Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 54:1
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
1. by thy name ] God’s name is the manifestation of His character, the sum of His revealed attributes. The Psalmist can appeal to it, for He has declared that it is His will to save those who put their trust in Him. Cp. Psa 5:11.
judge me ] Do me justice. Confident in the goodness of his cause, he is sure that if right is done him, he will be delivered. Cp. 1Sa 24:15; Psa 7:8; Psa 9:4; Psa 26:1; Psa 35:24; Psa 43:1.
by thy strength ] R.V., in thy might. God has not only the will, but the power to deliver His servant. He is “a mighty one who will save” (Zep 3:17).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Save me, O God, by thy name – The word name here may include the perfections or attributes properly implied in the name. It is a calling on God as God, or in view of all that is implied in his name, or that constitutes the idea of God. That name would imply all of power and benevolence that was necessary to secure his salvation or safety. The particular object of the prayer here is that God would save him from the design of the Ziphims to betray him to Saul. In some way David seems to have been apprised of the information which they had given to Saul, or at least to have suspected it so strongly that he felt it was necessary for him to move from place to place in order to find safety.
And judqe me by thy strength – The word judge here is used in the sense of declaring a judgment in his favor, or of vindicating him. See the notes at Psa 7:8. Compare Psa 18:20; Psa 26:1; Psa 43:1. The idea is, Vindicate or save me by thy power.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 54:1-7
Save me, O God, by Thy name, and judge me by Thy strength.
Phases of piety
I. Piety praying. The prayer has respect to–
1. The character of God (Psa 54:1).
2. The entreatability of God (Psa 54:2).
3. The necessity for God (Psa 54:3).
II. Piety trusting. He had confidence in God–
1. As a Deliverer from his enemies.
2. As the Chastiser of his enemies.
III. Piety worshipping.
1. Worship is voluntary sacrifice. The offering of self is essential to give virtue and worth to all other offerings.
2. Worship is praise to God.
(1) On account of what He is in Himself.
(2) On account of what He is to us (Verse 7). (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
PSALM LIV
The psalmist complains that strangers were risen up against
him to take away his life, 1-3;
expresses his confidence in God that he will uphold him, and
punish his enemies, 4, 5;
on which he promises to sacrifice to God, 6;
he speaks of his deliverance, 7.
NOTES ON PSALM LIV
The title is, “To the chief Musician upon Neginoth, an instructive Psalm of David, when the Ziphites came to Saul, and said, Doth not David conceal himself among us?”
Ziph was a village in the southern part of Palestine. David having taken refuge in the mountains of that country, the Ziphites went to Saul, and informed him of the fact. Saul, with his army, immediately went thither, and was on one side of a mountain while David was on the other. Just when he was about to fall into the hands of his merciless pursuer, an express came to Saul that the Philistines had invaded Israel, on which he gave up the pursuit, and returned to save his country, and David escaped to En-gedi. See the account in 1Sa 23:19-29. It is supposed to have been after this deliverance that he composed this Psalm. Neginoth, from nagan, to strike or play on some kind of instrument, probably signifies stringed instruments, such as were played on with a plectrum.
Verse 1. Save me, O God, by thy name] Save me by thyself alone; so name here may be understood. The name of God is often God himself. David was now in such imminent danger of being taken and destroyed, that no human means were left for his escape; if God therefore had not interfered, he must have been destroyed. See the introduction above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By thy name, i. e. by thy own strength, as the next words explain it, because I have no other refuge. Or, for thy name, i.e. for thy own glory, which is concerned in my deliverance.
Judge me, i.e. judge or give sentence for me, or plead my cause, as this phrase is oft taken, as we have seen.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. by thy name (Ps5:11), specially, power.
judge meas in Psa 7:8;Psa 26:1.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Save me, O God, by thy name,…. That is, by himself, by his power, and of his grace and goodness; the Lord’s name is often used for himself. David in his distress applies to his God for salvation and deliverance, who only could give it; which was right; and his prayer was remarkably heard and answered: for when Saul came down upon the first discovery, and beset David and his men all around, just as he was about to seize the prey, tidings came to him of the invasion of the Philistines; which obliged him directly to quit his pursuit of David, and return in haste for the defence of his country, 1Sa 23:26; and upon the second discovery, when Saul came again to take him, Saul was delivered into the hands of David, who could have took away his life if he would; but he only took his spear and cruse of water by his bolster, as a proof of his being in his power, 1Sa 26:12. Of such avail is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man. This prayer is suitable enough to David’s antitype and son, the Messiah; see Ps 69:1; and especially to sensible sinners; who, being made acquainted with, their lost and perishing condition, inquire the way of salvation; and finding it is not by works, but by Christ alone, apply in that way for it, and desire that God would save them by his Son; who is his name, in whom his name is, and whose name Jesus, a Saviour, is of God’s giving; and this name is a strong tower, whither such souls, sensible of danger, flee and are safe; nor is there any other name in which salvation is, and which is therefore exceeding precious, and like ointment poured forth; see Ex 23:21. Or, “for thy name’s sake” h; for the sake of the glory of his divine perfections; which was displayed in the deliverance of David, and more abundantly in the salvation of lost sinners; such as the wisdom, power, faithfulness, justice, grace and mercy of God. Such a petition shows that man cannot save himself; that no creature, none but God can save him; and that a sensible sinner desires to be saved in such a way that God may be glorified;
and judge me by thy strength; David, though innocent, had many charges laid against him; his enemies were lively and strong; he puts his cause into the hands of the Lord, his strong Redeemer, who was able to plead it thoroughly against those that strove with him; so Christ, his antitype, committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously, 1Pe 2:23; and so should every believer.
h “propter nomen tuum”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus, Amama, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(Heb.: 54:3-5) This short song is divided into two parts by Sela The first half prays for help and answer. The Name of God is the manifestation of His nature, which has mercy as its central point (for the Name of God is , v. 8, Ps 52:11), so that (which is here the parallel word to ) is consequently equivalent to . The obtaining of right for any one ( like , Psa 7:9, and frequently, , Psa 9:5) is attributed to the all-conquering might of God, which is only one side of the divine Name, i.e., of the divine nature which manifests itself in the diversity of its attributes. ( Psa 54:4) is construed with (cf. , Psa 87:2) like , Psa 78:1. The Targum, misled by Psa 86:14, reads instead of in Psa 54:5. The inscription leads one to think of the Ziphites in particular in connection with “strangers” and “violent men.” The two words in most instances denote foreign enemies, Isa 25:2., Psa 29:5; Eze 31:12; but is also a stranger in the widest sense, regulated in each instance according to the opposite, e.g., the non-priest, Lev 22:10; and one’s fellow-countrymen can also turn out to be , Jer 15:21. The Ziphites, although Judaeans like David, might be called “strangers,” because they had taken the side against David; and “violent men,” because they pledged themselves to seize and deliver him up. Under other circumstances this might have been their duty as subjects. In this instance, however, it was godlessness, as Psa 54:5 (cf. Psa 86:14) says. Any one at that time in Israel who feared God more than man, could not lend himself to be made a tool of Saul’s blind fury. God had already manifestly enough acknowledged David.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Complaints. | |
To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A psalm of David, when
the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
1 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
We may observe here, 1. The great distress that David was now in, which the title gives an account of. The Ziphim came of their own accord, and informed Saul where David was, with a promise to deliver him into his hand. One would have thought that when David had retired into the country he would not be pursued, into a desert country he would not be discovered, and into his own country he would not be betrayed; and yet it seems he was. Never let a good man expect to be safe an easy till he comes to heaven. How treacherous, how officious, were these Ziphim! It is well that God is faithful, for men are not to be trusted, Mic. vii. 5. 2. His prayer to God for succour and deliverance, Psa 54:1; Psa 54:2. He appeals to God’s strength, by which he was able to help him, and to his name, by which he was engaged to help him, and begs he would save him from his enemies and judge him, that is, plead his cause and judge for him. David has no other plea to depend upon than God’s name, no other power to depend upon than God’s strength, and those he makes his refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer of his prayers (v. 2), which even in his flight, when he had not opportunity for solemn address to God, he was ever and anon lifting up to heaven: Hear my prayer, which comes from my heart, and give ear to the words of my mouth. 3. His plea, which is taken from the character of his enemies, v. 3. (1.) They are strangers; such were the Ziphites, unworthy the name of Israelites. “They have used me more basely and barbarously than the Philistines themselves would have done.” The worst treatment may be expected from those who, having broken through the bonds of relation and alliance, make themselves strangers. (2.) They are oppressors; such was Saul, who, as a king, should have used his power for the protection of all his good subjects, but abused it for their destruction. Nothing is so grievous as oppression in the seat of judgment, Eccl. iii. 16. Paul’s greatest perils were by his own countrymen and by false brethren (2 Cor. xi. 26), and so were David’s. (3.) They were very formidable and threatening; they not only hated him and wished him ill, but they rose up against him in a body, joining their power to do him a mischief. (4.) They were very spiteful and malicious: They seek after my soul; they hunt for the precious life; no less will satisfy them. We may, in faith, pray that God would not by his providence give success, lest it should look like giving countenance, to such cruel bloody men. (5.) They were very profane and atheistical, and, for this reason, he thought God was concerned in honour to appear against them: They have not set God before them, that is, they have quite cast off the thoughts of God; they do not consider that his eye is upon them, that, in fighting against his people, they fight against him, nor have they any dread of the certain fatal consequences of such an unequal engagement. Note, From those who do not set God before them no good is to be expected; nay, what wickedness will not such men be guilty of? What bonds of nature, or friendship, or gratitude, or covenant, will hold those that have broken through the fear of God? Selah–Mark this. Let us all be sure to set God before us at all times; for, if we do not we are in danger of becoming desperate.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Psalms 54
A Prayer of Faith Psalm
This is a Psalm of David when the Ziphites told Saul where David was hiding, 1Sa 23:19; 1Sa 26:1.
Scripture v. 1-7:
Verses 1-3 are an outcry of David for God to save him (from death) for His name (His honor), as the God of Israel, and to judge him by His strength, rather than permit him to fall into the hands of Saul, Psa 7:8; Psa 26:1. He cried to the Elohim-God, the creating and preserving God to hear, heed, respond to the words of his mouth. He asks that God render justice to his adversaries, who were oppressing strangers, who “had not God before them,” yet sought to kill him. The Ziphites, who had posed as David’s friends, had risen up to betray him, as hostile enemies, Isa 25:5; Psa 120:5; Jos 15:24; 1Ch 4:16; Psa 55:19.
Verse 4 declared that David trusted in the Elohim, sustaining God, as his helper, Pro 3:3-5. For He is the one who is continually with those men and angels that upheld, supported his soul life. 1Ch 12:18; Psa 118:7; Isa 41:10; Rom 8:31; Heb 1:14; Heb 13:6; Psa 34:7.
Verses 5, 6 assert that the Lord will send just retribution upon David’s enemies and cut them off from efforts to dethrone him forever, according to His truthful covenant, Psa 89:27-37; 2Sa 7:9-17; Luk 1:32. With firm faith in God’s promise to preserve his throne David vowed to sacrifice and freely praise the name of the Lord forever, Psa 52:9; Psa 92:1; Psa 117:1.
Verse 7 relates David’s view of victory, by faith, over his present and all future enemies to his throne. In this he rejoiced for liberation over all his troubles and the just fall of his enemies, ideal objects for Christian joy, 2Co 1:10; Rom 8:37.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
1. Save me, O God! As David was at this time placed beyond the reach of human assistance, he must be understood as praying to be saved by the name and the power of God, In an emphatical sense, or by these in contradistinction to the usual means of deliverance. Though all help must ultimately come from God, there are ordinary methods by which he generally extends it. When these fail, and every earthly stay is removed, he must then take the work into his own hands. It was in such a situation that David here fled to the saints’ last asylum, and sought to be saved by a miracle of divine power. By appealing, in the second part of the verse, to God as his judge, he asserts his uprightness. And it must strike us all, that in asking the divine protection it is indispensably prerequisite we should be convinced of the goodness of our cause, as it would argue the greatest profanity in any to expect that God should patronise iniquity. David was encouraged to pray for deliverance by the goodness of his cause and his consciousness of integrity; nor did he entertain a single doubt, that on representing this to God he would act the part of his defender, and punish the cruelty and treachery of his enemies.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CONFESSION AND RECOVERY FROM SIN
Psalms 51-60
IN continuing the study of this second Book in the Psalter Pentateuch we come now to the question of the centuries, the sin question. This is not the first time that we have had to face it. From Gen 3:6, it has been the ever-present and never-solved problem.
This study is marvelously near the middle of our Book Divine; and the same question that has rung through the pages, already turned, will present itself in some form on practically every page of the Book till we come to Rev 22:21.
There are certain manifest suggestions in these ten chapters; but in a large way they are directly associated with the confession of sin, contrition for sin, and recovery from sin.
THE CONFESSION OF SIN Chapter 51
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive five.
Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness.
O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.
For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it; Thou delightest not in burnt-offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.
Here we have the acknowledgment of a personal transgression. We believe absolutely with those who hold that David was thinking upon his own past and reflecting with grief upon the Bathsheba incident, involving as it did, a practical combination of murder and lust.
As is usual with sin, the horror of it is only felt after the deed is effected; and for every prayer, such as our Lord taught us to say, Lead us not into temptation, a prayer that looks to avoiding the iniquitous, there are a hundred petitions of the sort here recorded
Have mercy upon me, O God, according unto Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.
Too few of our prayers anticipate danger; too many of them confess damnable acts already done.
There are those who see in this acknowledgment a corporate, rather than an individual confession. They think that this is the prophetic language of Israel when at last she realizes the iniquity of her rejection of Jesus. But such an interpretation, if it be at all possible, can only be accepted as an inference from David the type. The simple truth is that every word in this fifty-first Psalm fits exactly the spiritual experience of the speaker. The whole history of David shows him a man of tender conscience, unusually affectionate, and with a keen discernment of right and wrong. We are not in the least surprised, therefore, to hear from his lips this pathetic plea. It is a proof of conscious wrong on the part of a conscientious believer. It is the saints abhorrence of his own sin; and incidently, it introduces some of the most natural features of soul-experience. Take, for instance, the sentence, Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest (Psa 51:4).
Grant, in The Numerical Bible argues that such a confession, in Davids lips, would not have been true, even, since he had sinned against Uriah, against himself, and against Bathsheba; and so Grant sees in this, an application to repentant Israel.
But the argument is poorly based and far-fetched. The simple fact is, and millions of saved men would bear testimony to it, when the soul is convicted of sin that conviction seldom takes the form of conscious wrong to individual victims, or even that of willful transgression of the Law. The truth is as Delitzsch argues, Every relation in which man stands to his fellow-men, and to created things in general, is but the manifest form of his fundamental relationship to God; and as even Grant himself admits, At every point at which we touch His creatures, we touch God Himself; every blow struck at them is struck at Him.* * The guilt of every sin is fundamentally the same, revolt against God. This is, in a true sense, the only sin.
We knew a man well; in fact, we preached to him the truths that effected his salvation, and with our hands we laid him beneath the baptismal wave, who before his confession was a highway man, a gambler, a drunkard, an adulterer, and at the last, a would-be murderer. But his confession, following his salvation, was to this effect, When on that morning, the very day I had fixed upon for the destruction of my wife and children, and suicide, the Spirit of God came upon me with overwhelming conviction; and, as I walked out from my home, to fall on the grass of the back yard, face down, to cry for mercy, I had no sense of wrong concerning my past indolence, my past gambling, my past drunkenness, my past lusts; not even was I painfully sensible of the intention of murder and suicide. One great, overwhelming thought surged through my brain as loud as the sirens whistle, Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight.
