Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 81:14
I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
14. I should soon subdue their enemies,
And turn my hand against their adversaries.
In my ways is the contrast to in their own counsels. (Jer 7:23-24.) The hand which is now turned against Israel in chastisement would be turned against their enemies.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I should soon have subdued their enemies – This is one of the consequences which, it is said, would have followed if they had been obedient to the laws of God. The phrase rendered soon means literally like a little; that is, as we might say, in a little, to wit, in a little time. The word rendered subdued means to bow down; to be curved or bent; and the idea is, that he would have caused them to bow down, to wit, by submission before them. Compare Deu 32:29-30.
And turned my hand against their adversaries – Against those who oppressed and wronged them. The act of turning the hand against one is significant of putting him away – repelling him – disowning him – as when we would thrust one away from us with aversion.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. I should soon have subdued] If God’s promise appeared to fail in behalf of his people, it was because they rejected his counsel, and walked in their own. While they were faithful, they prospered; and not one jot or tittle of God’s word failed to them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Those remainders of the Canaanites whom now for their unbelief and apostacy I have left in the land to be snares and plagues to them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I should soon have subdued their enemies,…. The Canaanites, and others: this he would have done in a very little time, or at once, and that easily, and without any trouble; he would quickly have humbled them, and brought them on their knees, as the word g signifies, to terms of peace; for when a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies to be at peace with him, Pr 16:7 so those that hearken to the voice of Christ, and walk in his ways, he subdues their iniquities, and will bruise Satan under their feet shortly, and make them more than conquerors: through himself, over the world; the men and things of it he has overcome:
and turned my hand against their adversaries; that troubled, distressed, and oppressed them; and it is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble his people; he turns his chastising hand off of them, which sometimes is heavy upon them, and presses them sore, and turns it in a way of wrath and vindictive justice against their adversaries; and so the Targum,
“and turned the stroke of my power against their adversaries;”
this is the lighting down of his arm with the indignation of his anger, which is intolerable, Isa 30:30.
g “flecterem”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. I would soon have brought their enemies low. Here the Israelites are taught, that all the calamities which had befallen them were to be imputed to their own sins; for their enemies did not fight against them with any other strength than that with which they were supplied from above. God had promised that under his leading the chosen people would prove victorious over all their enemies; and now to take away all ground for charging him with violating his word, he affirms that he would not have failed to enable them to do this had he not been prevented by their sins. He doubtless intends tacitly to remind them that the victories which they had formerly achieved were not owing to their own military valor, but to Him under whose conduct they had been placed. Now, he tells them that he was not only kept back by their sins from putting forth his power to defend them, but that he was also compelled by their perverseness to rush against them with the sword in his hand, while he left their enemies to remain in undisturbed tranquillity.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
14. I should soon In a little time, quickly. So near were they to a happy consummation, had they hearkened to God, and trustingly gone forward.
Turned my hand against their adversaries But disobedience reversed the order, and the judgments which might have held their enemies in awe, or swept them from the earth, were turned against themselves.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 81:14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
Ver. 14. I should soon have subdued ] I would have turned the scales, and made them as much overweight to their enemies as they were to them.
And turned my hand, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
soon. See note on “almost”, Pro 5:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I should: Num 14:9, Num 14:45, Jos 23:13, Jdg 2:20-23
turned: Amo 1:8, Zec 13:7
Reciprocal: Exo 16:28 – General Lev 26:8 – General Jdg 4:23 – General Psa 47:3 – subdue Jer 2:3 – all that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 81:14-15. I would soon have subdued their enemies Both those remaining Canaanites, whom now, for their unbelief and apostacy, I have left in the land, to be snares and plagues to them, and also all their encroaching and vexatious neighbours, who have so often invaded and laid waste their country. The haters of the Lord The enemies of Gods people, such as the neighbouring nations were; should have submitted themselves Should have owned and professed their subjection to them, if not also have become proselytes to the true religion. He terms them haters of the Lord, partly because they hated the Israelites for Gods sake, and on account of the singularity of their worship, as the heathen often declared; and partly to show the close union and solemn league and covenant which were between God and them, by virtue of which God had declared he would account their friends to be his friends, and their enemies to be his enemies. But their time That is, Israels time, meaning, either, 1st, Their happy time, life being often put for a happy life or state; or, rather, 2d, The duration of their commonwealth; should have endured for ever Should have lasted for a long time; whereas now their latter and doleful end is hastening toward them. It may be proper to observe here the original expression, rendered, should have submitted themselves to him, is, , jecachashu lo, which, as we have more than once had occasion to observe, signifies, should have lied unto him, that is, spoken fair, fawned, and pretended great respect to the Jewish people and their God, though in reality they hated them both. In this sense the words are understood by Bishop Patrick, whose paraphrase upon the verse is well worth transcribing. All that maligned their prosperity, (the prosperity of Israel,) and set themselves against the design of the Lord, to make them victorious over their enemies, should have been so daunted, that they should have dissembled their inward hatred, and been forced, at least, to counterfeit submission; but his people should have seen blessed days, and have enjoyed a substantial and durable happiness without any interruption.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
81:14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand {l} against their adversaries.
(l) If their sins had not.