Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 120:7
I [am for] peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war.
7. Lit. I am peace: cp. Psa 109:4, “I am prayer.”
but when I speak &c.] If I so much as speak to them, or perhaps, as P.B.V., “speak unto them thereof,” make overtures of friendship, they threaten fiercer hostility.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I am for peace – Margin, A man of peace. Literally, I (am) peace. It is my nature. I desire to live in peace. I strive to do so. I do nothing to provoke a quarrel. I would do anything which would be right to pacify others. I would make any sacrifices, yield to any, demands, consent to any arrangements which would promise peace.
But when I speak – When I say anything on the subject, when I propose any new arrangements, when I suggest any changes, when I give utterance to my painful feelings, and express a desire to live differently – they will listen to nothing; they will be satisfied with nothing.
They are for war – For discord, variance, strife. All my efforts to live in peace are vain. They are determined to quarrel, and I cannot prevent it.
(a) A man in such a case should separate from such a person, if possible, as the only way of peace.
(b) If his position and relations are such that that cannot be done, then he should be careful that he does nothing himself to irritate and to keep up the strife.
(c) If all that he does or can do for peace is vain, and if his relations and position are such that he cannot separate, then he should bear it patiently – as coming from God, and as the discipline of his life. God has many ways of testing the patience and faith of his people, and there are few things which will do so more effectually than this; few situations where piety will shine more beautifully than in such a trial;
(d) He who is thus tried should look with the more earnestness of desire to another world. There is a world of peace; and the peace of heaven will be all the more grateful and blessed when we go up to it from such a scene of conflict and war.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. I am for peace] We love to be quiet and peaceable; but they are continually engaged in excursions of rapine and plunder. It is evident that the psalmist refers to a people like the Scenitae or wandering Arabs, who live constantly in tents, and subsist by robbery; plundering and carrying away all that they can seize. The poor captives wished them to cultivate the arts of peace, and live quietly; but they would hear of nothing but their old manner of life.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH PSALM
The psalmist in distress –
I. Flees to God by prayer.
II. Sets forth the miseries of a foul and deceitful tongue.
III. Complains of his banishment.
I. 1. He is in distress, and cries to the Lord; the surest and best way.
2. He tells us of the success of his prayer: “God heard him.”
3. Of the matter of it: “Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul! ” 1. “From lying lips.” Detractions, calumnies, and defamations. 2. From “a deceitful tongue,” which, under the colour of friendship, covers deceit. A detractor does his mischief openly, a flatterer secretly; so that when a deceitful tongue is joined with lying lips, the mischief is intolerable.
II. He sets forth the evil that shall fall on such deceivers and slanderers.
1. Arrows – which wound afar off, suddenly and invisibly.
2. Sharp arrows, well-headed and keen, that can pierce deeply.
3. “Sharp arrows of the mighty,” shot by a strong hand, and so much the more dangerous.
4. “With coals – inflamed arrows,” such as set all things on fire.
5. “With coals of juniper,” which of all coals are the hottest, and keep fire the longest.
III. The psalmist complains of his banishment.
1. He laments his situation on account of the wickedness of the people among whom he sojourned.
2. They were barbarous and inhuman, enemies to piety and civility.
3. His state was the more intolerable, as it had been of long duration: “My soul hath long dwelt,” c.
His disposition was quite contrary to theirs.
1. “I am for peace.” I wish to live in peace, and cultivate it.
