Jer 46:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me – This refers, doubtless, to some particular period of his past life when he was in very great danger, and when God interposed to save him. The margin here is, approached against me. The literal rendering would be, in the drawing near against me of the wicked to eat up my flesh. The reference is to some period when they purposed an attack upon him, and when he was in imminent danger from such a threatened attack.
To eat up my flesh – As if they would eat me up. That is, they came upon me like ravening wolves, or hungry lions. We are not to suppose that they literally purposed to eat up his flesh, or that they were cannibals; but the comparison is one that is drawn from the fierceness of wild beasts rushing on their prey. Compare Psa 14:4.
They stumbled and fell – They were overthrown. They failed in their purpose. Either they were thrown into a panic by a false fear, or they were overthrown in battle. The language would be rather applicable to the former, as if by some alarm they were thrown into consternation. Either they differed among themselves and became confused, or God threw obstacles in their way and they were driven back. The general idea is, that God had interposed in some way to prevent the execution of their purposes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 27:2
They stumbled and fell.
Gods preservation of David in extreme danger
I. the state and condition of Davids enemies, They are wicked men. The reason whereof is the enmity put by God Himself between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), which David found (Psa 38:19-20; Joh 15:15; Joh 16:33). Uses–
1. For instruction. The godly must expect bitter opposition and enmity from the wicked (Mat 10:16).
2. For admonition.
(1) To the wicked: that they consider their state in Gods sight, when they are so spitefully bent against the godly.
(2) To the godly: to be both wise as serpents and harmless as doves, and to beware of men.
3. For comfort to the godly, that their adversaries are wicked men, for they may hereon rest assured that God will not join with their enemies unless it be for trial of grace, as in Job, or for the sins of the godly, in forsaking Him.
II. the purpose and attempt of Davids enemies against him. They came upon him to eat up his flesh; that is, utterly to destroy him.
1. Because of his religion and piety, with which their corruption could admit no accord (Psa 38:20; 2Co 6:14; 1Jn 3:12).
2. Because of the honour and dignity whereto God had advanced him (Psa 4:2; Psa 62:4). Uses–
1. For instruction.
(1) To discover the exceeding measure of corruption that is in natural men, and thereupon their fearful state in soul to Godward (Psa 53:1; Psa 53:3-4; Psa 83:4; Act 22:22).
(2) To manifest that there is a special providence of God over His Church and children, that preserves and keeps them, notwithstanding all the spite and rage of the wicked against them (Psa 105:12-14).
2. For admonition.
(1) To the wicked, to consider of their corrupt affection, in spite and hatred against the godly, whence it comes, that so they may discern their fearful state in soul, and labour to alter it.
(2) To the godly, often to bethink themselves what their religion may bring upon them from the wicked; that so they may get the sure shelter from it, viz. to have God for them.
III. the issue and success of the cruel attempt of Davids enemies against him.
1. They did not only fail of their purpose against David, but even themselves stumbled and fell.
2. The reason or cause hereof was in God, who for just causes stood for David, and set Himself against Davids enemies.
(1) He found him out, and chose him to do Him service, in that place and state wherein he was so mightily opposed by his enemies (Psa 89:20-21).
(2) David trusted in God, and so was holpen (Psa 60:1-3).
(3) David prayed unto the Lord, and so was preserved (Psa 56:9; Psa 34:4).
(4) David made conscience of sin, and walked in obedience (Psa 18:21; Psa 18:24).
(5) God would not be with his enemies, because they were not called of God, nor sent by Him against David; they were wicked men, workers of iniquity; they did neither regard Gods word nor Gods works; they trusted in their own might and outward means.
Uses–
1. For instruction.
(1) See what a great blessing and privilege it is to stand rightly in covenant with God; whereby He becometh light or salvation to a man or to a people, and the strength of their life.
(2) See the misery of those that be out of covenant with God, for the Lords power is ever against them.
2. For admonition: to give all diligence to be truly in covenant with God, that so it may be with us as it was with David.
