Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 61:7
He shall abide before God forever: O prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him.
7. He shall abide before God for ever ] Rather, He shall sit enthroned before God for ever, an allusion to the promise of eternal dominion to the house of David, ‘in the presence of God,’ enjoying His favour and protection. See 2Sa 7:16 (read with LXX before me), 26, 29; Psa 21:6; Psa 89:36 b: and for the pregnant sense of ‘sit’ cp. Psa 9:7.
O prepare &c.] Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may guard him. Cp. Psa 40:11; 2Sa 15:20; Psa 42:8; Psa 89:14. God’s covenant love and faithfulness to His promise are like guardian angels to the king; and the reflection of these attributes of God in his own character and administration will be the safeguard of his throne (Pro 20:28).
The word prepare (‘appoint’) is ignored by some of the Ancient Versions (Jer. Aq. Symm.), and variously rendered by others. It is in itself suspicious both for its form and for its position, and perhaps should simply be omitted. Possibly it may be a corruption of the word for ‘continually’ (Psa 40:11), or of an emphatic they (‘Lovingkindness and truth shall continually or, even they shall guard him’). Such a statement agrees better with Psa 61:6-7 a than a prayer does.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He shall abide before God for ever – That is, perpetually; without danger of change, or of being driven into exile. This may allude, however, to the hope which David had that he would always live with God in a higher world – a world where there would be no danger of change or banishment. His restoration to his home, to his throne, and to the privileges of the sanctuary, he may have regarded as an emblem of his ultimate reception into a peaceful heaven, and his mind may have glanced rapidly from the one to the other. On earth, after his restoration, he would have no fear that he would be banished again; in heaven, of which such a restoration might be regarded as an emblem, there could be no change, no exile.
O prepare mercy and truth – literally, divide, or divide out; then, allot or appoint; and then, make ready or prepare. The prayer is, that God would measure out to him, or impart to him, such favor that this desire of his heart would be realized. On the phrase mercy and truth, see Psa 25:10, note; Psa 57:3, note; Psa 57:10, note.
Which may preserve him – They will preserve him. That is, the manifestation of such mercy and truth would make his permanent occupancy of his throne on earth, and his ultimate reception into heaven, secure.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. He shall abide before God for ever] Literally, “He shall sit for ever before the faces of God.” He shall ever appear in the presence of God for us. And he ever sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high; for he undertook this office after having, by his sacrificial offering, made atonement for our sins.
Prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.] As Mediator, his attendants will ever be mercy and truth. He will dispense the mercy of God, and thus fulfil the truth of the various promises and predictions which had preceded his incarnation. There is an obscurity in this clause, chesed veemeth man yintseruhu, owing to the particle man, which some translate who or what; and others, number thou, from manah, to count. Houbigant, and he is followed by Bishop Lowth, would read miyehovah, Mercy and truth from Jehovah shall preserve him. The Anglo-Saxon has, [A.S.] Mildheartedness, and soothfastness his, who seeketh? which is nearly the rendering of the old Psalter: Mercy and sothfastnes of him, wha sall seke? Dr. Kennicott says, man is a Syriasm; and should be translated quaesoutinam, I beseech thee, – I wish, – O that! On this very ground Coverdale appears to have translated, O let thy lovynge mercy and faithfulnes preserve him! The sense I have given above I conceive to be the true one.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He shall abide, or sit, to wit, in the throne, Jer 13:13.
Before God; living and ruling as in Gods presence, and serving God with his royal power, and worshipping him in his tabernacle.
Prepare, or order, or appoint, as this word signifies, Jon 1:17; 4:6.
