Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 13:6
I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me – The word which is here rendered dealt bountifully – gamal – means properly to deal with anyone; to treat anyone well or ill; and then, to requite, or recompense. When used absolutely, as it is here, it is commonly employed in a good sense, meaning to deal favorably, or kindly, toward anyone; to treat anyone with favor. It means here that God had shown him kindness or favor, and had thus laid the foundation for gratitude and praise. The psalm closes, therefore, with expressions of joy, thankfulness, triumph. Though it begins with depression and sadness, it ends with joy. This is often observable in the Psalms. In the commencement it often occurs that the mind is overwhelmed with sorrow, and there is earnest pleading with God. Light, under the influence of prayer, breaks in gradually upon the soul. The clouds disperse; the darkness disappears. New views of the goodness and mercy of God are imparted; an assurance of his favor is brought to the soul; confidence in his mercy springs up in the heart; and the psalm that began with sorrowful complaining ends with the language of praise and of joy. So, too, it is in our own experience. Afflicted, depressed, and sad, we go to God. Everything seems dark. We have no peace – no clear and cheerful views – no joy. As we wait upon God, new views of his character, his mercy, his love, break upon the mind. The clouds open. Light beams upon us. Our souls take hold of the promises of God, and we, who went to His throne sad and desponding, rise from our devotions filled with praise and joy, submissive to the trials which made us so sad, and rejoicing in the belief that all things will work together for our good.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 13:6
I will sing unto the Lord.
The passing of morbid states of mind
Much spiritual darkness is no doubt caused by the minds sympathising with a morbid condition of the body, a condition not always known to the sufferer, and often not even suspected. Nevertheless, the morbid condition exists, and prevents the mind from rightly estimating the evidences of its conversion. No sooner, however, is the believers health restored than he finds himself in a new world of religious hope and feeling, and yet without a single new evidence of his being a child of God. His repentance is not more sincere, his faith more entire, nor his purpose to serve God more determined. His restoration to health alone has invested his evidences of conversion to God with pleasurable emotions. He has, of course, more enjoyment in his religion, but not an iota more of genuineness and safety in it than there was before. (David Caldwell, A. M.)
Joy in Gods ways with us
This Psalm, like many others, begins in sorrow, but ends in joy. In all Gods works there is a great likeness running throughout–a change from bad to good, from hope deferred to real enjoyment; as the proverb has it, No cross, no crown Thus it is that daylight succeeds the darkness of night, and disperses it. Health and strength follow so often after a bed of sickness, inward joy after a long period of outward sorrow. Our Lord Himself went not after joy; but first He suffered pain. And such is the lifes history of all Gods most chosen saints. How differently a man goes through the world who dwells upon the blessings he has received more than the sorrows and trials he may have undergone, who tries to see in all circumstances of his life Gods goodness towards himself, instead of repining continually in discontent at everything which crosses his will or his hopes. It is in this way that God so often draws the hearts of men to Himself, weans them from the love of this world, makes them to love Him supremely before all else, and thus sows the seed of eternal life in their hearts. We are all surrounded by a thousand blessings, of which we take little or no account. These words of the text contain a direct expression of our own individual blessings and mercies. It is the work of Gods Holy Spirit in us to shed abroad in our hearts the love of God. And when we love God we love all that belongs to God. Let this be one object of our daily life, to see more and more Gods love towards us. (W. J. Stracey, M. A.)
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Psa 14:1-7
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. I will sing unto the Lord] That heart is turned to God’s praise which has a clear sense of God’s favour.
Because he hath dealt bountifully with me.] ki gamel alai, because he hath recompensed me. My sorrows were deep, long continued, and oppressive, but in thy favour is life. A moment of this spiritual joy is worth a year of sorrow! O, to what blessedness has this godly sorrow led! He has given me the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness, and the garments of praise for mourning.
The old MS. Psalter, which I have so frequently mentioned and quoted, was written at least four hundred years ago, and written probably in Scotland, as it is in the Scottish dialect. That the writer was not merely a commentator, but a truly religious man, who was well acquainted with the travail of the soul, and that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which brings peace to the troubled heart, is manifested from various portions of his comment. To prove this I shall, I think I may say, favour the reader with another extract from this Psalm on the words, “How long wilt thou forget me,” c., Ps 13:1. I have only to observe that with this commentator a true penitent, one who is deeply in earnest for his salvation, is called a perfyte man i.e., one wholly given up to God.
How lang lord for getes thu me in the endyng? How lang o way turnes thou thi face fro me? The voice of haly men that covaytes and yernes the comyng of Iehu Crist, that thai might lyf with hym in ioy; and pleynaund tham of delaying. And sais, Lord how lang for getes thu me in the endyng? That I covayte to haf and hald. That es how lang delayes thu me fra the syght of Iehu Crist, that es ryght endyng of myn entent. And how lang turnes thu thi face fra me? that es, qwen wil thu gif me perfyte Knawing of the? This wordes may nane say sothly, bot a perfyte man or woman, that has gedyrd to gydir al the desyres of thair Saule, and with the nayle of luf fested tham in Iehu Crist. Sa tham thynk one hour of the day war our lang to dwel fra hym; for tham langes ay til hym; bot tha that lufs noght so, has no langyng that he come: for thair conscience sais thaim, that thai haf noght lufed hym als that suld have done.
The language of true Christian experience has been the same in all times and nations. “But he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love;” and to such this is strange language.
ANALYSIS OF THE THIRTEENTH PSALM
“This Psalm,” says Bishop Nicolson, “is a fit prayer for a soul that is sensible of God’s desertion.”