3. For comfort to the godly, fighting the Lords battles, and yet overmatched. (T. Pierson.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. When the wicked – came upon me] Near as I appeared to you to be in danger of losing my life, I was safe enough in the hands of the Lord; and those who thought to have eaten me up, stumbled, failed of their purpose, and fell; the Philistine lost his own life.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To eat up my flesh; greedy to devour me at one morsel. Compare Job 19:22; 31:31.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. eat . . . my flesh(Job 19:22; Psa 14:4).The allusion to wild beasts illustrates their rapacity.
they stumbled“they”is emphatic; not I, but they were destroyed.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me,…. They are wicked men, men of malignant spirits, and evildoers, who are the enemies and foes of the people of God, and who hate them with an implacable hatred, and do everything they can to distress and afflict them; and such enemies David had, who were many and mighty; and these “came upon” him, or “approached against” him c, they drew near to him to make war with him, as the word signifies d; they attacked him in an hostile manner; and their view was, as he says,
to eat up my flesh, as they eat bread, Ps 14:4; to devour him at once, to make but one morsel of him, to destroy his life, to strip him of his substance, to take away his wives and children, as the Amalekites at Ziklag, 1Sa 30:1;
they stumbled and fell; the Lord put stumbling blocks in their way, and retarded their march, and hindered them from executing their designs; and they fell into the hands of David, and were subdued under him, or fell by death; and these past instances of divine goodness the psalmist calls to mind, to keep up his heart and courage, and animate and strengthen him against the fears of men, of death and hell.
c “cum appropinquaverint adversum me”, Pagninus; so Gejerus. d “Belligerantibus contra me”, Junius Tremellius so Piscator & Ainsworth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2. When the wicked, etc. There is no reason for translating this sentence, as some interpreters do, into the future tense. (579) But while we retain the past tense which the prophet employs, the words may be explained in a twofold manner. The meaning but in the prophetic writings it is often used for the future. There does not, however, as Calvin remarks, appear to be any necessity for translating the verbs into the future tense in this passage, in which David may be considered as contemplating the past evidences of the goodness of God towards him, and from them taking encouragement with respect to the future. either is, that David celebrates the victory which he had obtained by the blessing of God; or there is a reference to the manner in which he had encouraged himself to hope the best, even in the midst of his temptations, namely, by thinking of God’s former favors. The latter is the exposition which I prefer. They both, however, amount to the same thing, and imply that David had no reason henceforth to doubt of God’s assistance when he considered his former experience; for nothing is of greater use to confirm our faith, than the remembrance of those instances in which God has clearly given us a proof not only of his grace, but of his truth and power. I connect this verse, accordingly, with the following one. In the former, David recalls to mind the triumphs which, by God’s help, he had already obtained; and from this he concludes, that by what hosts soever he may be environed, or whatever mischief his enemies may devise against him, he would fearlessly stand up against them. The Hebrew word קרב karab, signifies to approach; but here it refers to the irruption that David’s enemies made upon him when they assaulted him. Some translate it to fight, but this translation is flat. To testify his innocence, he calls them wicked or froward, and by saying that they came upon him to eat up his flesh, (580) he expresses their savage cruelty.
(579) The rendering of the learned Castellio is, “ Si invadant — offensuri sunt atque casuri;” — “If they invade me they shall stumble and fall The Hebrew verbs for “stumble” and “fall”
(580) French and Skinner read, “to devour my flesh;” and observe, that “this image is taken from a wild beast. Compare Psa 3:7, and Psa 22:13.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) When . . .Literally, In the coming against me (of) the wicked to devour my fleshmy enemies and my foes to methemselves stumbled and fell. Job. 19:22 would allow us to understand those who eat up flesh, as a figure for calumniators and detractors; but the context marks out the situation so clearly as that of a warrior, that we rather take it as a general metaphor for savage and violent attacks. To me, is an emphatic repetitionmy enemies, mine.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. To eat up my flesh An image borrowed from the habits of beasts of prey. Job 19:22.
They stumbled and fell An evident recognition of a great victory over his enemies. See 2 Samuel 18. Instead of devouring him, they themselves fell.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
When evil-doers came upon me,
To eat up my flesh,
Even my adversaries and my foes,
They stumbled and fell.
He casts his mind back to the past, and remembers how his enemies had tried to destroy him But no matter who they had been, whether internal enemies or external, they had all stumbled and fallen. None had been able to prevail against him. They had been unable to ‘eat his flesh’, that is, to destroy him. And the same was still true. The Hebrew ‘past tense’ reflects not so much the past, but the sense of definiteness.