Mercy and truth; either,
1. The graces of mercy or compassion, and truth or faithfulness; which are the great supporters of thrones, Pro 20:28; 29:14. Or rather,
2. Thy mercy and truth, i.e. the effects of them; thy truth in giving me those mercies which thou hast promised to me, and thy mercy in giving me such further blessings as I need and thou seest fit to give me.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. abide before Godliterally,”sit as a king in God’s presence,” under His protection.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He shall abide before God for ever,…. Or “sit” b; or “may he sit”. Being raised from the dead he was received up to heaven into the presence of God, and sat down at his right hand; where he abides for ever, a Priest upon his throne, having an unchangeable priesthood, Heb 7:24;
and prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him; which, if literally understood of David, is a prayer that the Lord would show him favour and kindness, and perform his promises to him, whereby his life would be preserved from the plots and, conspiracies of his enemies, and his kingdom be established; or that he might be exalted to exercise mercy towards his subjects, and administer justice, or execute the judgment of truth among them; which would make for the preservation of his person, and the support of his throne and government, Pr 20:28. But as the words may be applied to the Messiah, they are to be understood, not of the preservation of his corporeal life while here on earth; but either of the preservation of his people, in whom he lives, through the mercy and truth of God, expressed in the exertion of his power, by which they are preserved unto the heavenly kingdom and glory; or of the security of his kingdom, which not being of this world, is not supported by worldly power and policy, but in a spiritual manner, and by spiritual means; such as mercy, or “grace and truth”; that is, the doctrines of grace and truth, which came by Christ, and are preached by his ministers, and are the means of continuing, promoting, and preserving his kingdom and interest in the world, Or the words may be rendered, “may mercy and the truth of manna keep thee”; the true manna, Christ; see Joh 6:32; or “mercy and truth, as the manna, keep thee” c; as that was kept in the golden pot, Ex 16:33; or rather as that kept and sustained the Israelites in the wilderness.
b “sedebit”, Tigurine version, Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius, Michaelis; so Ainsworth; “vel sedeat”, Vatablus, Gejerus, Amama. c Vid. Hackman. Praecidan. Sacr. tom. 1. p. 71.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. He shall abide before the face of God for ever. This is only a simpler way of expressing what he had said before, I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever. He refers to the security and peace which he would enjoy under the protection of God, who would effectually preserve his life. By the face of God, must be meant the fatherly care and providence which he extends to his people. So numerous are the dangers which surround us, that we could not stand a single moment, if his eye did not watch over our preservation. But the true security for a happy life lies in being persuaded that we are under divine government. There follows a prayer that God would appoint mercy and truth for preserving the king. And this admits of two meanings. As clemency and truth are the best safeguards of a kingdom, it would not be altogether unreasonable to suppose that David prays here to be endued with these dispositions, as a means of establishing his throne. But the other meaning is perhaps preferable, that God would gird himself with clemency and truth in order to the preservation of the king. The Hebrew term מנה, manah, signifies not only to prepare, but to set over, or appoint; and he speaks as if the true defense of the kingdom was only to be found in the mercy and faithfulness of God. He uses the expression prepare, or command, to intimate how easily God can provide the means necessary for preserving his people. In the concluding words, he expresses his resolution to persevere in the constant celebration of the praises of God, with a view to fulfilling the vows which he had contracted — and this again may lead us to remark the agreement which ought ever to subsist between the two parts of invocation: for David, while he applied to God for help, under the pressure of calamity, showed himself uniformly grateful when he had experienced deliverance.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) He shall abide.Better, may he sit enthroned.
Prepare.Rather, appoint. But the LXX. had a different reading, and an ingenious emendation has been suggested from a comparison with Psa. 40:11, viz., let mercy and truth continually preserve him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. He shall abide before God That is, he shall be established upon his throne in the presence, and by the favour, of God. “When kings are said to ‘ abide’ or sit, it is commonly in the more formal sense of sitting on the throne, the judgment seat.” Perowne.
Oh prepare mercy and truth Or, appoint mercy and truth, distinguishing qualities of the divine character and government. These he would have appointed as his watch and guard, that his acts might conform to the divine model.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 61:7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him.
Ver. 7. He shall abide before God for ever ] Or, He shall sit, viz. upon the throne, a long while in his person; but for ever in his Son Christ, Luk 1:32-33 : and this affordeth sweet and singular comfort to the whole Church and each member thereof; forasmuch as the dignity of a king cannot stand unless his subjects be in safety.
O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
abide = remain [enthroned].
prepare = number, or appoint, as in Jon 1:17.
mercy = lovingkindness, or grace.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
abide: Psa 41:12, Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7, Luk 1:33, Heb 7:21-25, Heb 9:24
prepare: Psa 40:11, Psa 43:3, Psa 57:3, Gen 24:27, Gen 32:10, Pro 20:28, Mic 7:20, Luk 1:54, Luk 1:55
Reciprocal: 2Sa 15:20 – mercy Psa 16:5 – thou Psa 21:7 – For the Psa 61:4 – abide Psa 89:24 – But my Psa 115:1 – for thy mercy Psa 116:9 – walk Pro 14:22 – but Isa 16:5 – in mercy Hos 6:2 – we
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
61:7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare {e} mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him.
(e) For the stability of my kingdom stands in your mercy and truth.