It is interesting also to study the psychology of the sentence that follows, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me This was not intended by the Psalmist in self-defense. He had passed that point and had admitted that God would be justified when He spake, and clearly defensible when He judged. It was said, rather, in explanation; it was an admission, I have always been wrong! I came from my mothers womb with a frightful twist in my moral nature and from the days when my steps toddled in uncertain paths I have been nothing but a sinner!
The phrases that follow indicate further Your eyes have searched my inward parts in vain. No truth is in them. You have looked for wisdom but it was not mine by nature; and if I am ever cleansed you must accomplish it; and if my soul is ever white, the cleansing must come from above! And then, as if to appeal if possible to the tenderness of God, he cries, Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. And that he may escape just judgment, he adds,
Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
And he pleads,
Create in me a. clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Rather,
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
Alas, as if such a thought was too good to be true, he breathes and begins again, Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvationremember against me no more Uriahs death; free my conscience from that whole subject by speaking my absolution. And then, My tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness.
It looks now as if he had reached a higher table land; as if his heart would not sink again nor his feet mire; and he concludes the Psalm with these words,
Oh Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.
For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it; Thou delightest not in burnt-offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.
Sweeping aside that whole school of interpreters who see in this Israels confession, we stand absolutely with those who believe it to be the utterance of a believers heart, broken with the sense of sin, conscious of just condemnation, and yet daring to hope in a merciful God. The verses 18 and 19 do not militate against that view. Few saints ever deplore their own sins, and forget the sanctuary. They grieve personal sin, lest it hinder the general cause, and so David prays for Zion, for Jerusalem, and for cleansing and consecration as symbolized in the temple ceremonies.
We now go to the study of another chapter, chapter fifty-two, and here we are tracing the history that led David into disappointment and difficulty.
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man! The lovingkindness of God endureth continually;
Thy tongue deviseth very wickedness, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully;
Thou lovest evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness.
Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
God will likewise destroy thee for ever: He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living.
The righteous also shall see it, and fear, and shall laugh at him,
Saying, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
But as for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God for ever and ever.
I will give Thee thanks for ever, because Thou hast done it; and I will hope in Thy Name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy saints. (Psa 52:1-9).
Here again, there are those who see in this Psalm a prophetic picture of the man of sin, the Anti-Christ to come. This view they rest in the phraseology of the Psalm. The boastful one if spoken of as mighty man, and the circumstance that he is a lying, deceitful man, is supposed to point to the great deceiver of prophetic Scriptures.
In our judgment such an interpretation is farfetched, and Psalms 52 is a natural sequence of Psalms 51. The whole setting of the Psalm is accounted for and explained in the incident of David meeting Doeg, the Edomite, the servant of Saul, when he visited Ahimelech, the priest, as recorded in 1 Samuel 21:l-9. It will be remembered that this information led to a fearful massacre, in which Doeg was a leader, and in which boastfulness and lying deceit played conspicuous part. Doeg was a mighty man, the chief of the herdmen. His arrogance is as great as his eventual ruin was eternal. When contemplating upon the former, David clearly prophesied the latter. God will likewise destroy thee for ever, He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living (Psa 52:5, A. S. V.).
Then he moralizes: The righteous also shall see it, and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness (Psa 52:6-7, A. S. V.). The record of that destruction is written into 1Sa 22:17-19. There are those who profess astonishment at Davids language. They are shocked by what they call gloating over the evil end of an enemy. But let it not be forgotten that true righteousness always rejoices in the overthrow, of the sinful, and the truly humble are, of necessity, glad to see the boastfully proud brought low.
What men call the imprecatory Psalms are not, as they imagine, merely curses of the self-confident, the malignant prayers of the man who imagines himself above and beyond his fellows; they are, instead, a legitimate expression of a heart that delights in good and hates evil. It is doubtful if there is ever a case in history in which the iniquitous are overthrown, but the righteous justly rejoice. As some one has said, The cross as the hope and refuge of repentant sinners, is Gods chief witness against sin.
The conclusion of this chapter I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God for ever and ever. I will give Thee thanks for ever, because Thou hast done it; and I will hope in Thy Name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy saints (Psa 52:8-9, A. S. V.) is not a mere expression of Phariseeism. On the contrary, it is the voice of gratitude that one has been kept, and of decision, concerning continued trust, together with that natural burst of praise that breaks from the lips of him, who rightly pleads and rightly interprets Gods acts in dealing with men.
From this review of the end of the evil man and this personal appreciation of Divine favor it is easy for the Psalmist to pass to the
FRUITFULNESS OF FOLLY
Psalms 5354 deal with that subject.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none that doeth good.
God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
Every one of them is gone back; they are together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up My people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee; thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of His people Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Save me, O God, by Thy Name, and judge me by Thy strength.
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth;
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul; they have not set God before them. Selah.
Behold, God is mine helper; the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies; cut them off in Thy truth.
I will freely sacrifice unto Thee. I will praise Thy Name, O Lord, for it is good.
For He hath delivered me out of all trouble; and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies (Psalms 53-54).
There are those who would imagine that the Psalmist forgot himself, and on occasions did what the average preacher does, palmed off an old sermon. If you make a comparison between this fifty-third Psalm and Psalm fourteen, you will discover more than resemblance. There is practical identity, clear repetition; but the fifty-fourth Psalm presents entirely new material; and its pathetic plea for salvation, follows logically from the evident effects of infidelity. The man who sees others swelled with skepticism, begs to be saved from a kindred experience. The man who sees others plunging into corruption, and consuming even saints in their mad course of immorality, longs for deliverance from all such danger. God and God alone is his help, and God and God alone is his adequate defense. The grace of the past is his ground of hope for the future; and as he reflects upon the multitude of times that he himself has been delivered out of trouble, he can but praise the Name of the Lord.
Beyond all question, this chapter voices a memory of dark days for David. It is supposed to have been written about the time of Absaloms rebellion, when a conspiracy was formed against him, and to have involved the participation in that rebellion of his most familiar and trusted friend, Ahithophel. Those unhappy incidents of life explain many of the pathetic expressionsthe voice of the enemy, the oppression of the wicked, the betrayal of a friend, a man mine equal, my guide and mine acquaintance, one with whom he had taken sweet counsel and with whom he had walked to the house of God. The whole setting fits the circumstance of Absaloms rebellion and Ahithophels betrayal.
Few men ever occupy positions of importance without suffering after a kindred manner. The oppression of natural enemies is comparatively easy to be borne; but the betrayal of friends, that, indeed, is a grief that takes the heart out of one and tends to shake his confidence in humanity itself; tempts one to say, No man can be trusted, and to doubt the reality of unselfish and untarnished affection.
Such an experience, however, leads the truly intelligent to fall back on God and God alone. Thats what the Psalmist does. Listen to his language and learn well the lesson. The words fall hard, upon disappointment, deception, betrayal.
As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me (Psa 55:16).
Evening and morning and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
God shall hear and afflict them. * *
Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
But Thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in Thee (Psa 55:17-23).
After all, its a good conclusion! The man who can take his eyes off the perfidy of his fellows and turn them to the faithfulness of his Heavenly Father, will never be fully discouraged.
From the old Baptist Hymnal, we used to sing,
Zion stands with hills surrounded,
Zion, kept by power Divine;
All her foes shall be confounded,
Though the world in arms combine;
Happy Zion,
What a favored lot is thine!
Every human tie may perish;
Friend to friend unfaithful prove;
Mothers cease their own to cherish;
Heaven and earth at last remove;
But no changes
Can attend Jehovahs love.
In the furnace God may prove thee,
Thence to bring thee forth more bright,
But can never cease to love thee;
Thou art precious in His sight;
God is with thee,
God, thine everlasting light.
This leads to a pledge of further praise (Psalms 56-57). Each of these opens with a prayer for mercy, but each of them moves to a burst of praise.
Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up (Psa 56:1).
About a moment later
In God I have put my trust; I will not fear; what flesh can do unto me (Psa 56:4).
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; for my soul trusteth in Thee; yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge.
Until these; calamities be overpast (Psa 57:1).
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp; I myself will awake early.
I will praise Thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing unto Thee among the nations (Psa 57:7-9).
H. M. Lischer was thinking along kindred lines with the Psalmist, when he wrote:
Upward I lift mine eyes;
From God is all my aid;
The God who built the skies,
And earth and nature made;
God is the tower to which I fly;
His grace is nigh in every hour.
My feet shall never slide
And fall in fatal snares,
Since God, my guard and guide,
Defends me from my fears;
Those wakeful eyes that never sleep
Shall Israel keep when dangers rise.
Hast Thou not given Thy Word
To save my soul from death?
And I can trust Thee, Lord,
To keep my mortal breath;
Ill go and come, nor fear to die,
Till from on high Thou call me home.
RECOVERY FROM SIN
Psalms 56, 59, 60 of this Book present the solemn phases of sin, but the grace and justice of God in saving His own not alone from sin but from the sinful.
In Psalms 58 Gods judgment rejoices the righteous. From Psa 58:2 to Psa 58:9 there is a picture of the wicked and of their wickedness; and a prayer that God will bring them to judgment. In Psa 58:10 and Psa 58:11 the Psalmist anticipates the question and declares the righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily He is a God that judgest in the earth.
This figure may seem revolting to a people who are living at peace with their fellows, but it comes to have its meaning in the day when the violent seem about to capture the earth, and the wicked smite with the poison of the serpent.
Under all ordinary circumstances we grieve when a man is slain and his blood stains the earth but when such conditions arise as exist in Chicago now, when gangsters will line up men against the wall, seven in number, and shoot them dead as they stand huddled in fear and obedient to the command of a bandit, who will grieve if those men are overtaken and sent to the gallows; or even if the righteousness of the law obtain and they fall before the officers bullets? Gentleness, compassion and tears, these are for times of peace; but justice is essential when the violent threaten society and the wicked work their will against the same.
Gods judgment avenges the righteous. Hear Psalms 59:
Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.
They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.
Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth heart
But Thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; Thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
Because of his strength will I wait upon Thee: for God is my defense.
The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by Thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
And at evening let them return, and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Unto Thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.
Here again the exercise of Divine power in judgment in behalf of the righteous is not only defensible, but is essential to the justification of Deity itself. The God who permits wickedness to stalk the land without speaking its rebuke, or smiting its head, would be a questionable God. There are instances in history that tend to show that God is the same yesterday, and to day and for ever. Narcissus was Bishop of Jerusalem, a man of faultless life, so John Foster tells us, faithful in rebuking vice of every kind, but was falsely accused. His first accuser, in closing his testimony on one occasion said, If these things are not so, may I be consumed by fire. A second accuser said, If these things are not so, may I be overtaken by some horrible disease. A third said, If these things are not so, may God smite me blind. And Foster continues, The day came when the house of the first was consumed by fire and he and his family perished in flames, and yet another day when the second was smitten and suffered long under a loathsome disease; and the third seeing the terrible end of his companions confessed his iniquity and wept over his crimes until his sight was utterly gone.
Finally, Gods power shall bring victory to the righteous.
O God, Thou hast cast us off, Thou hast been displeased; O turn Thyself to us again.
Thou hast made the earth to tremble; Thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
Thou hast shewed Thy people hard things: Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
That Thy beloved may be delivered; save with Thy right hand, and hear me.
God hath spoken in His holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Suecoth.
Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the strength of Mine head; Judah is My lawgiver.
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; Philistia, triumph thou because of Me.
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
Wilt not Thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and Thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?
Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of man.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies (Psa 60:1-12).
It is a glorious conclusion! Through God we shall be victorious; for it is He that shall tread down our enemies. In all the conflicts of life, the one thing that men need beyond all things else is the favor of God. If conquest is to be ours, if we are to come through victorious against them that would persecute and hurt us, if we are to triumph against trouble, vain is the help of man, he will fail us, but our God, never! If we are to have a victory against that impersonal enemy, and yet that most terrible of all, sin, He alone can give it to us.
God of our strength, enthroned above,The source of life, the fount of love;O let devotions sacred flame,Our souls awake to praise Thy Name
To Thee we lift our joyful eyes,To Thee on wings of faith we rise;Come Thou, and let Thy courts on earth Ring out Thy praise in holy mirth.
God of our strength from day to day,Direct our thoughts and guide our way;O may our hearts united be,In sweet communion, Lord, with Thee.
God of our strength, on Thee we call;God of our hope, our light, our all, Thy Name we praise, Thy love adore,Our Rock, our Shield for evermore.
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
INTRODUCTION
Superscription.To the Chief Musician on Neginoth. There is very little doubt that Neginoth is the general term denoting all stringed instruments whatsoever, whether played with the hand, like the harp and guitar, or with a plectrum. The chief musician on Neginoth was therefore the conductor of that portion of the Temple-choir, who played upon the stringed instruments.Smiths Dict. of the Bible.
Maschil, an instruction. Berleb. BibleWe should learn from the example of David that even in the greatest danger we should resort to no forbidden means, nor grow faint, but should call upon the name of God, and commit to Him all our concerns as to the Supreme Judge.
A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims, &c. The psalm was composed by David when the Ziphites informed Saul that David concealed himself in their country. This occurred on two occasions, 1Sa. 23:19; 1Sa. 26:1. Probably the first of these is referred to here, as the words of the superscription literally agree with the words of the Ziphites, as reported in 1Sa. 23:19. The psalm, says Moll, is plain and simple in form and contents. It expresses at first a prayer to God for deliverance in a just cause from dreaded ungodly enemies (Psa. 54:1-3). It then expresses, in a lively manner, confidence in the Divine help and the punishment of His enemies (Psa. 54:4-5); finally it concludes with the vow of thanksgiving for such acts of God in confirmation of His name.
Homiletically we regard the psalm as presenting to view The troubled life of a good man Psa. 54:1-3; and, The triumphant life of a good man, Psa. 54:4-7.
A GLIMPSE OF A TROUBLED LIFE
(Psa. 54:1-3.)
Consider
I. The cause of the trouble. For strangers are risen up against me, &c. His distress arose from his enemies, whom he here represents as
1. Unnatural. Strangers are risen up against me. The expression is not to be taken literally as denoting foreigners, since the inhabitants of Ziph, a town situated in the mountain wilderness of Judah, a few miles south-east of Hebron, were of the same race as David. His own countrymen had become as foreigners to him, had treated him as an enemy. The Psalmist, like St. Paul in an after age, was in perils among false brethren. Dickson: No strangers are more strange than they who cast off the bands of civility and nature, whereby they were bound: false countrymen, false brethren, false friends, false alliance, are those of whom men may expect least in their need, for David findeth such men to be his greatest enemies.
2. Cruel. Oppressors seek after my soul. As a cruel tyrant, Saul was seeking to compass the death of David. Nothing less than the precious life itself would satisfy the jealous and malignant monarch.
3. Practically atheistic. They have not set God before them. Arnd.: Not to have God before the eyes, means to speak and act without dread, whatever one pleasesnay, what is contrary to God and His holy Word, as if God did not see and hear it; nor to be afraid of Gods anger, or of His judgment, and to have no remembrance of God in the heart. When men thus ignore the Divine Being, can we wonder that they trample under foot all ideas of humanity and justice in their treatment of their fellow-men? So we have a glimpse of this troubled life. Externally the poet knew no safety or peace; he was hunted from place to place with unrelenting cruelty, &c. We, too, know the meaning of trouble, and are not unacquainted with false brethren and fierce enemies, &c.
II. The comfort in the trouble. The Psalmist found relief and help in prayer to God.
1. The object of his prayer. He prayed for audience and acceptance. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. But the grand object of his prayer was deliverance from his dangers, salvation from his troubles. Save me, O God, by Thy name, &c. David seems to have been aware that the Ziphites had informed Saul of his whereabout; he felt how perilous his position was; and he appealed to God for protection and deliverance.