Significantly when the greater David came His enemies would be allowed to ‘eat His flesh’ (Joh 6:53) by destroying Him. For it was only through doing that that light (Joh 8:12) and salvation (Mat 1:21) could be made available to His people as they too could ‘eat His flesh’ by trusting in Him (Joh 6:35)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 27:2. To eat up my flesh See Job 31:31. This expresses the utmost rancour or envy. There is the same expression in Ecc 4:5 where, as it should be translated, the fool is said to sit lazily with folded arms, and out of envy to eat the flesh of his diligent neighbours, whom he sees to thrive. Mudge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 27:2 When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Ver. 2. When the wicked, even mine enemies, came upon me ] Made impression upon me, with utmost violence and open mouth, as if they would have devoured me, like a cannibal; or as a lion doth a sheep, inhumanissime, ferarumque more, saith Junius, barbarously and beastly.
They stumbled and fell
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
enemies = adversaries.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 27:2-3
Psa 27:2-3
“When evil-doers came upon me to eat my flesh,
Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
Though a host should encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear:
Though war should rise against me,
Even then will I be confident.”
“Came upon me to eat my flesh.” The RSV has greatly weakened these words by changing them to, “uttering slanders against me.” As Kidner said, “They needlessly relegated to the margin this powerful metaphor of the enemy as a pack of vicious animals.
Of course, as Barnes pointed out, “We are not to suppose that the enemies here were cannibals, intent, literally, on eating David’s flesh; the metaphor is drawn from the fierceness of wild beasts rushing upon the prey.
The mention of “slanders” in the RSV is explained by some as the charges David’s enemies made against him alleging his mistreatment of the members of the house of Saul; and, of course, Absalom slandered David in his vicious charges of incompetence in his kingship.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 27:2. Enemies and foes mean also the same, but there is a slight difference in degree. The first has the sense of a competitor without any necessary personal feeling of enmity. The second means those who hate another. Eat up my flesh means they wanted to do him bodily harm. God intervened and caused them to fail in their designs against David.
Psa 27:3. Numbers do not count when arrayed against the Lord or those in his service. Even in war the Lord can give the victory by the use of small numbers. The experience of Gideon could be cited as a proof (Jdg 7:7).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
wicked: Psa 3:7, Psa 18:4, Psa 22:16, Psa 62:3, Psa 62:4
came upon: Heb. approached against
to: Psa 14:4, Psa 53:4, Job 19:22, Job 31:31
they: Psa 18:38-42, Psa 118:12, Isa 8:15, Joh 18:3-6
Reciprocal: Exo 14:13 – Fear ye not Num 13:30 – General Deu 7:18 – shalt not Jos 1:9 – be not Jos 10:8 – General Jos 11:6 – Be not Jos 17:18 – for thou shalt Jdg 6:33 – Then all 2Ki 18:5 – trusted 1Ch 28:20 – fear not Ezr 3:3 – for fear Est 7:6 – this wicked Psa 25:19 – Consider Psa 34:4 – from Psa 35:3 – stop Psa 37:40 – from Psa 49:5 – Wherefore Psa 56:1 – swallow Psa 56:9 – then Psa 59:2 – save Psa 119:95 – wicked Psa 119:150 – draw nigh Psa 124:3 – Then they Pro 3:25 – Be Pro 28:1 – the righteous Isa 7:2 – And his heart Isa 33:6 – strength Jer 10:25 – eaten Jer 15:21 – deliver Jer 20:11 – my Jer 46:6 – stumble Dan 3:17 – our God Dan 11:19 – but Mar 6:24 – The head Joh 9:22 – because Joh 11:10 – General Joh 18:6 – they went Rom 5:4 – and experience Rev 17:16 – eat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 27:2-3. When my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh Greedy to devour me: aiming at no less than my utter destruction, and confident they should effect it; they stumbled and fell Not, I smote them and they fell, but they stumbled, namely, of their own accord, without my lifting a hand against them; and fell They were so confounded and weakened that they could not go on with their enterprise. Thus they that came to take Christ were, by a word of his, made to stagger and fall to the ground, Joh 18:6. The ruin of some of the enemies of Gods people is an earnest of the complete conquest of them all. And, therefore, these being fallen, he is fearless of the rest. Though a host should encamp, &c. Though my enemies be numerous as a host; though they be daring, and their attempts threatening; though they encamp against me, an army against one man; though they wage war upon me, yet my heart shall not fear Hosts cannot hurt us, if the Lord of hosts protect us.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
In the past, when David’s enemies advanced against him, they stumbled and fell because God defended him. Therefore, David said that in the future he would not fear if an entire army were to pitch camp and prepare to attack him.