Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 71:13

Let them be confounded [and] consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered [with] reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt.

Let them be confounded and consumed – See the notes at the similar passage in Psa 35:4. The sentiment in this verse is the same; the language is slightly varied. See also Psa 40:14, where the same sentiment occurs.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. Let them be confounded] They shall be confounded: these are prophetic denunciations.

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

13. (Compare Psa 35:4;Psa 40:14).

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

Let them be confounded,…. See Ps 70:2;

[and] consumed; like smoke; see Ps 37:20; as antichrist will be with the breath of Christ’s mouth, and the brightness of his coming, 2Th 2:8;

that are adversaries to my soul; that hated him with a diabolical hatred, as the devil hates the souls of men, and who has his name “Satan” from the word here used; all wicked men are Satans, full of enmity against God, and all good men; and such were David’s enemies, spiteful and malicious, and nothing would satisfy them but his life;

let them be covered [with] reproach and dishonour; as with a garment:

that seek my hurt; see Ps 35:26; as Absalom and his company; so Arama.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

In view of Psa 40:15 (Psa 70:3), Psa 35:4, Psa 35:26; Psa 109:29, and other passages, the reading of , with the Syriac, instead of in Psa 71:13 commends itself; but there are also other instances in this Psalm of a modification of the original passages, and the course of the thoughts is now climactic: confusion, ruin (cf. Ps 6:11), and in fact ruin accompanied by reproach and shame. This is the fate that the poet desires for his deadly foes. In prospect of this he patiently composes himself, Psa 71:14 (cf. 31:25); and when righteous retribution appears, he will find new matter and ground and motive for the praise of God in addition to all such occasion as he has hitherto had. The late origin of the Psalm betrays itself again here; for instead of the praet. Hiph. (which is found only in the Books of Kings and in Ecclesiastes), the older language made use of the praet. Ka. Without ceasing shall his mouth tell ( , as in Jer 51:10) of God’s righteousness, of God’s salvation for he knows not numbers, i.e., the counting over or through of them (Psa 139:17.);

(Note: The lxx renders ; the Psalterium Romanum, non cognovi negotiationes ; Psalt. Gallicum (Vulgate), non cognovi literaturam (instead of which the Psalt. Hebr., literaturas). According to Bttcher, the poet really means that he did not understand the art of writing.)

the divine proofs of righteousness or salvation (Psa 40:6), they are in themselves endless, and therefore the matter also which they furnish for praise is inexhaustible. He will tell those things which cannot be so reckoned up; he will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord Jahve, and with praise acknowledge His righteousness, Him alone. Since , like the New Testament , usually signifies the proofs of the divine (e.g., Psa 20:7), the Beth is the Beth of accompaniment, as e.g., in Psa 40:8; Psa 66:13. , vernire cum , is like Arab. j’a’ b ( ata ), equivalent to afferre , he will bring the proofs of the divine power, this rich material, with him. It is evident from Psa 71:18. that does not refer to the poet (in the fulness of divine strength), but, together with , forms a pair of words that have reference to God. , according to the sense, joins closely upon the suffix of (cf. Ps 83:19): Thy righteousness (which has been in mercy turned towards me), Thine alone ( te solum = tui solius ). From youth up God has instructed him, viz., in His ways (Psa 25:4), which are worthy of all praise, and hitherto ( , found only in this passage in the Psalter, and elsewhere almost entirely confined to prose) has he, “the taught of Jahve” ( ), had to praise the wonders of His rule and of His leadings. May God, then, not forsake him even further on . The poet is already old ( ), and is drawing ever nearer to , silvery, hoary old age (cf. 1Sa 12:2). May God, then, in this stage of life also to which he has attained, preserve him in life and in His favour, until ( = , as in Psa 132:5; Gen 38:11, and frequently) he shall have declared His arm, i.e., His mighty interposition in human history, to posterity ( ), and to all who shall come (supply ), i.e., the whole of the future generation, His strength, i.e., the impossibility of thwarting His purposes. The primary passage for this is Psa 22:31.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

While invoking the aid of God, he at the same time prays (verse 13) that his enemies may be filled with shame until they be consumed. These words, however, may not improperly be read in the future tense; for it is frequently the practice of David, after having ended his prayer, to rise up against his enemies, and, as it were, to triumph over them. But I have followed that which seems more agreeable to the scope of the passage. Having had occasion elsewhere to explain this imprecation, it is unnecessary for me to repeat, in this place, what I have previously said.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(13) Hurt.Literally, evil.

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

13. Let them be confounded This, with some variation, forms a refrain with Psa 71:24. This is the language of desire, that of experience the fulfilment of his prayer.