2. The encouragement of his prayer. This he drew from two sources.
(1) The Being to whom he prayed. () His power to save. Judge me by Thy strength. He will show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is Thy hand, high is Thy right hand. () The perfections of His nature. Save me, O God, by Thy name. Barnes: The word name here may include the perfections or attributes properly implied in the name. It implies all the benevolence, faithfulness, and power that were needed to warrant the most sanguine hope of salvation from Him.
(2) The righteousness of his cause. Judge me. These words indicate that David was conscious of the righteousness of his cause. If he obtained his rights in the case, he would be triumphantly delivered. Arnd.: From these words we learn, if we would pray rightly, and indeed would make a strong, powerful prayer, we must have a good cause, so that our conscience may not condemn us, and render our prayer impotent.
CONCLUSION.Learn
1. What the good may not expect in this life: exemption from trouble.
2. What the good may expect in this life: support and comfort in trouble. Let us seek it in prayer, as David did.
A GLIMPSE OF A TRIUMPHANT LIFE
(Psa. 54:4-7.)
The outward life of the Psalmist at this time was characterised by constant peril and trial; but his inward life was marked by peace and triumph. Consider
I. The nature of the triumphant life. The poet brings into notice two prominent features of this life
1. Faith. Faith is the soul of all heroisms, whether of patient endurance, or brave, persistent performance. David believed in
(1) God. To him God was not a myth or the mere article of a creed to which he had assented; but the grand Reality of being. His faith was living and realising in its character. He felt the presence of God with him, &c.
(2) The righteousness of Gods government. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies. Notwithstanding his present distresses, David was fully persuaded of the righteousness of the Divine laws and administration. Ultimately the apparent inequalities in Gods government of the world will all be removed. Men will be retributed according to their character and conduct.
(3) Gods interest in the individual life of those who trust Him. Behold, God is mine Helper, &c. God is personally interested in every one whose confidence is reposed in Him. In his distressing wanderings, David never passed beyond the Divine care. In his extremest danger he was covered by the shield of the Divine protection. It was his faith in these things that enabled him to live a triumphant life, even in the midst of incessant persecutions and perils. It is true of all men and in all ages that LIFE CAN BECOME VICTORIOUS ONLY THROUGH FAITH. Faith enlarging the horizon of life, realising the future and invisible, feeling the presence of God, and resting in His promises, transforms common men into heroes (Heb. 11:32-40).
2. Worship. I will freely sacrifice unto Thee, &c. Here we have
(1) The forms of worship. Sacrifice, praise. Forms are indispensable to us. They express, and, by expressing, often increase, religious feeling.
(2) The spirit of worship. Freely. This is not to be interpreted as signifying either () Spiritual as opposed to ceremonial offerings; or () Voluntary sacrifices as contrasted to those offered in fulfilment of vows; but () Offerings brought with a willing mind and a glad heart. Sacrifice and praise, gifts and songs, are acceptable unto God and helpful to man only in the measure of their spontaneousness and heartiness. Here is another thing which contributed to the triumph of the Psalmist,he delighted in worship. Worship calms, emboldens, strengthens man. Faith and worship are of the essential nature of a victorious life.
II. The conquering power of the triumphant life.
1. It gives assurance of victory. Behold, God is mine helper, &c., Psa. 54:4-5. The believer in Christ has an unfailing assurance that, through Him, he will vanquish all his enemies.
2. It enables its possessor to realise the deliverance, and to triumph even in the midst of the trouble and conflict. He hath delivered me out of all trouble, &c. The victorious spirit enables David, even in the midst of his anxieties and perils, to realise
(1) Complete deliverance from trouble; and
(2) Complete triumph over his enemies. Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. Wordsworth: The words his desire are not in the original, and would be better omitted. What David says is, that his eyes look calmly on his enemies: he views them without alarm; for he feels that the shield of Gods power and love is cast over him to protect him.
CONCLUSION.Let us thankfully rejoice in the victorious life. Even now, while beset by troubles and confronted by enemies, we triumph in and through Jesus our Lord. These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace, &c. (Joh. 16:33). We glory in tribulations also, &c. (Rom. 5:3-5). In all these things we are more than conquerors, &c. (Rom. 8:31-39). Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.
GOD OUR HELPER
(Psa. 54:4.)
Behold, God is mine helper.
Man often stands in need of Divine help. It is good and pleasant to enjoy the help of our fellow-saints; but their help is limited, uncertain, and often valueless. Not so GodHe is possessed of every qualification, so there never can be failure with him. Notice
I. When God is the helper of His people.
1. In the great crisis of their conversion. He raiseth from the pit, delivers, saves, &c.
2. In the troubles and afflictions of life. These are many, varied, sometimes severe, &c. Job, the Apostles (2Co. 1:8-10).
3. In the perils and conflicts of their warfare (Psa. 37:14-15; Psa. 60:11-12; Psa. 146:5).
4. In their labours and toils in His kingdom (Psa. 121:1-2).
5. In weakness, sickness, and death (Psa. 23:4; Psa. 116:1-9).
II. What kind of a Helper is God.
1. Always near at hand.
2. Always efficient and sufficient.
3. Perpetual and everlasting.
III. The conclusions to which the subject should lead us.
1. Personal knowledge and reliance on God.
2. Unwavering faith and hope.
3. Constant prayer and supplication. He will be sought and inquired of.
4. Acknowledgment and praise. Bless the Lord at all times, &c.Jabes Burns, D. D.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Psalms 54
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE
A Prayer Prompted by the Hostile Action of the Zephites.
ANALYSIS
Stanza I., Psa. 54:1-2, Prayer for Salvation and Vindication; supported by a Refrain, vet. 3, describing the psalmists Enemies. Stanza II., Psa. 54:4-5, Coming Help Welcomed and its Effects Anticipated. Stanza III., Psa. 54:6-7, Willing Sacrifice Promised and Thanks Formulated.
(Lm.) An Instructive PsalmBy DavidWhen the Ziphites entered and said to Saul, Is not David hiding himself with us?
1
O God by thy name save me,
yea by thy heroic strength shalt thou vindicate me.
1. Implied.
2
O God hear thou my prayer,
Do give ear to the sayings of my mouth.
3
For aliens[594] have arisen against me,
[594] Some cod. (w. 2 ear. pr. edns., Aram.): insolent men. Cp. Psa. 86:14Gn.
and ruthless ones have sought my life:[595]
[595] U.: soul. Cp. Intro., Chap. III., Soul.
they have not set God before them.[596]
[596] Whoever at that time in Israel feared God more than man could not have made himself the instrument of the blind fury of Saul. God had already plainly enough acknowledged DavidDel.
4
Lo! God is bringing help to me,
my Sovereign Lord is among the upholders of my life.[597]
[597] U.: soul.
5
Let him turn back the mischief upon my watchful foes,
in thy truth exterminate them.
6
Willingly will I sacrifice unto thee,
I will thank thy name[598]For he is good;
[598] M.T.: Jehovahnot in Sep.
7
For out of every distress hath he rescued me,
and on my foes hath gazed mine eye.
(Lm.) To the Chief Musician. (CMm). With stringed instruments.
PARAPHRASE
Psalms 54
Written by David at the time the men of Ziph tried to betray him to Saul.
Come with great power, O God, and save me! Defend me with Your might!
2 Oh, listen to my prayer.
3 For violent men have arisen against meruthless men who care nothing for God are seeking my life.[599]
[599] Literally, Your name.
4 But God is my helper! He is a friend of mine![600]
[600] Literally, The Lord is of them that uphold my soul.
5 He will cause the evil deeds of my enemies to boomerang upon them. Do as You promised and put an end to these wicked men, O God.
6 Gladly I bring my sacrifices to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 God has rescued me from all my trouble, and triumphed over my enemies.
EXPOSITION
It is easy to see how psalm-collectors would be unwilling to let these little personal snatches of song die, and equally-obvious how in after times these minor compositions could be adapted to occasions bearing some similarity to those which gave them birth. The wonder is, not that they found their way into the psalm-books of Israel, but that they were ever originated under the romantic circumstances which their superscriptions set forth. Yet it would be an irreparable loss to the history of revelation if we were to allow our wonder to land us in scepticism. Rather ought we to say:This is the sort of man David wasat least in his unsullied youth and young manhood, while yet waiting for the kingdom: hunted, fleeing, hard-pressed, deceived by men who acted as spies and informers, circumvented at the royal headquarters by hirelings and foreigners and envious old companions now turned traitors; yet all the while maintaining his faith in his Divinely given destiny, cast down by fresh troubles, cheered by new mercies; discovering in a loving message from Jonathan, or in the arrival of a few fresh adherents tokens that God was bringing him help, that his Sovereign Lord was among the upholders of his lifenot, of course, as one upholder among many, but chief mover and upholder of them all.
As for these officious Ziphites, we know too little of them to say much. The inhabitants of a little town fifteen miles to the southeast of Hebron,though within the bounds of Judah, may very well have included some influential men of alien birth or at least of insolent disposition; and as for tyrants, there may have been several at Court, like Doeg and Cush, deserving of that name; among whom the writer may have mentally included the arch-tyrant Saul himself, though not more pointedly alluding to him.
The more thoroughly we enter into Davids especial circumstances, the more easily shall we be able to see how naturallynay almost inevitablyhe could only conceive of the removal of such enemies from a kingdom over which he was to reign, by looking forward to their extermination. Even Israel as a nation might afterwards feel justified in appropriating the same language, without excusing Christians from the supreme duty of forgiving their enemies. The salvation for which the psalmist prays is a temporal deliverance, which can only be effected at the expense of the implacable enemies who are seeking his life; and it will be a vindication of Gods faithfulness and a proof of His righteous government at which he cannot but rejoiceKp.
The perfect tense hath rescued, hath looked, looks back from the hour of thanksgiving upon an answered prayerKp. as also Per.; and therefore in the above rendering these clauses have been included in the quotation marks.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
Give some possible explanation as to why Psalms 53, 14 are practically identical.
2.
The paraphrase of Psa. 53:1 seems to suggest that the reason some deny God is because an admission of Him would interfere with the kind of life they want to liveis this a common cause for infidelity? Discuss.
3.
Are we to understand from Psa. 53:2-3 that among the aborigine races of the world that there is not one earnest sincere seeker after God among them? Discuss.
4.
Psa. 54:5 of the 53rd psalm is difficult of interpretationit is different than the 5th verse of the 14th. Read the K.J. translationHow do you interpret it?
5.
David was in a very real personal, physical peril at the hands of the Ziphitesis God to be called upon on such occasions or does He not feel we should use our own so called common sense and get out of such positions of peril? Discuss.
6.
Here is a quote from an ecclesiastical commentary: The church has taken a clear view in appointing this one of the Psalms (the 54th )in commemoration of the passion of Jesus. It is seen with greatest effect as a simple prophecy of Christthere surely is a danger in so interpreting this psalm or any other portion of scripture . What is the danger? Discuss.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(1) By thy name.See Note, Psa. 20:1. (Comp. Isa. 30:27.)
Judge me by thy strengthi.e., in Thy power see that justice is done me.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1. By thy name For, or on account of, thy name. The name of God is that by which he is known: the manifestation of his nature and attributes, whether by titles or acts. It is the honour of God his public fame as avenger of wrong and defender of the oppressed to which David appeals. Comp. Exo 32:12; Jos 7:9; Psa 20:1.
By thy strength The divine nature and strength are his dependence. God is both disposed and able to save.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Heading ( Psa 54:1 a).
Psa 54:1
‘For the Chief Musician, on stringed instruments. Maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Does not David hide himself with us?”
Dedicated to the Choirmaster or Chief Musician, and to be played on stringed instruments, this is another Maschil of David. It is said in the heading to have been written when the Ziphites, in the Judean wilderness, betrayed David to Saul (1Sa 26:1). That was a particularly difficult time for David, for having built up a private army a few hundred strong, he had previously been in danger of being handed over to Saul by the men of Keilah, whom he had delivered from the Philistines (1Sa 23:1-13). Having therefore escaped to the wilderness of Judea he was once more betrayed to Saul by the Ziphites, who may well have been very concerned at having such a large armed contingent in their territory.
The Psalm divides into two sections separated by the usual word Selah, indicating a pregnant pause in the singing, when the singers and listeners could pause to consider what had been said. The two sections are as follows:
David Prays To Be Delivered From The Hands Of Saul (Psa 54:1-3).
David Expresses His Confidence In God’s Protection And Deliverance, And Assures Him That He Will Not Be Short On Gratitude (Psa 54:4-6).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
David Prays To Be Delivered From The Hands Of Saul ( Psa 54:1-3 ).
Psa 54:1-2
‘Save me, O God, by your name,
And judge me in your might.
Hear my prayer, O God,
Give ear to the words of my mouth.’
David calls on God to deliver him ‘by His Name’, in other words by the character and attributes that that Name reveals. It would be in His Name that David was anointed by Samuel to be Saul’s replacement (1Sa 16:12-13), which David no doubt saw as giving him the right to God’s protection. It was to Samuel that David first fled when he recognised that he was no longer safe from Saul’s jealousy (1Sa 19:18). He was also relying on what that Name revealed of loyalty to those who observed His covenant (which Saul had failed to do).
‘Judge me in Your might.’ He calls on God as ‘the Strong One’ to consider his case and act accordingly, demonstrating a verdict in favour of David by acting in might on his behalf. Confident that he is in the right, David calls on God to hear his prayer, and listen to what he has to say..
Psa 54:3
‘For strangers are risen up against me,
And violent men have sought after my life,
They have not set God before them. [Selah
He points out to God that strangers and violent men have risen up against him and are seeking his life, because they have not given consideration to God’s purposes. They are not looking to God for guidance (something that David constantly did. See for example, 1Sa 23:9-12; 2Sa 2:1). ‘Strangers’ regularly signifies ‘foreigners’ of whom there may well have been a good number in Saul’s standing army. Having come to dwell in Israel they would be content to be on full time duty because they possessed no land which had to be cultivated (they may have included the Habiru of 1Sa 14:21. Habiru (landless people) were often mercenaries). One such was Doeg the Edomite who might well have been in David’s mind. (David’s mighty men also included non-Israelites). Or ‘strangers’ may refer to the Ziphite wilderness dwellers, who lived lives separately from ‘civilised society’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psalms 54
Psa 54:1 (To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?) Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Psa 54:1
Most modern translations do as the KJV and transliterate this Hebrew word as “maschil,” thus avoiding the possibility of a mistranslation. The LXX reads “for instruction.” YLT reads “An Instruction.” Although some of these psalms are didactic in nature, scholars do not feel that all fit this category. The ISBE says, “Briggs suggests ‘a meditation,’ Thirtle and others ‘a psalm of instruction,’ Kirkpatrick ‘a cunning psalm.’” [74]
[74] John Richard Sampey, “Psalms,” in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., c1915, 1939), in The Sword Project, v. 1.5.11 [CD-ROM] (Temple, AZ: CrossWire Bible Society, 1990-2008).
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Prayer and Consolation at the Time of Persecution.
v. 1. Save me, O God, by Thy name, v. 2. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth, v. 3. For strangers are risen up against me, v. 4. Behold, God is mine Helper, v. 5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies, v. 6. I will freely sacrifice unto Thee, v. 7. For He hath delivered me out of all trouble,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
THIS is a short psalm, written in a time of great trouble, and containing, first, an earnest prayer for deliverance (Psa 54:1-3); and then an expression of confidence in God’s aid, and of thankfulness for the deliverance, which is counted as absolutely certain (Psa 54:4-7). The “title,” which assigns the psalm to David, and makes the occasion his betrayal to Saul by the Ziphites, appears to be trustworthy.