It has three parts: –
I. A heavy and bitter complaint of God’s absence, Ps 13:1-2.
II. An earnest petition for God’s return, Ps 13:3. The reason, Ps 13:4.
III. A profession of faith and confidence, with joy in God, accompanied with thanksgiving, Ps 13:5-6.
I. He bitterly complains, and aggravates it.
1. That God had forgotten him: “Wilt thou forget me?”
2. That he hid his face from him: “Wilt thou hide thy face?”
3. That he was distracted with many cares, what way to take, and what counsel to follow, to recover God’s favour: “I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart.”
4. In the meantime, his enemy was exalted, triumphed and insulted over him.
5. And, lastly, he complains of the delay, which is quickened by the erotesis, (interrogation,) and anaphora, (beginning several sentences with the same words,) How long? How long? How long? What! for ever?
II. His petition, Ps 13:3. Of which there are three degrees opposed to the parts of his complaint, Ps 13:1-2.
1. Look upon me, or consider me. Thou hast hitherto seemed to turn away thy face; but once behold me, and give me a proof of thy love.
2. Hear me. Thou hast seemed to have forgotten; but now, I pray thee, remember me; and show that thou dost not neglect my prayer.
3. Lighten my eyes. I have been vexed in my soul, and agitated various counsels to recover thy favour; but do thou instruct me, and illuminate me, as to what course I shall take.
That his petition might be the sooner heard, he urges many arguments: –
1. From that relation that was between him and God: “O Lord my God, hear me!”
2. From a bitter event that was likely to follow, if God heard him not: “Lest I sleep the sleep of death.”
3. From another afflictive consequence-the boasting and insult of his adversaries: “Lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.”
But although the answer was delayed, yet he does not despair-for,
III. In the conclusion, he professes faith, joy, and thankfulness: –
1. His faith: “I have trusted in thy mercy.”
2. His joy: “My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.”
3. His thankfulness: “I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
According to this scale, this Psalm can neither be read nor paraphrased without profit.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Either,
1. In giving me that support and assurance of his favour which for the present I enjoy. Or,
2. In giving me that mercy which he hath freely promised me; it being a common thing for David and other prophets to speak of future deliverances as if they were already come, that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing, and their firm assurance thereof. But the words may be rendered, when he shall have
dealt bountifully with me. This verb properly signifies to requite, or reward, (as it may be taken here, for there is a reward of grace as well as of debt, Rom 4:4) but here it signifies a free and bountiful giving, as it doth also Psa 119:17; 142:7.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I will sing unto the Lord,…. In prayer faith is encouraged, through believing the heart is filled with joy; and this joy is expressed by the lips, in songs of praise to the Lord, ascribing the glory of salvation to him, and giving him thanks for every mercy and blessing of life;
because he hath dealt bountifully with me; both in a way of providence and grace, granting life and preserving it, and supporting with the comforts of it; blessing with spiritual blessings, and crowning with loving kindness and tender mercies; all which is generous and bountiful dealing, and affords a just occasion of praise and thanksgiving; see
Ps 116:7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. I will sing Faith rises to the point of victory, and joy ends the bitter outcry of Psa 13:1-2. Luther: “While Satan rages and roars about him, he meanwhile sings quietly his little psalm.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
READER! in following the sweet steps of soul exercises which are marked in this Psalm, while God the Holy Ghost is our Guide, how lovely is it to eye Jesus as having gone before. Yes! thou Holy One of God! what sorrow, what trial, what distress or anguish of spirit can any one of thy redeemed be called to, where thy bright and blessed example doth not hold forth precious views to console, as well as gracious paths to follow. Oh, Lord! vouchsafe to sanctify every appointment to our furtherance in the greater knowledge of thee, and of our being conformed to thee in all things. And when, Lord, In dark seasons, the enemy cometh in like a flood, O let thy blessed Spirit lift thee up to our view, as a standard against him. And oh! our gracious God! let it please thee to grant, that when, from the darkness of our mind, we cannot see thy beauties so clear as at other times, nor our own personal interest in thee; then, blessed Jesus, may we have grace still to trust thee. If we cannot sing the song of triumph, still let us not bang the harp upon the willow, but cry after thee. Still let faith have its perfect work: and may we venture all upon thee, amidst all the darkness around, or the darkness within. Yes! precious Jesus, if thou wilt grant but faith to trust thee, to believe in thee, to hang upon thee, and to commit all into thy blessed hands, under all the emptiness and barrenness in our own hearts; faith thus acting all its workings upon thee, will at length find strength, and light, and life, in thee, and from thee; and thus our heaviness will be turned into joy, and we shall join in the same song, as the Psalmist here hath recorded, and sing unto the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with us.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 13:6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
Ver. 6. I will sing unto the Lord ] How far different is the end of this psalm from the beginning! See the like Psa 6:1 , See Trapp on “ Psa 6:1 “
Because he hath dealt bountifully with me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
dealt bountifully with = compensated.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I: Psa 21:13
he: Psa 116:7, Psa 119:7
Reciprocal: 1Ki 3:6 – mercy Psa 30:12 – I will Psa 119:17 – Deal Psa 119:65 – dealt well Psa 142:7 – thou shalt Joe 2:26 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 13:6. He hath dealt bountifully with me Either, 1st, In giving me that support and assurance of his favour which I enjoy at the present; or 2d, In giving me gracious promises of the deliverance and help which I expect; it being a common thing for David and other prophets to speak of future deliverances as if they were really come, that so they might signify both the infallible certainty of the thing and their firm assurance thereof.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath {e} dealt bountifully with me.
(e) Both by the benefits past and by others to come.