2. But when I speak of peace, they are for war They are fierce and inhuman. It was said of the Macedonians in Philip’s time, Illis pacem esse bellum et bellum pacem. “To them peace was war, and war was peace.” Such were the people of the provinces, among whom many of the Israelites were in captivity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I [am for] peace,…. Am wholly peace; a man of peace, as Aben Ezra; of a peaceable disposition, devoted to peace; love it, seek and pursue it, as every good man does, who is called to it, and in whose heart it rules: such follow peace with all men, and the things which make for it; and, as much as in them lies, endeavour to live peaceably with all;
but when I speak, they [are] for war; make a motion for peace, and propose the terms of it, they declare against it, and for war: or when he spoke of the things of God, and of his experience of them, of the word of God, and of the truths of it, and of what he believed,
Ps 116:10; and especially when he gave good counsel and advice to them, and reproved them for their sins, they could not bear it; but hated him for it, and proclaimed war against him; and could not behave peaceably to him in any degree, but became his avowed, sworn, and implacable enemies. The Targum is,
“when I prayed;”
either prayed to God, that they did not like; or prayed for peace with them, that they would not grant; but became more imbittered against him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) I am for peace.For the pregnant, I peace, see Note, Psa. 109:3. Both pronouns, I and they, are emphatic. No doubt these verses are intended to indicate the nature of the malicious speeches mentioned in Psa. 120:2-3. We imagine Israel in peculiarly difficult political relations under the Persians, possibly very soon after the Return, trying to keep in favour and peace with the ruling powers, but continually drawn into trouble by the jealousy and bitterness of other subject tribes. (See Introduction.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. I am for peace Hebrew, I peace. I am all peace. See this same form Psa 109:4.
When I speak, they are for war My pacific words are construed into strategic decoys. They are so full of war and treachery that they are wholly incapable of friendly conference. The contrast between the psalmist and his enemies is only an example of the eternal dissonance between the spirit of Christ and the spirit of the world. It is worthy of remark that lying, deceit, robbery, and hostility to strangers are characteristic vices of the Arabs to this day. It may further be noticed, that David’s residence in Paran closes the bitterest part of his wandering life during the persecutions of King Saul. Thenceforward a milder light beamed on his fortunes.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
PAUSE, my soul, over the solemn consideration which this Psalm suggests, of the wretched life, and more wretched death of the opposers of Christ and his gospel. In the traitor Judas we behold a lively representation of all. They are by the agency of the evil spirit, who is said to work in the children of disobedience, enlisted into his service, wear his livery, and delight themselves in opposing the children of the kingdom. And what is the sure end of those men? The wages of sin is death. O my soul, come not thou into their secret! unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united.
But let me turn from the sad contemplation of such men to look at Jesus, and in his soul exercises with the ungodly find consolation to carry my mind through all the trifling oppositions I meet with in the tents of Kedar, and the neighborhood of Mesech. Yes! thou adorable Lord, in thee and thy bright example I have an everlasting resource to bear me up, and bear me out, and carry me through every difficulty. Let the world frown, and the ungodly oppose; yet a little while and such will be clean gone; I shall look after his place and he will be cut off. Lord Jesus, be thou my home, my dwelling-place, my habitation, my joy, my portion, my all; so shall no plague came nigh my dwelling, neither the foot of the ungodly cast me down.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 120:7 I [am for] peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war.
Ver. 7. I am for peace ] Heb. I am peace, or peaceable, as far as is possible, Rom 12:18 ; this was David’s motto, and must be every man’s study. But it is not peace, but party, that many men mind, Maxima pars studiorum est studium partium.
But when I speak, they are for war
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I = I [even I]; or, I [am all] peace (emphatic).
speak = speak [of peace]. See note on Psa 109:4.
they are for war. The reference is to 2Ki 18:19. 2Ch 32:2. Isa 36:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
for peace: or, a man of peace, Psa 34:14, Psa 35:20, Psa 55:20, 2Sa 20:19, Mat 5:9, Rom 12:18, Eph 2:14-17, Heb 12:14
when: 1Sa 24:9-11, 1Sa 26:2-4
Reciprocal: Gen 13:9 – if thou wilt Num 20:20 – Thou shalt Deu 2:32 – General Deu 20:11 – tributaries Jdg 11:14 – again unto Psa 68:30 – delight Psa 140:2 – continually Mic 2:8 – securely 1Pe 3:11 – seek
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
120:7 I [am for] {g} peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war.
(g) He declares what he means by Meshech and Kedar, that is, the Israelites who had degenerated from their godly fathers, and hated and contended against the faithful.