Psa 54:1
Save me, O God, by thy Name; i.e. by the qualities of which thy “Name” is significantpower, goodness, and truth. And judge me; i.e. “vindicate me,” or “judge my cause.” By thy strength; or, “thy might”the might which thou possessest as a gibbor, or “hero.”
Psa 54:2
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. (comp. Psa 39:12; Psa 55:1).
Psa 54:3
For strangers are risen up against me. David’s designation of his foes as “strangers” has been made an argument against the trustworthiness of the “title,” since the Ziphites were Israelites of the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:55). But he might well call those “strangers” who were treating him as an alien. Comp. Psa 120:5, where “the psalmist, heavily oppressed by his countrymen, complains that he dwelt in Mesheeh and Kedar” (Hengstenberg). And oppressors seek after my soul; or, my life. The phrase is exactly that used in 1Sa 23:15, when David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in a wood, and “saw that Saul was come out to seek his life.“ They have not set God before them (comp. Psa 86:14). David, on the contrary, “set the Lord always before him” (Psa 16:8).
Psa 54:4
Behold, God is mine Helper. There is a pause between Psa 54:3 and Psa 54:4, indicated by the pause-mark, “Selah.” Then, confident of his prayer having been heard, the psalmist breaks out into a joyous burst of thankfulness and self-gratulation (Psa 54:4-7). The Lord is with them that uphold my soul; rather, of them (Revised Version); i.e. “one of them.” But the intention is not to place God on a par with other helpers. Rather, as Professor Cheyne remarks, it is to make him the representative of” the class of helpers.”
Psa 54:5
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies; literally, he shall return the wrong upon my adversaries. “The wrong” is that which his adversaries had wished to inflict upon the psalmist, viz. death (see 1Sa 23:19, 1Sa 23:20). Cut them off in thy truth; or, “in thy truthfulness” (Cheyne). God had given his peoplethose who were faithful to himthe promise of his protection, and, being true, could not go back from his word.
Psa 54:6
I will freely sacrifice unto thee. Confidence has now mounted up to certainty. Regarding the deliverance as accomplished, the psalmist promises a freewill offering (Hengstenberg, Kay, Canon Cook) to God, so soon as he can approach the sanctuary. The phrase used is the ordinary one for sacrifices of thanksgiving (Num 15:3). I will praise thy Name, O Lord; for it is good (comp. Psa 52:9).
Psa 54:7
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble. “The poet looks forward, and treats the future as past” (Cheyne). He sees the “troubles” over, the Ziphites disappointed and punished, himself not only preserved from the immediate danger, but altogether freed from trouble of every kind, and rejoices in the deliverance which he feels has been accorded him. And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. There is nothing about “desire” in the original, which seems rather to mean, “Mine eye has looked, calmly and leisurely, upon my (defeated) enemies” (so Dr. Kay).
HOMILIES BY W. FORSYTH
Psa 54:1-7
Peril and prayer.
Here we have
I. PERIL MOVING TO PRAYER. (Psa 54:1-3.) Danger may arise from various causes. Soul-danger is the worst. Then when sore pressed and in trouble, the instinct of the heart is to cry to God, “Save me!” Prayer is “the mighty utterance of a mighty need” (Trench).
II. PRAYER INSPIRING CONFIDENCE. (Psa 54:4.) Prayer brings the soul into the very presence of God. The thought of what he is (” thy Name”) and of what he has done (“God is mine Helper”), furnish ample pleas for entreaty, and sure ground for hope. Experience gives us courage to cleave to the word of promise. “If God be with us, who can be against us?”
III. CONFIDENCE ANTICIPATING DELIVERANCE. (Psa 54:5.) The nearer we get to God, the more truly we are in sympathy with him, so as to make his will our will, the more certain do we become of deliverance. We rise to the vision of victory. God is ever on the side of right. There may still be clouds, but we see the bright light shining above the clouds. There may still be struggles and pains, but we press on with renewed ardour and assurance, for we know whom we have believed, and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him, and to bring forth judgment unto victory.
IV. DELIVERANCE. AWAKING PRAISE. (Psa 54:6.) Some forget their obligations to God when the danger is past; but it will not be so with the righteous. Like the Samaritan leper, they return to give glory to Godwith sacrifices of thanksgiving and songs of praise.W.F.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT
Psa 54:1-7
Prayer for deliverance.
I. A PRAYER TO BE DELIVERED FROM IMPENDING DANGER. (Psa 54:1-3.) The prayer is grounded:
1. Upon the Divine nature. “By thy Name, by thy strength.” It is God’s nature to save; he uses his omnipotence on behalf of those who call upon him.
2. Upon the righteousness of his cause. “Judge my cause [or, ‘avenge me’] by thy strength.” We can pray when we are pleading for a good cause.
3. Upon the character of those who threatened his safety. (Psa 54:3.) They were not men who acted as if they were seen of God; did not set God before them.
II. THE TRIUMPHANT ASSURANCE OF THE PSALMIST‘S FAITH. (Psa 54:4-7.)
1. He is assured of the general truth that God was his Helper. (Psa 54:4.) He knew that God stood to him in that relation usually, and for ever. He would therefore trust.
2. His assurance is so great that he regards his deliverance as already accomplished. (Psa 54:5-7.) He is therefore at rest and in peace, delivered from danger.
3. He will sacrifice and praise as one already saved. Faithreal faithis always joined to works.S.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Psalms 54.
David, complaining of the Ziphims, prayeth for salvation: upon his confidence in God’s help, he promiseth sacrifice.
To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
Title. lamnatseach binginothbebo hazziphim. To the chief musician on Neginothwhen the Ziphims To the master of the stringed instrumentswhen the Ziphites. This Psalm begins with a prayer to God for his protection. The Psalmist then represents his danger from lawless oppressive men, who sought after his life. He encourages himself by faith and hope in God, and declares his resolution to render a solemn sacrifice of thanksgiving to his kind preserver, who had delivered him out of all his troubles. Of the suitableness of the Psalm to the occasion, every one who reads it will be convinced.
Psa 54:1. Save me, O God, by thy name The name of God frequently denotes the attributes, or providence, or operations of God, in the sacred writings; and to be saved by his name, is to be saved by the interposition of his power and goodness. Or the words may be rendered, Save me, beshimka, because of thy name; viz. “to vindicate the honour of it, and thy truth and faithfulness in the promises thou hast made me.” See Nold. p. 152 sect. 23. Judge me by thy strength, or power, means, “determine, decide my cause, by thy mighty power.” Saul, in the cause between him and David, was resolved to end it by force only, and to arbitrate it no other way than by a javelin, a sword, or his forces. The Psalmist well knew that Saul, in this respect, would be too hard for him; and therefore applies for protection and justice to one, whose power he knew was infinitely superior to that of his adversaries, and who, he was assured, could and would defend him.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psalms 54
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
Save me, O God, by thy name,
And judge me by thy strength.
2Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3For strangers are risen up against me,
And oppressors seek after my soul:
They have not set God before them. Selah.
4Behold, God is mine helper:
The Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
5He shall reward evil unto mine enemies:
Cut them off in thy truth.
6I will freely sacrifice unto thee:
I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.
7For he hath delivered me out of all trouble:
And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Its Contents and Composition.This Psalm, Which was to be accompanied by stringed instruments, and was designed for devotional consideration (vid. Introduct., 8 and 12), is plain and simple in form and contents. It expresses at first a prayer to God for deliverance in a just cause from dreaded ungodly enemies (Psa 54:1-3). It then expresses, in a lively manner, confidence in the divine help and the punishment of his enemies (Psa 54:4-5); finally it concludes with the vow of thanksgiving for such acts of God in confirmation of His name (Psa 54:6-7). That the title agrees in part literally with 1Sa 20:19; 1Sa 20:26, is no sound reason for rejecting its authenticity (Paulus, De Wette), or of preferring the title of the Syriac referring to the war with Absalom (Rudinger). We may suppose a common source in the Annals (Delitzsch). No more is the reference of enemies (Psa 54:3) to foreigners against the title (vid. Psa 54:3), nor is there any occasion for the conjecture that the people themselves are here introduced as speaking.
Str. I., Psa 54:1.By Thy name does not mean for Thy names sake (J. H. Mich.), but designates that which in the divine nature has been made known by His revelation of Himself, and therefore here, Psa 54:6, as in Psa 52:9, it is called , good. This refers to the qualifications of a person or thing, or that something is entirely as it should be, and thus in accordance with its idea and aim. The name is here still less synonymous with power (Hengst.) or goodness (Delitzsch), as it is in close connection with Elohim in Psa 54:1 and with Jehovah in Psa 54:6, and is the subject of the clause of deliverance, Psa 54:7. Comp. Isa 30:27.
Psa 54:3. Strangers.If this expression is regarded as=foreigners, barbarians, then it is inconsistent with the title, since the inhabitants of Ziph, a town situated in the mountain wilderness of Judah, a few miles south-east of Hebron, were of the same race as David. The fundamental meaning of =alieni is used frequently by Isaiah and Ezekiel for foreign enemies; that is to say, those belonging to another nation; but it has usually the secondary meaning of wicked, violent, cruel in disposition, and men of this class, Isa 1:7 (Hupfeld), and it can thus gain the general idea of enemies of this kind, especially when parallel with , as here and Isa 25:5; Isa 29:5; Eze 7:21; Eze 31:12 (Calvin, Geier, et al.). It is unnecessary to prefer the more convenient reading , that is to say, the proud (Luther, Muscul., Venema); for it is only found in the Chald. paraphrase and a few MSS. perhaps changed in accordance with Psa 86:14. The explanation that those who were by origin and divine law friendly are compared on account of their behaviour, not as it were with barbarians, but are called at once strangers, is favored by the comparison with Psa 120:5 (Hengst.), where the Psalmist, afflicted by his countrymen, complains that he dwells in Mesech and Kedar among heathen nations. The idea of stranger includes, Jer 2:21, that of degeneration, changed into a foreign nature, (Hupfeld); hence the explanation of many (in Calvin) alieni=degeneres filii Abrahami.1
Str. 2, Psa 54:4. Among the supporters of my soul.This does not mean that God is one among many others who support his soul; the so-called beth essentis states the class, the only representative of which is God, Psa 118:7; Jdg 11:35.
Psa 54:5. Evil shall return to my oppressors.Since is construed with instead of with , many editions and interpreters [so A. V.] prefer with the ancient translation and numerous MSS. the Keri=he will requite, comp. Psa 94:23.In Thy truth.The prep. does not state that the truth of God (others: His faithfulness) is the instrumental means of their destruction, but the active cause of it (Delitzsch).
Psa 54:6. In willingness will I sacrifice unto Thee.The reference here is not to freewill offerings, Exo 35:29; Lev 7:16, etc. (Calvin, J. H. Mich., Rosenm., Hengst., [Alexander]), in contrast with those offered in the fulfilment of vows; but it is said, that they are to be brought voluntarily, that is to say, with glad heart and willing mind, Deu 23:24; Hos 14:5 (the ancient versions, Kimchi and most interpreters). Decisive for this interpretation is the circumstance that is construed here not with an accusative, but with , just as Num 15:3, where the same expression is used as a motive of thank-offering (Hupfeld). The offerings in question are not spiritual (many of the older interpreters) in contrast to the ritual sacrifices (Psa 50:14), but the latter as external representatives of the former.
Psa 54:7. It hath delivered me, &c.[This is the translation of Moll, referring to the name of God as the subject, although he does not explain his reasons here. So also Delitzsch, et al., in accordance with the biblical usage of the name of God for God in accordance with Lev 24:11; Isa 30:27. This is better than the ordinary translation making God Himself the subject of the clause.C. A. B.] The preterites indicate that the Psalmist feels himself in his spirit and faith transported to the circumstances from which and for which thanksgiving is to come.[On my enemies my eye has looked.Wordsworth: The words his desire are not in the original, and would be better omitted. What David says is, that his eyes look calmly on his enemies: he views them without alarm; for he feels that the shield of Gods power and love is cast over him to protect him. The consummation of this idea is seen in the serene movement of Christ, passing through the midst of His enemies and looking calmly upon them, while they were taking up stones to cast at Him (Joh 8:59. Comp. Luk 4:30, and see the rendering in Sept., Vulg., Syriac, thiopic). Christ also lit up the gleams in the dying martyrs face (Act 6:15; Act 7:54-59).C. A. B.]
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. A man may be forsaken by all earthly means of help, and have unfaithful friends and dreaded enemies; yet he is by no means lost. The example of David may and will teach us, that even in the greatest danger we should not seek any unlawful means, or despair, but call upon Gods name and commit all our affairs to Him as the supreme Judge (Berlenb. Bibel). But faith, patience, and a good conscience are requisite for this.
2. The name of God is not a mere word, least of all a word in the mouth of men and possessed of human power, but an esssential and efficient revelation of God Himself by which we not only learn to know God, so that we can speak properly to Him and about Him, but by which we still more gain true consolation, real power and actual salvation from God, and wherein we possess a valuable means of communion with God.
3. Faith sees the invisible God, and bases itself upon the truth of God. Therefore it gives assurance of salvation in the wicked world and works joy in suffering and hope where there is no hope; for it fixes the attention upon the name and the word of God, whereby the deliverance of the pious, as well as the ruin of the ungodly, is pledged. By this means also the heart and eye are purified, so that without being glad in the injury of others, or without a revengeful feeling, or any other sinful excitement, we delight ourselves in the tokens of divine righteousness, and can see our pleasure in the fact that God will not be mocked.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Gods power not only helps our weakness; it likewise breaks the power of all our enemies.When forsaken, we should not only trust God, but likewise call upon Him.God does not allow those out of His sight who put Him away from their eyes; but He does not close His ears to those who pray to Him.To be forsaken is not to be lost.Among all conceivable helpers, God is the only true support of our soul; therefore we may implore=receive from heaven what the earth refuses to us.He who has not only expected the help of God, but has implored it, will likewise be willing to render thanks, and will be unwearied in praising the name of God.Gods actions correspond with His name; how is it with our faith and behaviour?What thou hast promised, keep; but see to it that thou doest the one as well as the other with willing heart.Faith sees what no eye can see; therefore it gives us comfort, courage and gladness.He who calls upon the name of God must likewise trust in the truth of God and rejoice in the acts of God.
Starke: The unfaithfulness of men should teach us to give more heed to the faithfulness of God.To put Gods omnipresence away from our eyes, is the origin of all carnal security, unrighteousness and a perversity of nature.The great ones of the earth have great power; but if they do not use it to protect the right, there is a greater and mightier one than they, who will not always look upon injustice.God remains indebted to no one; every one will sooner or later receive the recompense for what he has done.Either sin must be destroyed in man by the word of truth, or the man himself who neglects this will be destroyed on account of the truth of the divine threatenings.Frisch: What we cannot accomplish against our enemies by earthly power, Gods word and truth will perform.J. Arndt: Gods faithfulness and truth are sure, and must finally cause themselves to be seen.Rieger: As Davids heart believed, his eyes finally saw.Tholuck: The Lord Himself will be the helper of those who are forsaken by all others.Guenther: We should not rise up from prayer until God has answered our petitions.Diedrich: If we abide in Gods word, the worse our enemies are, the greater the preservation from God.Taube: Davids deliverance and the ruin of his enemies were both the words of God and a comfortable revelation of the name of God.
[Matt. Henry: Never let a good man expect to be safe and easy till he comes to heaven.What bonds of nature or friendship or gratitude or covenant will hold those that have broken through the fear of God?There is truth in Gods threatenings as well as in His promises, and sinners that repent not will find it so to their cost.Barnes: We can be thankful for the mercies which we enjoy without having any malignant delight in those woes of others through which our blessings may have come upon us.Spurgeon: A child may well complain to his father when strangers come in to molest him.Saul, that persecuting tyrant, had stamped his image on many more.Kings generally coin their own likeness.What matter the number or violence of our foes when He uplifts the shield of His omnipotence to guard us, and the sword of His power to aid us?It is of great use to our souls to be much in praise; we are never so holy or so happy as when our adoration of God abounds.C. A. B.]
Footnotes:
[1][Perowne suggests that the word strangers may mean only enemies, the idea of a foreigner, one of another country, passing over readily into the idea of an enemy, just as in Latin hostes meant originally nothing more than hospes.C. A. B.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
The Psalmist is at the throne of grace in this Psalm, in the exercise of prayer and praise. He cries to God for deliverance from his enemies, and concludes with thanksgiving; in the assurance that his prayer is heard and answered.
To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
Psa 54:1
The title of this Psalm explains the particular trial David was exercised with when he thus had recourse to a mercy-seat. The history of that part of David’s life we find 1Sa 23:19 , and again 1Sa 26:1 . But while we behold David king of Israel in the historical part connected with this scripture, I would hope that the Reader, by this time, hath seen enough in David’s history to consider him as a lively type, in many instances, of David’s Lord. Surely the Holy Ghost intended to direct the church, from so much being recorded of this man’s history and writings, to look off from him, and to behold a greater than he, as the chief object proposed from these scriptures. And will not the Reader be led therefrom to discover, that in the repeated attempts made on David, by the Ziphims and others, to deliver him into the hands of Saul, there are strong allusions made to the perfidy and baseness of Judas the traitor, and the Scribes and Pharisees, to deliver the Lord Christ into the hands of his enemies? The Ziphims proposed to themselves Saul’s favour and a reward: and Judas’s language was, what will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? If we compare 1Sa 23:19-20 , with Mat 26:14-16 , keeping our eye upon Jesus as we read this Psalm, we shall trace several things which will serve to keep him and his unequalled trials in remembrance.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
PSALMS
XI
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS
According to my usual custom, when taking up the study of a book of the Bible I give at the beginning a list of books as helps to the study of that book. The following books I heartily commend on the Psalms:
1. Sampey’s Syllabus for Old Testament Study . This is especially good on the grouping and outlining of some selected psalms. There are also some valuable suggestions on other features of the book.
2. Kirkpatrick’g commentary, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” is an excellent aid in the study of the Psalter.
3. Perowne’s Book of Psalms is a good, scholarly treatise on the Psalms. A special feature of this commentary is the author’s “New Translation” and his notes are very helpful.
4. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. This is just what the title implies. It is a voluminous, devotional interpretation of the Psalms and helpful to those who have the time for such extensive study of the Psalter.
5. Hengstenburg on the Psalms. This is a fine, scholarly work by one of the greatest of the conservative German scholars.
6. Maclaren on the Psalms, in “The Expositor’s Bible,” is the work of the world’s safest, sanest, and best of all works that have ever been written on the Psalms.
7. Thirtle on the Titles of the Psalms. This is the best on the subject and well worth a careful study.
At this point some definitions are in order. The Hebrew word for psalm means praise. The word in English comes from psalmos , a song of lyrical character, or a song to be sung and accompanied with a lyre. The Psalter is a collection of sacred and inspired songs, composed at different times and by different authors.
The range of time in composition was more than 1,000 years, or from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra. The collection in its present form was arranged probably by Ezra in the fifth century, B.C.
The Jewish classification of Old Testament books was The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. The Psalms was given the first place in the last group.
They had several names, or titles, of the Psalms. In Hebrew they are called “The Book of Prayers,” or “The Book of Praises.” The Hebrew word thus used means praises. The title of the first two books is found in Psa 72:20 : “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” The title of the whole collection of Psalms in the Septuagint is Biblos Psalman which means the “Book of Psalms.” The title in the Alexandrian Codex is Psalterion which is the name of a stringed instrument, and means “The Psalter.”
The derivation of our English words, “psalms,” “psalter,” and “psaltery,” respectively, is as follows:
1. “Psalms” comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, which is also from psallein , which means to play upon a stringed instrument. Therefore the Psalms are songs played upon stringed instruments, and the word here is used to apply to the whole collection.
2. “Psalter” is of the same origin and means the Book of Psalms and refers also to the whole collection.
3. “Psaltery” is from the word psalterion, which means “a harp,” an instrument, supposed to be in the shape of a triangle or like the delta of the Greek alphabet. See Psa 33:2 ; Psa 71:22 ; Psa 81:2 ; Psa 144:9 .
In our collection there are 150 psalms. In the Septuagint there is one extra. It is regarded as being outside the sacred collection and not inspired. The subject of this extra psalm is “David’s victory over Goliath.” The following is a copy of it: I was small among my brethren, And youngest in my father’s house, I used to feed my father’s sheep. My hands made a harp, My fingers fashioned a Psaltery. And who will declare unto my Lord? He is Lord, he it is who heareth. He it was who sent his angel And took me from my father’s sheep, And anointed me with the oil of his anointing. My brethren were goodly and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. I went forth to meet the Philistine. And he cursed me by his idols But I drew the sword from beside him; I beheaded him and removed reproach from the children of Israel.
It will be noted that this psalm does not have the earmarks of an inspired production. There is not found in it the modesty so characteristic of David, but there is here an evident spirit of boasting and self-praise which is foreign to the Spirit of inspiration.
There is a difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint. Omitting the extra one in the Septuagint, there is no difference as to the total number. Both have 150 and the same subject matter, but they are not divided alike.
The following scheme shows the division according to our version and also the Septuagint: Psalms 1-8 in the Hebrew equal 1-8 in the Septuagint; 9-10 in the Hebrew combine into 9 in the Septuagint; 11-113 in the Hebrew equal 10-112 in the Septuagint; 114-115 in the Hebrew combine into 113 in the Septuagint; 116 in the Hebrew divides into 114-115 in the Septuagint; 117-146 in the Hebrew equal 116-145 in the Septuagint; 147 in the Hebrew divides into 146-147 in the Septuagint; 148-150 in the Hebrew equal 148-150 in the Septuagint.
The arrangement in the Vulgate is the same as the Septuagint. Also some of the older English versions have this arangement. Another difficulty in numbering perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another, viz: In the Hebrew often the title is verse I, and sometimes the title embraces verses 1-2.
The book divisions of the Psalter are five books, as follows:
Book I, Psalms 1-41 (41 chapters)
Book II, Psalms 42-72 (31 chapters)
Book III, Psalms 73-89 (17 chapters)
Book IV, Psalms 90-106 (17 chapters)
Book V, Psalms 107-150 (44 chapters)
They are marked by an introduction and a doxology. Psalm I forms an introduction to the whole book; Psa 150 is the doxology for the whole book. The introduction and doxology of each book are the first and last psalms of each division, respectively.
There were smaller collections before the final one, as follows:
Books I and II were by David; Book III, by Hezekiah, and Books IV and V, by Ezra.
Certain principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection:
1. David is honored with first place, Book I and II, including Psalms 1-72.
2. They are grouped according to the use of the name of God:
(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovah psalms;
(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohim-psalms;
(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovah psalms.
3. Book IV is introduced by the psalm of Moses, which is the first psalm written.
4. Some are arranged as companion psalms, for instance, sometimes two, sometimes three, and sometimes more. Examples: Psa 2 and 3; 22, 23, and 24; 113-118.
5. They were arranged for liturgical purposes, which furnished the psalms for special occasions, such as feasts, etc. We may be sure this arrangement was not accidental. An intelligent study of each case is convincing that it was determined upon rational grounds.
All the psalms have titles but thirty-three, as follows:
In Book I, Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 33 , (4 are without titles).
In Book II, Psa 43 ; Psa 71 , (2 are without titles).
In Book IV, Psa 91 ; Psa 93 ; Psa 94 ; Psa 95 ; Psa 96 ; Psa 97 ; Psa 104 ; Psa 105 ; Psa 106 , (9 are without titles).
In Book V, Psa 107 ; III; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 135; 136; 137; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150, (18 are without titles).
The Talmud calls these psalms that have no title, “Orphan Psalms.” The later Jews supply these titles by taking the nearest preceding author. The lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; and 10 may be accounted for as follows: Psa 1 is a general introduction to the whole collection and Psa 2 was, perhaps, a part of Psa 1 . Psalms 9-10 were formerly combined into one, therefore Psa 10 has the same title as Psa 9 .
QUESTIONS
1. What books are commended on the Psalms?
2. What is a psalm?
3. What is the Psalter?
4. What is the range of time in composition?
5. When and by whom was the collection in its present form arranged?
6. What the Jewish classification of Old Testament books, and what the position of the Psalter in this classification?
7. What is the Hebrew title of the Psalms?
8. Find the title of the first two books from the books themselves.
9. What is the title of the whole collection of psalms in the Septuagint?
10. What is the title in the Alexandrian Codex?
11. What is the derivation of our English word, “Psalms”, “Psalter”, and “Psaltery,” respectively?
12. How many psalms in our collection?
13. How many psalms in the Septuagint?
14. What about the extra one in the Septuagint?
15. What is the subject of this extra psalm?
16. How does it compare with the Canonical Psalms?
17. What is the difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint?
18. What is the arrangement in the Vulgate?
19. What other difficulty in numbering which perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another?
20. What are the book divisions of the Psalter and how are these divisions marked?
21. Were there smaller collections before the final one? If so, what were they?
22. What principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection?
23. In what conclusion may we rest concerning this arrangement?
24. How many of the psalms have no titles?
25. What does the Talmud call these psalms that have no titles?
26. How do later Jews supply these titles?
27. How do you account for the lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ?
XII
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS (CONTINUED)
The following is a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms:
1. The author: “A Psalm of David” (Psa 37 ).
2. The occasion: “When he fled from Absalom, his son” (Psa 3 ).
3. The nature, or character, of the poem:
(1) Maschil, meaning “instruction,” a didactic poem (Psa 42 ).
(2) Michtam, meaning “gold,” “A Golden Psalm”; this means excellence or mystery (Psa 16 ; 56-60).
4. The occasion of its use: “A Psalm of David for the dedication of the house” (Psa 30 ).
5. Its purpose: “A Psalm of David to bring remembrance” (Psa 38 ; Psa 70 ).
6. Direction for its use: “A Psalm of David for the chief musician” (Psa 4 ).
7. The kind of musical instrument:
(1) Neginoth, meaning to strike a chord, as on stringed instruments (Psa 4 ; Psa 61 ).
(2) Nehiloth, meaning to perforate, as a pipe or flute (Psa 5 ).
(3) Shoshannim, Lilies, which refers probably to cymbals (Psa 45 ; Psa 69 ).
8. A special choir:
(1) Sheminith, the “eighth,” or octave below, as a male choir (Psa 6 ; Psa 12 ).
(2) Alamoth, female choir (Psa 46 ).
(3) Muth-labben, music with virgin voice, to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble (Psa 9 ).
9. The keynote, or tune:
(1) Aijeleth-sharar, “Hind of the morning,” a song to the melody of which this is sung (Psa 22 ).
(2) Al-tashheth, “Destroy thou not,” the beginning of a song the tune of which is sung (Psa 57 ; Psa 58 ; Psa 59 ; Psa 75 ).
(3) Gittith, set to the tune of Gath, perhaps a tune which David brought from Gath (Psa 8 ; Psa 81 ; Psa 84 ).
(4) Jonath-elim-rehokim, “The dove of the distant terebinths,” the commencement of an ode to the air of which this song was to be sung (Psa 56 ).
(5) Leannoth, the name of a tune (Psa 88 ).
(6) Mahalath, an instrument (Psa 53 ); Leonnoth-Mahaloth, to chant to a tune called Mahaloth.
(7) Shiggaion, a song or a hymn.
(8) Shushan-Eduth, “Lily of testimony,” a tune (Psa 60 ). Note some examples: (1) “America,” “Shiloh,” “Auld Lang Syne.” These are the names of songs such as we are familiar with; (2) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” are examples of sacred hymns.
10. The liturgical use, those noted for the feasts, e.g., the Hallels and Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146-150).
11. The destination, as “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134)
12. The direction for the music, such as Selah, which means “Singers, pause”; Higgaion-Selah, to strike a symphony with selah, which means an instrumental interlude (Psa 9:16 ).
The longest and fullest title to any of the psalms is the title to Psa 60 . The items of information from this title are as follows: (1) the author; (2) the chief musician; (3) the historical occasion; (4) the use, or design; (5) the style of poetry; (6) the instrument or style of music.
The parts of these superscriptions which most concern us now are those indicating author, occasion, and date. As to the historic value or trustworthiness of these titles most modern scholars deny that they are a part of the Hebrew text, but the oldest Hebrew text of which we know anything had all of them. This is the text from which the Septuagint was translated. It is much more probable that the author affixed them than later writers. There is no internal evidence in any of the psalms that disproves the correctness of them, but much to confirm. The critics disagree among themselves altogether as to these titles. Hence their testimony cannot consistently be received. Nor can it ever be received until they have at least agreed upon a common ground of opposition.
David is the author of more than half the entire collection, the arrangement of which is as follows:
1. Seventy-three are ascribed to him in the superscriptions.
2. Some of these are but continuations of the preceding ones of a pair, trio, or larger group.
3. Some of the Korahite Psalms are manifestly Davidic.
4. Some not ascribed to him in the titles are attributed to him expressly by New Testament writers.
5. It is not possible to account for some parts of the Psalter without David. The history of his early life as found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1and 2 Chronicles, not only shows his remarkable genius for patriotic and sacred songs and music, but also shows his cultivation of that gift in the schools of the prophets. Some of these psalms of the history appear in the Psalter itself. It is plain to all who read these that they are founded on experience, and the experience of no other Hebrew fits the case. These experiences are found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.
As to the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition, I have this to say:
1. This theory has no historical support whatever, and therefore is not to be accepted at all.
2. It has no support in tradition, which weakens the contention of the critics greatly.
3. It has no support from finding any one with the necessary experience for their basis.
4. They can give no reasonable account as to how the titles ever got there.
5. It is psychologically impossible for anyone to have written these 150 psalms in the Maccabean times.
6. Their position is expressly contrary to the testimony of Christ and the apostles. Some of the psalms which they ascribe to the Maccabean Age are attributed to David by Christ himself, who said that David wrote them in the Spirit.
The obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result if it be Just, is a positive denial of the inspiration of both Testaments.
Other authors are named in the titles, as follows: (1) Asaph, to whom twelve psalms have been assigned: (2) Mosee, Psa 90 ; (3) Solomon, Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ; (4) Heman, Psa 80 ; (5) Ethem, Psa 89 ; (6) A number of the psalms are ascribed to the sons of Korah.
Not all the psalms ascribed to Asaph were composed by one person. History indicates that Asaph’s family presided over the song service for several generations. Some of them were composed by his descendants by the game name. The five general outlines of the whole collection are as follows:
I. By books
1. Psalms 1-41 (41)
2. Psalms 42-72 (31)
3. Psalms 73-89 (17)
4. Psalms 90-106 (17)
5. Psalms 107-150 (44)
II. According to date and authorship
1. The psalm of Moses (Psa 90 )
2. Psalms of David:
(1) The shepherd boy (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 ).
(2) David when persecuted by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ).
(3) David the King (Psa 101 ; Psa 18 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 110 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 21 ; Psa 60 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 41 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 3:4 ; Psa 64 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 ).
3. The Asaph Psalms (Psa 50 ; Psa 73 ; Psa 83 ).
4. The Korahite Psalms (Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 84 ).
5. The psalms of Solomon (Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ).
6. The psalms of the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 )
7. The psalms of the Exile (Psa 74 ; Psa 79 ; Psa 137 ; Psa 102 )
8. The psalms of the Restoration (Psa 85 ; Psa 126 ; Psa 118 ; 146-150)
III. By groups
1. The Jehovistic and Elohistic Psalms:
(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovistic;
(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohistic Psalms;
(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovistic.