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

Warning and Thanksgiving

v. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed, heaped with disgrace and delivered to utter ruin, that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered, completely enveloped, with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt, endeavoring to carry their wickedness into practise at every opportunity.

v. 14. But I, in spite of such wicked counsels, will hope continually and will yet praise Thee more and more, knowing that there will be further occasion for expressing his thanksgiving.

v. 15. My mouth shall show forth Thy righteousness and Thy salvation all the day, v. 2. for I know not the numbers thereof; the manifestations of God’s attributes are so innumerable that one cannot keep count, and therefore the material for the praise of God is inexhaustible.

v. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God, come forward with His mighty deeds, try to perform the impossible in enumerating them; I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only, joyfully confessing it everywhere and upon all occasions.

v. 17. O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, namely, in His ways, as they agree with His holy will; and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works, namely, of the guidance of God in his whole life.

v. 18. Now also, when I am old and gray-headed, showing the effects of old age in his appearance, O God, forsake me not, until I have showed Thy strength, the arm of the Lord, as the symbol of His almighty power and deeds, unto this generation and Thy power to every one that is to come, publishing the mighty works of Jehovah to all whom his voice may reach.

v. 19. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, reaching even to the height of heaven, the highest point of creation, who hast done great things, which the psalmist feels constrained to proclaim even now. O God, who is like unto Thee? The God of Israel, the supreme God, is exalted in righteousness and might over all the universe.

v. 20. Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, by having him see and experience affliction and tribulation, shalt quicken me again, rather, “revive us again,” for the poet now includes the entire congregation in his hymn of praise, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth, the abysses of earth standing for threatening ruin.

v. 21. Thou shalt increase my greatness, the prominence and authority of the psalmist’s office in the kingdom, and comfort me on every side, chiefly by justifying him before the enemies.

v. 22. I will also praise Thee with the psaltery, the lutelike instrument used to accompany singing, even Thy truth, O my God, the faithfulness with which the Lord keeps His promises; unto Thee will I sing with the harp, with the zither of David, O Thou Holy One of Israel.

v. 23. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto Thee, composing and declaiming psalms in His honor; and my soul, which Thou hast redeemed, the deliverance from the troubles of this present life being the believer’s guarantee of his final redemption.

v. 24. My tongue also shall talk of Thy righteousness all the day long, v. 15; for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt. That is the proper spirit of prayer, to anticipate the Lord’s favorable answer and to praise Him in advance for all His blessings.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Psa 71:13 Let them be confounded [and] consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered [with] reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

Ver. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed ] Here he beginneth diris devovere, to devote his foes to destruction, who soon also found that these were not bruta fulmina, as the pope’s bulls are (wittily compared by one to a fool’s dagger, rattling and snapping without an edge), but that there was an energy in them, though haply not felt for present; and that they had better have angered all the witches in the country than occasioned David thus to curse them in the name of the Lord.

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

Psa 71:13

Psa 71:13

AN IMPRECATION AGAINST ENEMIES

“Let them be put to shame and consumed that are adversaries to my soul,

Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt.”

Who was as skilled as David in calling down the judgments of God upon his enemies? The very vocabulary of this imprecation is found no less than five times in other psalms of David: Psa 41:7; Psa 41:9; Psa 53:5; Psa 35:4; Psa 40:14; Psa 70:2.

E.M. Zerr:

Psa 71:13. Confounded and consumed are strong terms meaning to be completely defeated. Reference to the soul was in regard to the general personal life of David.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

the Greatest of All Workers

Psa 71:13-24

The singer glances both backward and forward. He goes back in thought to the time when he was cast on God at birth, and acknowledges that God has taught him from his youth and has enabled him to declare Gods wondrous works. We may make the same retrospect, and as we muse on all that God has been to us, we may be assured that He will not forsake the work of His own hands, Psa 138:8. His deliverances will give cause for endless praise, even when our eyes are closing and the heart waxes feeble in death.

But let us also think of those who are following us, and see to it that we leave behind some record of Gods righteousness and salvation. Let us place a flaming torch in the hands of our children for them in turn to pass on. Let us show Gods strength and power to those who are to come.

The best occupation for the aged is praise, Psa 71:8; Psa 71:14; Psa 71:22-23. Thy mouth shall be filled shall tell shall talk. When our hearts are bubbling over with good matter, Psa 45:1, we can leave our speech to take care of itself. Love will not lack for means of expression.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Let them be: etc. “They shall be confounded,” etc.: these are prophetic denunciations. Psa 71:24, Psa 6:10, Psa 35:4, Psa 35:26, Psa 40:14, Psa 40:15, Isa 41:11, Jer 20:11

covered: Psa 109:29, Psa 132:18, 1Pe 5:5

Reciprocal: Est 9:2 – as sought Psa 5:10 – let Psa 25:3 – let Psa 44:15 – covered Psa 70:2 – Let Jer 51:51 – shame Joh 8:9 – went out

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge