Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 57:5
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth.
5. The thought of man’s murderous hostility naturally leads up to the prayer that God will manifest Himself in majesty. From the confusions of earth the Psalmist looks up to God. Cp. Psa 11:4 ff.; Psa 36:5 ff.
Be thou exalted ] Or, Exalt thyself. Cp. Psa 21:13; Psa 46:10. God is exalted in majesty (Isa 6:1): what is needed is that He should manifest His supreme authority (Isa 2:11 ff.) over these insolent rebels.
Though rhythmically divided, the two clauses are logically one: ‘exalt Thyself in Thy glory above heaven and earth.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens – Compare Psa 8:1. The language here is that of a man who in trouble lifts his thoughts to God; who feels that God reigns; who is assured in his own soul that all things are under his hand; and who is desirous that God should be magnified whatever may become of himself. His prime and leading wish is not for himself, for his own safety, for his own deliverance from danger; it is that God may be honored – that the name of God may be glorified – that God may be regarded as supreme over all things – that God may be exalted in the highest possible degree – an idea expressed in the prayer that he may be exalted above the heavens.
Let thy glory be above all the earth – The honor of thy name; thy praise. Let it be regarded, and be in fact, above all that pertains to this lower world; let everything on earth, or that pertains to earth, be subordinate to thee, or be surrendered for thee. This was the comfort which David found in trouble. And this is the only true source of consolation. The welfare of the universe depends on God; and that God should be true, and just, and good, and worthy of confidence and love – that he should reign, – that his law should be obeyed – that his plans should be accomplished, – is of more importance to the universe than anything that merely pertains to us; than the success of any of our own plans; than our health, our prosperity, or our life.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 57:5
Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Thy glory be above all the earth.
The Lord alone exalted
I. As the absolute decree of heaven. For–
1. His own glory is the first principle with God.
2. The ordination of Christ to His official work put Him under responsibility to effect this.
3. The principle is essential to the nature and existence of God.
II. The law of thy covenant of grace. All the leading truths of the Bible contribute to the glory of God–election, regeneration. The union between Christ and His Church. Redemption.
III. The language of every believing heart. For it is his desire, purpose and endeavour that God may be exalted. (Joseph Irons.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens] Let the glory of thy mercy and truth be seen in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath. Several of the fathers apply what is said above to the passion of our Lord, and what is said here to his resurrection.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Be thou exalted; glorify thy power, and goodness, and justice, and faithfulness by my deliverance, all which are exposed to censure and reproach, whilst thou sufferest ungodly wretches to oppress and triumph over the innocent and righteous, that put their trust in thee.
Above the heavens, i.e. higher than the heavens, or to the highest degree possible; or above all the false gods which are supposed to reside in heaven.
Above all the earth, i.e. above all men upon earth, some whereof do now audaciously lift up themselves against thee, and above thee. Or, through (as the Hebrew particle is commonly rendered, and it is no new thing to have the same word or particle diversely taken in the same verse, as hath been formerly showed) the whole earth; not only amongst thine own people, but so that the heathens shall be forced to acknowledge and admire thy glorious deeds.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. This doxology illustrates hisview of the connection of his deliverance with God’s glory.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens,…. That is, show thyself to be God, that sittest in the heavens, and art higher than they, by saving me, and disappointing mine enemies; that I, and those that are with me, may magnify the Lord and exalt his name together. The Targum is,
“be thou exalted above the angels of heaven, O God;”
[let] thy glory [be] above all the earth; that is, above all the inhabitants of the earth, as the Chaldee paraphrase: let the glory of God in my deliverance be seen by all that dwell upon the earth; for by how much the lower and more distressed his case and condition were, by so much the more would the glory of God be displayed in bringing him out of it. Nothing lies nearer the hearts of the people of God than his glory; this is more desirable than their own salvation: David breathes after the one, when he says nothing of the other, that being uppermost; though his meaning is, that the one might be brought about by the other.