2. The Penitential Psalms (Psa 6 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 130 ; Psa 143 )
3. The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134)
4. The Alphabetical Psalms (Psa 9 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 25 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 37 ; 111:112; Psa 119 ; Psa 145 )
5. The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 11-113; 115-117; 146-150; to which may be added Psa 135 ) Psalms 113-118 are called “the Egyptian Hallel”
IV. Doctrines of the Psalms
1. The throne of grace and how to approach it by sacrifice, prayer, and praise.
2. The covenant, the basis of worship.
3. The paradoxical assertions of both innocence & guilt.
4. The pardon of sin and justification.
5. The Messiah.
6. The future life, pro and con.
7. The imprecations.
8. Other doctrines.
V. The New Testament use of the Psalms
1. Direct references and quotations in the New Testament.
2. The allusions to the psalms in the New Testament. Certain experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart, such as: (1) his peaceful early life; (2) his persecution by Saul; (3) his being crowned king of the people; (4) the bringing up of the ark; (5) his first great sin; (6) Absalom’s rebellion; (7) his second great sin; (8) the great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 ; (9) the feelings of his old age.
We may classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time, thus:
1. His peaceful early life (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 )
2. His persecution by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 7 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 120 ; Psa 140 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ; Psa 17 ; Psa 18 )
3. Making David King (Psa 27 ; Psa 133 ; Psa 101 )
4. Bringing up the ark (Psa 68 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 132 ; Psa 15 ; Psa 78 ; Psa 96 )
5. His first great sin (Psa 51 ; Psa 32 )
6. Absalom’s rebellion (Psa 41 ; Psa 6 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 109 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 39 ; Psa 3 ; Psa 4 ; Psa 63 ; Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 5 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 )
7. His second great sin (Psa 69 ; Psa 71 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 103 )
8. The great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 (Psa 2 )
9. Feelings of old age (Psa 37 )
The great doctrines of the psalms may be noted as follows: (1) the being and attributes of God; (3) sin, both original and individual; (3) both covenants; (4) the doctrine of justification; (5) concerning the Messiah.
There is a striking analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms. The Pentateuch contains five books of law; the Psalms contain five books of heart responses to the law.
It is interesting to note the historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms. These were controversies about singing uninspired songs, in the Middle Ages. The church would not allow anything to be used but psalms.
The history in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah is very valuable toward a proper interpretation of the psalms. These books furnish the historical setting for a great many of the psalms which is very indispensable to their proper interpretation.
Professor James Robertson, in the Poetry and Religion of the Psalms constructs a broad and strong argument in favor of the Davidic Psalms, as follows:
1. The age of David furnished promising soil for the growth of poetry.
2. David’s qualifications for composing the psalms make it highly probable that David is the author of the psalms ascribed to him.
3. The arguments against the possibility of ascribing to David any of the hymns in the Hebrew Psalter rests upon assumptions that are thoroughly antibiblical.
The New Testament makes large use of the psalms and we learn much as to their importance in teaching. There are seventy direct quotations in the New Testament from this book, from which we learn that the Scriptures were used extensively in accord with 2Ti 3:16-17 . There are also eleven references to the psalms in the New Testament from which we learn that the New Testament writers were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and teaching of the psalms. Then there are eight allusions ‘to this book in the New Testament from which we gather that the Psalms was one of the divisions of the Old Testament and that they were used in the early church.
QUESTIONS
1. Give a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms.
2. What is the longest title to any of the psalms and what the items of this title?
3. What parts of these superscriptions most concern us now?
4. What is the historic value, or trustworthiness of these titles?
5. State the argument showing David’s relation to the psalms.
6. What have you to say of the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition?
7. What the obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result, if it be just?
8. What other authors are named in the titles?
9. Were all the psalms ascribed to Asaph composed by one person?
10. Give the five general outlines of the whole collection, as follows: I. The outline by books II. The outline according to date and authorship III. The outline by groups IV. The outline of doctrines V. The outline by New Testament quotations or allusions.
11. What experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart?
12. Classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time.
13. What the great doctrines of the psalms?
14. What analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms?
15. What historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms?
16. Of what value is the history in Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah toward a proper interpretation of the psalms?
17. Give Professor James Robertson’s argument in favor of the Davidic authorship of the psalms.
18. What can you say of the New Testament use of the psalms and what do we learn as to their importance in teaching?
19. What can you say of the New Testament references to the psalms, and from the New Testament references what the impression on the New Testament writers?
20. What can you say of the allusions to the psalms in the New Testament?
XVII
THE MESSIAH IN THE PSALMS
A fine text for this chapter is as follows: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Psalms concerning me,” Luk 24:44 . I know of no better way to close my brief treatise on the Psalms than to discuss the subject of the Messiah as revealed in this book.
Attention has been called to the threefold division of the Old Testament cited by our Lord, namely, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luk 24:44 ), in all of which were the prophecies relating to himself that “must be fulfilled.” It has been shown just what Old Testament books belong to each of these several divisions. The division called the Psalms included many books, styled Holy Writings, and because the Psalms proper was the first book of the division it gave the name to the whole division.
The object of this discussion is to sketch the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah, or rather, to show how nearly a complete picture of our Lord is foredrawn in this one book. Let us understand however with Paul, that all prophecy is but in part (1Co 13:9 ), and that when we fill in on one canvas all the prophecies concerning the Messiah of all the Old Testament divisions, we are far from having a perfect portrait of our Lord. The present purpose is limited to three things:
1. What the book of the Psalms teaches concerning the Messiah.
2. That the New Testament shall authoritatively specify and expound this teaching.
3. That the many messianic predictions scattered over the book and the specifications thereof over the New Testament may be grouped into an orderly analysis, so that by the adjustment of the scattered parts we may have before us a picture of our Lord as foreseen by the psalmists.
In allowing the New Testament to authoritatively specify and expound the predictive features of the book, I am not unmindful of what the so-called “higher critics” urge against the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament and the use made of them. In this discussion, however, these objections are not considered, for sufficient reasons. There is not space for it. Even at the risk of being misjudged I must just now summarily pass all these objections, dismissing them with a single statement upon which the reader may place his own estimate of value. That statement is that in the days of my own infidelity, before this old method of criticism had its new name, I was quite familiar with the most and certainly the strongest of the objections now classified as higher criticism, and have since patiently re-examined them in their widely conflicting restatements under their modern name, and find my faith in the New Testament method of dealing with the Old Testament in no way shattered, but in every way confirmed. God is his own interpreter. The Old Testament as we now have it was in the hands of our Lord. I understand his apostle to declare, substantially, that “every one of these sacred scriptures is God-inspired and is profitable for teaching us what is right to believe and to do, for convincing us what is wrong in faith or practice, for rectifying the wrong when done, that we may be ready at every point, furnished completely, to do every good work, at the right time, in the right manner, and from the proper motive” (2Ti 3:16-17 ).
This New Testament declares that David was a prophet (Act 2:30 ), that he spake by the Holy Spirit (Act 1:16 ), that when the book speaks the Holy Spirit speaks (Heb 3:7 ), and that all its predictive utterances, as sacred Scripture, “must be fulfilled” (Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:16 ). It is not claimed that David wrote all the psalms, but that all are inspired, and that as he was the chief author, the book goes by his name.
It would be a fine thing to make out two lists, as follows:
1. All of the 150 psalms in order from which the New Testament quotes with messianic application.
2. The New Testament quotations, book by book, i.e., Matthew so many, and then the other books in their order.
We would find in neither of these any order as to time, that is, Psa 1 which forecasts an incident in the coming Messiah’s life does not forecast the first incident of his life. And even the New Testament citations are not in exact order as to time and incident of his life. To get the messianic picture before us, therefore, we must put the scattered parts together in their due relation and order, and so construct our own analysis. That is the prime object of this discussion. It is not claimed that the analysis now presented is perfect. It is too much the result of hasty, offhand work by an exceedingly busy man. It will serve, however, as a temporary working model, which any one may subsequently improve. We come at once to the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah.
1. The necessity for a Saviour. This foreseen necessity is a background of the psalmists’ portrait of the Messiah. The necessity consists in (1) man’s sinfulness; (2) his sin; (3) his inability of wisdom and power to recover himself; (4) the insufficiency of legal, typical sacrifices in securing atonement.
The predicate of Paul’s great argument on justification by faith is the universal depravity and guilt of man. He is everywhere corrupt in nature; everywhere an actual transgressor; everywhere under condemnation. But the scriptural proofs of this depravity and sin the apostle draws mainly from the book of the Psalms. In one paragraph of the letter to the Romans (Rom 3:4-18 ), he cites and groups six passages from six divisions of the Psalms (Psa 5:9 ; Psa 10:7 ; Psa 14:1-3 ; Psa 36:1 ; Psa 51:4-6 ; Psa 140:3 ). These passages abundantly prove man’s sinfulness, or natural depravity, and his universal practice of sin.
The predicate also of the same apostle’s great argument for revelation and salvation by a Redeemer is man’s inability of wisdom and power to re-establish communion with God. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he thus commences his argument: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach-ing to save them that believe.” He closes this discussion with the broad proposition: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and proves it by a citation from Psa 94:11 : “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
In like manner our Lord himself pours scorn on human wisdom and strength by twice citing Psa 8 : “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Mat 11:25-26 ). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Mat 21:15-16 ).
But the necessity for a Saviour as foreseen by the psalmist did not stop at man’s depravity, sin, and helplessness. The Jews were trusting in the sacrifices of their law offered on the smoking altar. The inherent weakness of these offerings, their lack of intrinsic merit, their ultimate abolition, their complete fulfilment and supercession by a glorious antitype were foreseen and foreshown in this wonderful prophetic book: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all of the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Psa 50:8-13 .
Yet again it speaks in that more striking passage cited in the letter to the Hebrews: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers, once purged should have no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb 10:1-9 ).
This keen foresight of the temporary character and intrinsic worthlessness of animal sacrifices anticipated similar utterances by the later prophets (Isa 1:10-17 ; Jer 6:20 ; Jer 7:21-23 ; Hos 6:6 ; Amo 5:21 ; Mic 6:6-8 ). Indeed, I may as well state in passing that when the apostle declares, “It is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” he lays down a broad principle, just as applicable to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. With reverence I state the principle: Not even God himself by mere appointment can vest in any ordinance, itself lacking intrinsic merit, the power to take away sin. There can be, therefore, in the nature of the case, no sacramental salvation. This would destroy the justice of God in order to exalt his mercy. Clearly the psalmist foresaw that “truth and mercy must meet together” before “righteousness and peace could kiss each other” (Psa 85:10 ). Thus we find as the dark background of the psalmists’ luminous portrait of the Messiah, the necessity for a Saviour.
2. The nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah. In no other prophetic book are the nature, fullness, and blessedness of salvation so clearly seen and so vividly portrayed. Besides others not now enumerated, certainly the psalmists clearly forecast four great elements of salvation:
(1) An atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit offered once for all (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:4-10 ).
(2) Regeneration itself consisting of cleansing, renewal, and justification. We hear his impassioned statement of the necessity of regeneration: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” followed by his earnest prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” and his equally fervent petition: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa 51 ). And we hear him again as Paul describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin Psa 32:1 ; Rom 4:6-8 .
(3) Introduction into the heavenly rest (Psa 95:7-11 ; Heb 3:7-19 ; Heb 4:1-11 ). Here is the antitypical Joshua leading spiritual Israel across the Jordan of death into the heavenly Canaan, the eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God. Here we find creation’s original sabbath eclipsed by redemption’s greater sabbath when the Redeemer “entered his rest, ceasing from his own works as God did from his.”
(4) The recovery of all the universal dominion lost by the first Adam and the securement of all possible dominion which the first Adam never attained (Psa 8:5-6 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 ; 1Co 15:24-28 ).
What vast extent then and what blessedness in the salvation foreseen by the psalmists, and to be wrought by the Messiah. Atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit; regeneration by the Holy Spirit; heavenly rest as an eternal inheritance; and universal dominion shared with Christ!
3. The wondrous person of the Messiah in his dual nature, divine and human.
(1) His divinity,
(a) as God: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa 45:6 and Heb 1:8 ) ;
(b) as creator of the heavens and earth, immutable and eternal: Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end Psa 102:25-27 quoted with slight changes in Heb 1:10-12 .
(c) As owner of the earth: The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein, Psa 24:1 quoted in 1Co 10:26 .
(d) As the Son of God: “Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee” Psa 2:7 ; Heb 1:5 .
(e) As David’s Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:41-46 .
(f) As the object of angelic worship: “And let all the angels of God worship him” Psa 97:7 ; Heb 1:6 .
(g) As the Bread of life: And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven Psa 78:24 ; interpreted in Joh 6:31-58 . These are but samples which ascribe deity to the Messiah of the psalmists.
(2) His humanity, (a) As the Son of man, or Son of Adam: Psa 8:4-6 , cited in 1Co 15:24-28 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Compare Luke’s genealogy, Luk 3:23-38 . This is the ideal man, or Second Adam, who regains Paradise Lost, who recovers race dominion, in whose image all his spiritual lineage is begotten. 1Co 15:45-49 . (b) As the Son of David: Psa 18:50 ; Psa 89:4 ; Psa 89:29 ; Psa 89:36 ; Psa 132:11 , cited in Luk 1:32 ; Act 13:22-23 ; Rom 1:3 ; 2Ti 2:8 . Perhaps a better statement of the psalmists’ vision of the wonderful person of the Messiah would be: He saw the uncreated Son, the second person of the trinity, in counsel and compact with the Father, arranging in eternity for the salvation of men: Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 . Then he saw this Holy One stoop to be the Son of man: Psa 8:4-6 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Then he was the son of David, and then he saw him rise again to be the Son of God: Psa 2:7 ; Rom 1:3-4 .
4. His offices.
(1) As the one atoning sacrifice (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 ).
(2) As the great Prophet, or Preacher (Psa 40:9-10 ; Psa 22:22 ; Heb 2:12 ). Even the method of his teaching by parable was foreseen (Psa 78:2 ; Mat 13:35 ). Equally also the grace, wisdom, and power of his teaching. When the psalmist declares that “Grace is poured into thy lips” (Psa 45:2 ), we need not be startled when we read that all the doctors in the Temple who heard him when only a boy “were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luk 2:47 ); nor that his home people at Nazareth “all bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luk 4:22 ); nor that those of his own country were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Mat 13:54 ); nor that the Jews in the Temple marveled, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Joh 7:15 ) ; nor that the stern officers of the law found their justification in failure to arrest him in the declaration, “Never man spake like this man” (Joh 7:46 ).
(3) As the king (Psa 2:6 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 45:1-17 ; Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:42-46 ; Act 2:33-36 ; 1Co 15:25 ; Eph 1:20 ; Heb 1:13 ).
(4) As the priest (Psa 110:4 ; Heb 5:5-10 ; Heb 7:1-21 ; Heb 10:12-14 ).
(5) As the final judge. The very sentence of expulsion pronounced upon the finally impenitent by the great judge (Mat 25:41 ) is borrowed from the psalmist’s prophetic words (Psa 6:8 ).
5. Incidents of life. The psalmists not only foresaw the necessity for a Saviour; the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation; the wonderful human-divine person of the Saviour; the offices to be filled by him in the work of salvation, but also many thrilling details of his work in life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. It is not assumed to cite all these details, but some of the most important are enumerated in order, thus:
(1) The visit, adoration, and gifts of the Magi recorded in Mat 2 are but partial fulfilment of Psa 72:9-10 .
(2) The scripture employed by Satan in the temptation of our Lord (Luk 4:10-11 ) was cited from Psa 91:11-12 and its pertinency not denied.
(3) In accounting for his intense earnestness and the apparently extreme measures adopted by our Lord in his first purification of the Temple (Joh 2:17 ), he cites the messianic zeal predicted in Psa 69:9 .
(4) Alienation from his own family was one of the saddest trials of our Lord’s earthly life. They are slow to understand his mission and to enter into sympathy with him. His self-abnegation and exhaustive toil were regarded by them as evidences of mental aberration, and it seems at one time they were ready to resort to forcible restraint of his freedom) virtually what in our time would be called arrest under a writ of lunacy. While at the last his half-brothers became distinguished preachers of his gospel, for a long while they do not believe on him. And the evidence forces us to the conclusion that his own mother shared with her other sons, in kind though not in degree, the misunderstanding of the supremacy of his mission over family relations. The New Testament record speaks for itself:
Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them Luk 2:48-51 (R.V.).
And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Joh 2:3-5 (R.V.).
And there come his mother and his brethren; and standing without; they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother Mar 3:31-35 (R.V.).
Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him. Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not fulfilled. Joh 7:2-9 (R.V.).
These citations from the Revised Version tell their own story. But all that sad story is foreshown in the prophetic psalms. For example: I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children. Psa 69:8 .
(5) The triumphal entry into Jerusalem was welcomed by a joyous people shouting a benediction from Psa 118:26 : “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mat 21:9 ); and the Lord’s lamentation over Jerusalem predicts continued desolation and banishment from his sight until the Jews are ready to repeat that benediction (Mat 23:39 ).
(6) The children’s hosanna in the Temple after its second purgation is declared by our Lord to be a fulfilment of that perfect praise forecast in Psa 8:2 .
(7) The final rejection of our Lord by his own people was also clear in the psalmist’s vision (Psa 118:22 ; Mat 21:42-44 ).
(8) Gethsemane’s baptism of suffering, with its strong crying and tears and prayers was as clear to the psalmist’s prophetic vision as to the evangelist and apostle after it became history (Psa 69:1-4 ; Psa 69:13-20 ; and Mat 26:36-44 ; Heb 5:7 ).
(9) In life-size also before the psalmist was the betrayer of Christ and his doom (Psa 41:9 ; Psa 69:25 ; Psa 109:6-8 ; Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:20 ).
(10) The rage of the people, Jew and Gentile, and the conspiracy of Pilate and Herod are clearly outlined (Psa 2:1-3 ; Act 4:25-27 ).
(11) All the farce of his trial the false accusation, his own marvelous silence; and the inhuman maltreatment to which he was subjected, is foreshown in the prophecy as dramatically as in the history (Mat 26:57-68 ; Mat 27:26-31 ; Psa 27:12 ; Psa 35:15-16 ; Psa 38:3 ; Psa 69:19 ).
The circumstances of his death, many and clear, are distinctly foreseen. He died in the prime of life (Psa 89:45 ; Psa 102:23-24 ). He died by crucifixion (Psa 22:14-17 ; Luk 23 ; 33; Joh 19:23-37 ; Joh 20:27 ). But yet not a bone of his body was broken (Psa 34:20 ; Joh 19:36 ).
The persecution, hatred without a cause, the mockery and insults, are all vividly and dramatically foretold (Psa 22:6-13 ; Psa 35:7 ; Psa 35:12 ; Psa 35:15 ; Psa 35:21 ; Psa 109:25 ).
The parting of his garments and the gambling for his vesture (Psa 22:18 ; Mat 27:35 ).
His intense thirst and the gall and vinegar offered for his drink (Psa 69:21 ; Mat 27:34 ).
In the psalms, too, we hear his prayers for his enemies so remarkably fulfilled in fact (Psa 109:4 ; Luk 23:34 ).
His spiritual death was also before the eye of the psalmist, and the very words which expressed it the psalmist heard. Separation from the Father is spiritual death. The sinner’s substitute must die the sinner’s death, death physical, i.e., separation of soul from body; death spiritual, i.e., separation of the soul from God. The latter is the real death and must precede the former. This death the substitute died when he cried out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” (Psa 22:1 ; Mat 27:46 ).
Emerging from the darkness of that death, which was the hour of the prince of darkness, the psalmist heard him commend his spirit to the Father (Psa_31:35; Luk 23:46 ) showing that while he died the spiritual death, his soul was not permanently abandoned unto hell (Psa 16:8-10 ; Act 2:25 ) so that while he “tasted death” for every man it was not permanent death (Heb 2:9 ).
With equal clearness the psalmist foresaw his resurrection, his triumph over death and hell, his glorious ascension into heaven, and his exaltation at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, as a high Driest forever, as invested with universal sovereignty (Psa 16:8-11 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 68:18 ; Psa 2:6 ; Psa 111:1-4 ; Psa 8:4-6 ; Act 2:25-36 ; Eph 1:19-23 ; Eph 4:8-10 ).
We see, therefore, brethren, when the scattered parts are put together and adjusted, how nearly complete a portrait of our Lord is put upon the prophetic canvas by this inspired limner, the sweet singer of Israel.
QUESTIONS
1. What is a good text for this chapter?
2. What is the threefold division of the Old Testament as cited by our Lord?
3. What is the last division called and why?
4. What is the object of the discussion in this chapter?
5. To what three things is the purpose limited?
6. What especially qualifies the author to meet the objections of the higher critics to allowing the New Testament usage of the Old Testament to determine its meaning and application?
7. What is the author’s conviction relative to the Scriptures?
8. What is the New Testament testimony on the question of inspiration?
9. What is the author’s suggested plan of approach to the study of the Messiah in the Psalms?
10. What the background of the Psalmist’s portrait of the Messiah and of what does it consist?
11. Give the substance of Paul’s discussion of man’s sinfulness.
12. What is the teaching of Jesus on this point?
13. What is the teaching relative to sacrifices?
14. What the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah and what the four great elements of it as forecast by the psalmist?
15. What is the teaching of the psalms relative to the wondrous person of the Messiah? Discuss.
16. What are the offices of the Messiah according to psalms? Discuss each.
17. Cite the more important events of the Messiah’s life according to the vision of the psalmist.
18. What the circumstances of the Messiah’s death and resurrection as foreseen by the psalmist?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Psa 54:1 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Maschil ] Instructing us, saith one, to draw near to God, as dangers draw nearer to us.
When the Ziphims
Came and said to Saul
Doth not David hide himself with us?
Ver. 1. Save me, O God, by thy name ] i.e. By thyself, and especially by thy goodness, whereby thou art nominatissimus in ecclesia, well known in thy Church, as a main piece of thy name, Exo 34:6-7 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
This psalm is “To the chief musician upon Neginoth (stringed instruments): a psalm of instruction of David, when the Ziphites went in and said to Saul, Is not David hiding himself with me? “The name of God (Elohim) will be everything in that dark hour to the godly Jews in the latter day, when they find themselves driven away by their apostate brethren, amalgamated with the lawless Gentiles, and Antichrist at their head. God’s name is the revelation of what He is, and to this they cling in faith, when they have lost all else. As they besought by it, so they will give thanks and praise it when it emerges as Jehovah (ver. 8), in the power and glory of His day when His hand makes good what His mouth had spoken.
These psalms (Pss. 55-58) continue in various forms the feelings produced by Christ’s Spirit in circumstances which look on to the last crisis when the godly Jews suffer from Antichrist and his partisans, especially in Jerusalem and the land. David had these trials in the case of Absalom, and Ahithophel; our Lord far more deeply through the treachery, of Judas. But the Spirit of prophecy links all that is past with the coming hour, when the outward oppression and inward apostasy bring the sense of evil at its worst on the true-hearted Jews. Thus God is more and more looked to, not man or circumstances as the result, not only to sustain the sufferers in patience but to bring in deliverance and blessing in power.
Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 54:1-3
1Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your power.
2Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3For strangers have risen against me
And violent men have sought my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah.
Psa 54:1-3 This strophe shows the historical setting as one of personal attack, apparently by other covennant people. Notice the prayer requests.
1. save me BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil imperative
2. vindicate (i.e., judge rightly) me BDB 192, KB 220, Qal imperfect used between three imperatives and parallel to the first. It is functioning as an imperative of request after examples in Ugaritic poetry (AB, p. 24). It denotes a legal verdict. The psalmist is asking God for judicial acquittal. He has been unfairly accused.
3. hear my prayer BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperative, cf. Psa 17:6
4. give ear BDB 24, KB 27, Hiphil imperative in a synonymous parallel relationship to #3, cf. Psa 5:1; Psa 55:1; Psa 86:7
O God This is the name for God (Elohim) that refers to Him as creator, sustainer, and provider of all life on this planet (cf. Genesis 1, see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY ). It appears twice, Psa 54:1 a and Psa 54:2 a. It is paralleled by
1. Your name (cf. Special Topic: The Name of YHWH)
2. Your power, cf. 2Ch 20:6
Psa 54:3 The psalmist’s enemies/adversaries are described in this verse.
1. strangers (BDB 266 I, cf. Psa 44:20; Psa 109:11) have arisen against me, Psa 54:3 a. This is usually used of other covenant people.
2. violent men (BDB 792). This is usually used of enemies of other nations (i.e., invaders, cf. Isa 13:11; Eze 28:7; Eze 30:11; Eze 31:12; Eze 32:12)
3. they have not set God before them; this could refer to
a. godless Israelites, cf. Psa 14:1; Psa 36:1-4; Psa 53:1
b. Gentiles (i.e., national enemies)
Selah See note at Psa 3:2 and Intro to Psalms, VII.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Title. Maschil = Instruction. The seventh of thirteen Psalms so named. See note on Title, Psalm 32, and App-65.
when, &c Compare 1Sa 23:19; 1Sa 26:1.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Thy name = Thine own self. See note on Psa 20:1.
judge = vindicate.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 54:1-7
Psa 54:1-7 is to the chief musician on a stringed instrument. A prayer of David. When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, “David is hiding down in the wilderness of Ziph.” And so, even as he didn’t care about Doeg telling Saul where he was, neither did he care about the Ziphims. So he has a few choice words for them.
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; and give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers [the Ziphites] are risen up against me, and the oppressors seek after my soul: and they have not set God before them. Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto my enemies: cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye hath seen the desire upon my enemies ( Psa 54:1-7 ).
So David’s prayer that God would honor him, and take care of his enemies. so I have learned not to seek to defend myself, but to leave my defense completely in the hands of God. Now, if you want God to defend you, then you have to just commit yourself to the hands of God and not seek to defend yourself. God is my defense. “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Psa 54:1
PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM ENEMIES
Superscription: For the Chief Musician: on stringed instruments. Maschil of David: when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David himself hide with us?
The historical background here, according to the superscription, is related in 1Sa 23:19, which reports the offer of the Ziphites to betray David into the hands of Saul. The Ziphites became involved in this manner. David and his men had been joined by Abiathar, a son of Abimelech, who had escaped Doeg’s massacre, and being a priest, he brought the sacred Ephod with him, by means of which David, after saving Keilah from the hands of the Philistines, escaped to the wilderness of Ziph, being warned by God through Abiathar.
While David was in that wilderness (Ziph), the Ziphites, hoping to ingratiate themselves with Saul, offered to betray David, whereupon, again being warned through Abiathar, David fled to the wilderness of Maon.
The speculation of Bible critics is a very poor substitute for these superscriptions, which, to us, seem more and more dependable as psalm after psalm is seen to agree perfectly with what is written in the superscriptions.
There are only seven verses here, and we shall examine them in order instead of seeking some kind of an outline.
Psa 54:1
“Save me, O God, by thy name,
And judge me in thy might.”
David may very well have been in the wilderness of Maon at the time of writing this psalm. It was in that wilderness that Saul was almost able to surround David and capture him; but in what we believe was a providential intervention, Saul received a message that the Philistines were invading Israel; and “He returned from pursuing David” (1Sa 23:28). This indeed appears to have been a direct answer to David’s prayer. David then took up a stronger position in what is called, “the stronghold of Engedi” (1Sa 23:29).
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 54:1. The name of God is worthy and his strength is infinite. With the two attributes of his Being he would be able to save to the uttermost.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
The burden of the psalm is expressed in the first two verses. Its reason is described in verse Psa 54:3, while assurance is the song of what remains.
Taking the second and third sections first, they deal with the sorrow of the soul, and the succor which comes from God. The sorrow is from opposition and persecution by the godless. The description of this is preceded by the prayer which cries for salvation by the name of God, and judgment in His might. No touch of despair is manifest. Over against the strangers risen up against the psalmist, he sets God, who is his Helper. Over against the violent men who seek after his soul he sets the Lord, who upholds the soul. The issue is perfect confidence that God will requite the evil, and destroy the enemy. Already, though perhaps yet in the midst of the peril, he sings the song of deliverance, as though it were already realized. The central sentence of the song is, “God is my Helper.” Wherever man is conscious of this fact he is superior to all the opposition of his enemies, and so is able, in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, to sing the song of deliverance.
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Sinners All-God Alone Can Help
Psa 53:1-6; Psa 54:1-7
That Psa 53:1-6 should be a repetition of Psa 14:1-7, with very few variations, suggests, as does the verily, verily of Christ, that the truths contained in these words are worthy of special attention. They supply the Apostle, in Rom 3:1-31, with his phraseology for describing the state of the ungodly before the searching eye of Omniscience.
We have here a photograph of the human heart. Jew and Gentile are alike in their innermost texture. There is nothing to choose between the Pharisee and the publican, except when either turns the balance by humble confession, as in Luk 18:9, etc.
Psa 54:1-7 is probably founded on 1Sa 23:19. It is short, as if compressed by the urgency of Davids need. Evidently he was in sore straits, though conscious of the rectitude of his cause. Notice how he makes his transition from prayer to praise, Psa 54:4. He affirms, in spite of everything, that God is still his helper. He hears the approaching footsteps of those who are pledged to uphold Him, and God is with them. As he speaks thus in the confidence of faith, the storm clears away. He is delivered; his eye has seen the defeat of his foes.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Psalm 54
The Prayer of the Godly
1. The prayer for salvation (Psa 54:1-3)
2. The assurance of faith (Psa 54:4-7)
During that final apostasy when the man of sin is revealed, the saints among the Jews will suffer persecution as the prophetic Word elsewhere reveals. Here is another prophetic record of their prayers, with a believing anticipation of deliverance.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Neginoth Neginoth, stringed instrucments.
Maschil Maschil, “instruction.”
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
judge: Psa 26:1, Psa 43:1, Psa 43:2, Psa 99:4, Pro 23:11, Jer 50:34
Reciprocal: Jos 15:24 – Ziph 1Sa 23:19 – the Ziphites 1Sa 26:1 – Doth not 2Ch 11:8 – Ziph Psa 12:1 – Help Psa 108:6 – save Hab 3:19 – stringed instruments Luk 18:7 – avenge
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE NAME THAT SAVES
Save me, O God, by Thy name.
Psa 54:1
I. The appeal of the sinner here is to the name of God.That name is the expression or revelation of what God is, and of what He is to the sinner. The character of God, as the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, and as the God of all grace, is that which is given us in His name. The name is the written or spoken compendium of what God is, as proclaimed to us by Himself; for He has not left it to man to give a name to the God that made Him. He has given a name to Himself, and that name is the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious.
II. Everything of peace and holiness in us depends on what we know of God.It is the revelation of Himself in Christ Jesus, His Son, that displaces our darkness and fills us with light. When we come to understand that revelation, then the darkness is passed and the true light is shining, the day has broken and the shadows have fled away. The name of God, as embodying this revelation of Himself, is that on which we rest; it contains in brief compass all that a sinner needs to know for the removal of his fears and for the imparting a true and abiding rest to his weary spirit. The right understanding of that name is the cure of doubt and the end of all despondency. Here is our resting-place; for all grace is here, all love is hererighteous grace, righteous love; grace and love that have come to us through a righteous channel, and which, therefore, can never be disturbed or doubted. The righteous love of God! This is what the name proclaims to usthis is what the name presents to the sinner, that receiving it he may be saved. They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee. The trust follows and flows out from the knowledge of the name; that which we know of God as seen in Christ Jesus is that which awakens our confidence.