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To him we find David appealing in the words that follow, Exalt thyself, O God! above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. To perceive the appropriateness of this prayer, it is necessary that we reflect upon the height of audacity and pride to which the wicked proceed, when unrestrained by the providence of God, and upon the formidable nature of that conspiracy which was directed against David by Saul, and the nation in general, all which demanded a signal manifestation of divine power on his behalf. Nor is it a small comfort to consider that God, in appearing for the help of his people, at the same time advances his own glory. Against it, as well as against them, is the opposition of the wicked directed, and he will never suffer his glory to be obscured, or his holy name to be polluted with their blasphemies. The Psalmist reverts to the language of complaint. He had spoken of the cruel persecution to which he was subjected, and now bewails the treachery and deceit which were practiced against him. His soul he describes as being bowed down, in allusion to the crouching of the body when one is under the influence of fear, or to birds when terrified by the fowler and his nets, which dare not move a feather, but lie flat upon the ground. Some read, He has bowed down my soul But the other is the most obvious rendering, and the verb כפף, caphaph, is one which is frequently taken with the neuter signification. Although the Hebrew word נפש, nephesh, rendered soul, is feminine, this is not the only place where we find it with a masculine adjunct.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
5. Be thou exalted, O God The cause of David was the cause of God. The manifested glory of God as supreme, implied David’s deliverance, and either implied the defeat of his enemies. His prayer against his enemies was, therefore, at once a prayer for deliverance and for the honour of God. The dawn of David’s deliverance appears in this verse, and fully breaks forth in Psa 57:8
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 57:5. Be thou exalted, O God, &c. “Manifest thyself to be the Lord of heaven and earth, by delivering me from this imminent danger.” The verse may be rendered, Exalt, O God, above the heavens, above all the earth, thy glory.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Observe how Jesus breaks out in praise in the midst of prayer. Such, Reader, should be the conduct of all his people. The heaviest exercises in grace can never interrupt the song of praise: 1Th 5:18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 57:5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth.
Ver. 5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens ] That is, saith the Chaldee, above the angels.
And let thy glory be above all the earth
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Be Thou exalted. See the Structure. Figure of speech Cycloides. App-6. See Psa 57:11. Compare similar Cycloides in Psa 56:4, Psa 56:11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 57:5
Psa 57:5
THE REFRAIN
“Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let thy glory be above all the earth.”
This refrain is the equivalent of the New Testament expression, “Hallowed be thy Name.” “As used here it is both a weapon against the enemy and a victory within itself.” “The thought here is not that God might do something whereby he would become exalted, but that God already deserves to be exalted for what he has already done.”
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 57:5. As a comparison, David exalts God above the heavens. The word is plural and refers to the 1st and 2nd heavens. That means the regions of the air and the planets. Then the psalmist adds the earth in his comparison which makes it complete for the material universe. It would have been inappropriate to name the 3rd heaven, for that is where God dwells as a spiritual Being.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Be thou: Psa 57:11, Psa 21:13, Psa 108:4, Psa 108:5, 1Ch 29:1, Isa 2:11, Isa 2:17, Isa 12:4, Isa 37:20, Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10
above: Psa 8:1, Psa 113:4-6
thy glory: Psa 72:19, Psa 148:13, Num 14:21, Isa 6:3, Hab 2:14, Hab 3:3
Reciprocal: 1Ch 29:11 – exalted Psa 18:46 – exalted Psa 46:10 – I will be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 57:5. Be thou exalted above the heavens That is, higher than the heavens, or to the highest degree possible. Glorify thy power and goodness, thy justice and faithfulness, by my deliverance; all which attributes are exposed to censure and reproach while thou sufferest the ungodly to oppress and triumph over the righteous, who put their trust in thee. Let thy glory be above all the earth Above all men upon earth, some of whom do now audaciously lift up themselves against thee, and act as if they thought themselves above thee, and able to counteract thy designs. Or, through all the earth, as the Hebrew may be rendered. Spread the fame of thy glorious perfections through all nations. Display thy glory, not only among thy own people, but in such a manner that even the heathen may be forced to acknowledge and admire it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
57:5 {f} Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth.
(f) Do not permit me to be destroyed to the contempt of your Name.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This refrain expresses David’s desire that God would glorify Himself. Implicit in the desire is a request that God would deliver the just psalmist.