III. Save me by Thy name is the sinners appeal to what God is and what He has revealed Himself to be.All that is in God is engaged in the sinners behalf, and is pledged for his salvation. The exceeding riches of the grace of God, as shown out in that name, are the sure ground on which he builds for eternity; and as one who has believed the good news of these exceeding riches, he looks up to the God of all grace, and says, in the quiet confidence of faith, Save me by Thy name in every day of trouble. The Name is to him the pledge of deliverance and the ending of all fear.
Illustration
It is remarkable that in this, as in so many psalms, the petition with which the Psalmist opens becomes a matter of thanksgiving and praise, as though it were already in hand. It is so here (see Psa 54:7): He hath delivered; Mine eye hath seen. Does not this originate in that acceptance of Gods gifts by faith, which realises that if we ask anything according to His will we have the petition? It is consigned to us even though not delivered; it is labelled with our name and only awaits a suitable opportunity to come into our hands. In all the philosophy of prayer, there is no condition more absolutely imperative than Christs Believe that ye have received (Mar 11:25, R.V.).
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
God realized as manifesting Himself according to His Name.
To the chief musician, on stringed instruments; Maskil of David: when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
The third psalm of this Maskil series seems to turn aside from the direct subject of them, to show the encouragement given to faith under the trial, in the anticipation of the intervention of God in behalf of His people, suffering under the cruel hands of their persecutors. It is a psalm of the simplest character; for God does not hide His consolation deep in dark speeches from those who have need of it. The Name of God, that is, His revelation of Himself, is that which secures salvation for them. God acts so as to glorify Himself, by the display of His character; and in His salvation all His nature is declared: only the salvation here is an external one, from enemies; though it be true that for Him thus to come in for them their sins must be put away. But this is not before us here.
The occasion of the psalm is difficult in application to the last day trials; which only means that we have little skill in such applications. We know just enough to make us realize our shame that we know no more.
1. Short as it is, the psalm is divided into two parts; the first of which gives us the cry to God, the invocation of His power in behalf of the sufferer. Deliverance for him will be according to righteousness, that is, in consistency with God Himself; which implies no legal righteousness on the psalmist’s part. God’s righteousness we have learned to recognize in a gospel to sinners: and this is what the work of Christ has accomplished for us. The Name of God has only been revealed in Him: and when we know it, we have fuller ground of confidence than any righteousness possible to man could give. Here also, as regards the enemy, there is right that can be pleaded against him; and so the psalmist can say, “Right me with Thy might.” His enemies are also God’s enemies, -“strangers” in heart, though (as in David’s case) they may be Israelites in the flesh; and violent men, who have not set God before them.
2. The second part anticipates in faith the help that has been sought. God Himself is the Helper: the Lord it is who upholds his soul. The result is then foreseen; simple enough from such premises: “He shall requite evil to them that watch me” with malignant eyes; “in Thy faithfulness,” he can ask, “destroy Thou them.” The time prophesied of for the earth’s judgment is at hand, and God’s faithfulness is pledged to fulfill His word.
Then indeed will delivered Israel with a full heart bring her sacrifices to God, and praise Jehovah’s Name, once more and now fully made known in their redemption (see Exo 3:13-17, notes). The last verse gives the experience of this: “He hath delivered me out of all strait; and mine eye hath seen its fill upon mine enemies.”
Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary
Psa 54:1-3. Save me by thy name That is, by thy own strength, as the next words explain it, because I have no other refuge. Or, for thy name, for thy own glory, which is concerned in my deliverance. And judge me
Give sentence for me, or plead my cause. For strangers are risen up against me The Ziphites, whom, though Israelites, he calls strangers in regard of their barbarous and perfidious conduct toward him, by which they showed themselves to be estranged from God, as the wicked are said to be, Psa 58:3, and from the commonwealth of Israel, and from all the laws of piety and humanity. For which causes he calls such persons heathen, Psa 59:5, and elsewhere. They have not set God before them They have cast off all regard to his presence and authority, and all fear of his judgments.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 54:1. By thy name. See note on Pro 18:10.
Psa 54:7. Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. The words, his desire, are not in the Hebrew. David says merely that his enemies came within sight, to show how imminent was his danger.
REFLECTIONS.
When the Ziphites, as 1 Samuel 23., strangers to David, denied him hospitality, and stirred up Saul the second time to come against him, he had, as at all times, recourse to God in prayer, and trusted not his bow and shield.
He thanks the Lord for being delivered at this time, by the unexpected invasion of the Philistines. Behold, the Lord is my helper, being with those that upheld him. The enemies, without intending it, often do great services to the church.
From this deliverance, David augurs future evils to his enemies, and prays that God would cut them off and scatter them. These, being prayers on the field of battle, are not to be understood in a worse sense than usual prayers for victory.
We are reminded of paying our vows to the Lord. I will offer sacrifices liberally, for the Lord hath delivered me at a critical time, when my eyes saw my enemies. How opportune and striking was this deliverance. When Saul was about to fall on David, a messenger, covered with sweat and dust, cried, Saul, Saul, the Philistines have invaded the land! See on 1 Samuel 23.
David, says the Chaldaic, wrote this ode partly while Absaloms revolt suddenly surprised him, and partly after the storm had subsided.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
LIV. The Psalmist Prays for Deliverance from Powerful and Bitter Foes.He trusts in God who will destroy his enemies. When that is done, he will offer sacrifice in thanksgiving. His enemies are Jewsfor who would expect heathen to set God before their eyes (Psa 54:3)? True, we are told expressly in Psa 54:3 that the adversaries are strangers, i.e. foreigners, but we should read insolent men. Cf. also Psa 86:14.
Psa 54:1. The name sums up all the attributes of God, but especially His power. See on Psalms 5 and cf. Psa 124:8.
Psa 54:7. hath delivered: a future-perfect of confident expectation.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
PSALM 54
The prayer of the godly remnant of the Jews that they may be delivered by the Name of God – that is in accord with all that God is revealed to be.
(vv. 1-3) The opening portion of the psalm is the prayer of a godly man who pleads the Name and the strength of God. The psalmist pleads that God, in accord with the revelation of Himself, would act in power to grant justice to His people.
Having pleaded his dependence upon God, he spreads out his trial before God. He is oppressed by strangers, those who are enemies outside the nation; and oppressors – the enemies amongst the people of God. In contrast to the godly they have not set God before them. Having no fear of God they are not dependent upon God.
(vv. 4-7) The second portion of the psalm anticipates the answer to the prayer. The psalmist is confident that God will answer his prayer; for God is his helper, and, though others seek after his soul (v. 3), God is the upholder of his soul. The Lord is with them that uphold his soul, but will requite evil unto the enemies of His people, and cut them off in accord with the demands of truth.
Delivered from his enemies, the godly man will, with a willing heart, bring his sacrifice to Jehovah. His sacrifice would no more be the carrying out of legal obligation, or mere compliance with an outward form, but would be the expression of a grateful heart that recognizes how good is the Name of Jehovah. The psalmist can say that God has answered his prayer, and has acted according to His Name in delivering him out of all trouble, and giving him to see the overthrow of his enemies.
Fuente: Smith’s Writings on 24 Books of the Bible
54:1 [To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?] Save me, O God, {a} by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
(a) He declares that when all means fail, God will deliver even by miracle, they who call to him with an upright conscience.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Psalms 54
David composed this individual lament psalm after the Ziphites had told King Saul where he was hiding (1Sa 23:19). He expressed great confidence in God’s protection of him in it. The psalm is a fitting prayer for any believer who is maligned by others.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
1. Prayer for deliverance 54:1-3
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
God’s name and His power are virtually synonymous. Psa 54:1 contains synonymous parallelism. His name represents all that God is and what He has done (cf. Exo 34:5-7). David asked God personally to save him with His irresistible might. He also asked God to regard the prayer for help that proceeded from the psalmist’s mouth.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 54:1-7
THE tone and language of this psalm have nothing special. The situation of the psalmist is the familiar one of being encompassed by enemies. His mood is the familiar one of discouragement at the sight of surrounding perils, which passes through petition into confidence and triumph. There is nothing in the psalm inconsistent with the accuracy of the superscription, which ascribes it to David, when the men of Ziph would have betrayed him to Saul. Internal evidence does not suffice to fix its date, if the traditional one is discarded. But there seems no necessity for regarding the singer as the personified nation, though there is less objection to that theory in this instance than in some psalms with a more marked individuality and more fervent expression of personal emotion, to which it is proposed to apply it.
The structure is simple, like the thought and expression. The psalm falls into two parts, divided by Selah-of which the former is prayer, spreading before God the suppliants straits; and the latter is confident assurance, blended with petition and vows of thanksgiving.
The order in which the psalmists thoughts run in the first part (Psa 54:1-3) is noteworthy. He begins with appeal to God, and summons before his vision the characteristics in the Divine nature on which he builds his hope. Then he pleads for the acceptance of his prayer, and only when thus heartened does he recount his perils. That is a deeper faith which begins with what God is, and thence proceeds to look calmly at foes, than that which is driven to God in the second place, as a consequence of an alarmed gaze on dangers. In the latter case fear strikes out a spark of faith in the darkness; in the former, faith controls fear. The name of God is His manifested nature or character, the sum of all of Him which has been made known by His word or work. In that rich manifoldness of living powers and splendours this man finds reserves of force, which will avail to save him from any peril. That name is much more than a collection of syllables. The expression is beginning to assume the meaning which it has in post-Biblical Hebrew, where it is used as a reverential euphemism for the ineffable Jehovah. Especially to Gods power does the singer look with hopeful petitions, as in Psa 54:1 b. But the whole name is the agent of his salvation. Nothing less than the whole fulness of the manifested God is enough for the necessities of one poor man; and that prayer is not too bold, nor that estimate of need presumptuous, Which asks for nothing less. Since it is Gods “might” which is appealed to, to judge the psalmists cause, the judgment contemplated is clearly not the Divine estimate of the moral desert of his doings, or retribution to him for these, but the vindication of his threatened innocence and deliverance of him from enemies. The reason for the prayer is likewise alleged as a plea with God to hear. The psalmist prays because he is ringed about by foes. God will hear because He is so surrounded. It is blessed to know that the same circumstances in our lot which drive us to God incline God to us.
“Strangers,” in Psa 54:3, would most naturally mean foreigners, but not necessarily so. The meaning would naturally pass into that of enemies-men who, even though of the psalmists own blood, behave to him in a hostile manner. The word, then, does not negative the tradition in the superscription; though the men of Ziph belonged to the tribe of Judah, they might still be called “strangers.” The verse recurs in Psa 86:14, with a variation of reading-namely, “proud” instead of “strangers.” The same variation is found here in some MSS and in the Targum. But probably it has crept in here in order to bring our psalm into correspondence with the other, and it is better to retain the existing reading, which is that of the LXX and other ancient authorities. The psalmist has no doubt that to hunt after his life is a sign of godlessness. The proof that violent men have not “set God before them” is the fact that they “seek his soul.” That is a remarkable assumption, resting upon a very sure confidence that he is in such relation to God that enmity to him is sin. The theory of a national reference would make such identification of the singers cause with Gods most intelligible. But the theory that he is an individual, holding a definite relation to the Divine purposes and being for some end a Divine instrument, would make it quite as much so. And if David, who knew that he was destined to be king, was the singer, his confidence would be natural. The history represents that his Divine appointment was sufficiently known to make hostility to him a manifest indication of rebellion against God. The unhesitating fusion of his own cause with Gods could scarcely have been ventured by a psalmist, however vigorous his faith, if all that he had to go on and desired to express was a devout souls confidence that God would protect him. That may be perfectly true, and yet it may not follow that opposition to a man is godlessness. We cannot regard ourselves as standing in such a relation; but we may be sure that the name, with all its glories, is mighty to save us too.
Prayer is, as so often in the Psalter, followed by immediately deepened assurance of victory. The suppliant rises from his knees, and points the enemies round him to his one Helper. In Psa 54:4 b a literal rendering would mislead. “The Lord is among the upholders of my soul” seems to bring God down to a level on which others stand. The psalmist does not mean this, but that God gathers up in Himself, and that supremely, the qualities belonging to the conception of an upholder. It is, in form, an inclusion of God in a certain class. It is, in meaning, the assertion that He is the only true representative of the class. Commentators quote Jephthahs plaintive words to his daughter as another instance of the idiom: “Alas, my daughter thou art one of them that trouble me”-i.e., my greatest troubler. That one thought, vivified into new power by the act of prayer, is the psalmists all-sufficient buckler, which he plants between himself and his enemies, bidding them “behold.” Strong in the confidence that has sprung in his heart anew, he can look forward in the certainty that his adversaries (lit. those who lie in wait for me) will find their evil recoiling on themselves. The reading of the Hebrew text is, Evil shall return to; that of the Hebrew margin, adopted by the A.V. and R.V, is, He shall requite evil to. The meanings are substantially the same, only that the one makes the automatic action of retribution more prominent, while the other emphasises Gods justice in inflicting it. The latter reading gives increased force to the swift transition to prayer in Psa 54:5 b.
That petition is, like others in similar psalms, proper to the spiritual level of the Old Testament, and not to that of the New; and it is far more reverent, as well as accurate, to recognise fully the distinction than to try to slur it over. At the same time, it is not to be forgotten that the same lofty consciousness of the identity of his cause with Gods, which we have already had to notice, operating here in these wishes for the enemies destruction, gives another aspect to them than that of mere outbursts of private vengeance. That higher aspect is made prominent by the addition “in Thy troth.” Gods faithfulness to His purposes and promises was concerned in the destruction, because these were pledged to the psalmists protection. His well-being was so intertwined with Gods promises that the Divine faithfulness demanded the sweeping away of his foes. That is evidently not the language which fits our lips. It implies a special relation to Gods plans, and it modifies the character of this apparently vindictive prayer.
The closing verses of this simple little psalm touch very familiar notes. The faith which has prayed has grown so sure of answer that it already begins to think of the thank offerings. This is not like the superstitious vow. “I will give so-and-so if Jupiter”-or the Virgin-“will hear me.” This praying man knows that he is heard, and is not so much vowing as joyfully anticipating his glad sacrifice. The same incipient personification of the name as in Psa 54:1 is very prominent in the closing strains, Thank offerings – not merely statutory and obligatory, but brought by free, uncommanded impulse-are to be offered to “Thy name,” because that name is good: Psa 54:7 probably should be taken as going even further in the same direction of personification, for “Thy name” is probably to be taken as the subject of “hath delivered.” The tenses of the verbs in Psa 54:7 are perfects. They contemplate the deliverance as already accomplished. Faith sees the future as present. This psalmist, surrounded by strangers seeking his life, can quietly stretch out a hand of faith, and bring near to himself the tomorrow when he will look back on scattered enemies and present, glad sacrifices! That power of drawing a brighter future into a dark present belongs not to those who build anticipations on wishes, but to those who found their forecasts on Gods known purpose and character. The name is a firm foundation for hope. There is no other.
The closing words express confidence in the enemies defeat and destruction, with a tinge of feeling that is not permissible to Christians. But the supplement, “my desire,” is perhaps rather too strongly expressive of wish for their ruin. Possibly there needs no supplement at all, and the expression simply paints the calm security of the man protected by God, who can “look upon” impotent hostility without the tremor of an eyelid, because he knows who is his Helper.