Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 140:13
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
13. Surely ] The particle ’ak expresses the thought, Nay but after all; in spite of present trials.
shall dwell in thy presence ] In the land where Jehovah’s Presence is especially manifested. Cp. Psa 102:28. The manifestation of God which is destruction to the wicked (Psa 9:3) is security and happiness to the upright. Cp. Psa 11:7, note; Psa 16:11; Psa 89:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name – Unto thee.
(1) they will have occasion to do it;
(2) they will be disposed to do it.
They will not be unmindful of the favors conferred upon them; it will be a characteristic of them that they will be thankful.
The upright shall dwell in thy presence – They shall be under thy protection; they shall be admitted to thy favor; they shall dwell in thy dwelling-place.
(1) On earth they shall enjoy his favor – as if they abode with God.
(2) in heaven they will be permitted to dwell with him forever.
The general idea of the psalm is, that the poor, the persecuted, the afflicted, if righteous, shall enjoy the favor and protection of God. God is on their side, and not on the side of the wicked who oppress them. But then, people should be righteous in order that they may find the favor of God and dwell with him. There is no reason why a poor wicked man should enjoy the favor of God anymore than why a rich wicked man should. It is not poverty or riches that commend us to God; it is faith, and holiness, and love, and obedience, in the condition of life in which we are placed, be it in a cottage or a palace.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. The righteous shall give thanks] For thou wilt support and deliver him.
The upright shall dwell in thy presence.] Shall be admitted to the most intimate intercourse with God.
The persecuted have ever been dear to God Almighty; and the martyrs were, in an especial manner, his delight; and in proportion as he loved those, so must he hate and detest these.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND FORTIETH PSALM
David, being persecuted by Saul, Doeg, and the men of Ziph, prays to God against their evil tongues. But the fathers apply it more largely to the Church, in its persecution by wicked men and devils.
The Psalm is divided into four parts: –
I. A petition to be delivered from his enemies, whom he describes, Ps 140:1-6.
II. A protestation of his confidence in God, Ps 140:6-7.
III. A prayer against them, Ps 140:8-11.
IV. A manifestation of his hope, that God will maintain his just cause, Ps 140:12-13.
I. He first summarily proposes his petition.
1. “Deliver me, O Lord,” c. From Saul, Doeg, or the devil.
2. “Preserve me,” &c. From his violence and malice, and their effects. 1. Evil counsels, and wicked stratagems: “Which imagine mischief,” &c. 2. From their evil words, which were consonant with their thoughts.
“They have sharpened their tongues,” &c. With calumnies and frauds.
“Like a serpent,” &c. Their bitter words are as the poison of the viper and adder, or the asp, which, without pain, extinguishes life.
He repeats his petition: “Keep me, O Lord,” &c.
To move God, he shows their intentions.
1. “They have purposed,” &c.: To make me walk slowly, or not at all, in the ways of God to turn me back.
2. The method they took to attain their purpose: “The proud have laid a snare,” c.: as hunters do for birds and beasts. So the devil shows the bait, but hides the hook: under pleasure he hides the bitterness of its reward and consequences.
II. He implores aid from God against the evil and danger.
1. “I said unto the Lord,” &c. I do not cast away my confidence.
2. “Hear the voice,” &c.
Better to show the ground of his constancy, he declares, –
1. What esteem he had for his God: “Thou art the strength,” &c. My fortification against all my enemies.
2. What he had formerly done for him: “Thou hast covered my head,” &c.
III. The other part of his petition consists in praying against their plots.
1. “Grant not, O Lord,” &c. Let them not have their wishes.
2. “Further not his wicked device,” &c. Give them no prosperity in them.
3. “Lest they exalt themselves,” &c. Triumph in my being conquered by them.
After praying against them, predicts their punishment: “As for the head of those that compass me about,” &c.
1. “Let the mischief of their own lips,” &c.
2. Deal severely with them: “Let burning coals,” &c. Let them suffer extreme punishment: “Let them be cast into the fire,” &c.
3. “Let not an evil speaker,” &c. – a liar, flatterer, &c., “be established in the earth.”
4. “Evil shall hunt,” &c. Give no rest, but pursue the wicked man to his utter ruin all those who persecute the church, who write their laws in her blood.
IV. To the infliction of punishment on the wicked, he subjoins, by an antithesis, the promise of God for the defence of the righteous, and so concludes.
1. “I know,” c. Am certainly persuaded by my own experience, and the example of my forefathers, whom thou hast delivered in their trials and temptations.
2. “That the Lord will maintain,” &c. He may defer his help and deliverance but he will not take it from them.
And this he confirms and amplifies from the final cause, which is double.
1. That they praise him: “Surely the righteous shall give thanks,” &c. Being delivered, they attribute the honour, not to themselves, or their innocency or merit, but give the glory of his grace and love to God alone.
2. That they remain before him in his Church militant and triumphant. That they may “dwell in thy presence,” &c. Walk before his face here, dwell in his favour, and enjoy the beatific vision hereafter.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Shall give thanks unto thy name; shall have occasion to praise thee for their deliverance.
Shall dwell in thy presence; shall constantly enjoy thy gracious and powerful presence and assistance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. After all changes, therighteous shall have cause for praise. Such
shall dwellshall sitsecurely, under God’s protection (Psa 21:6;Psa 41:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name,…. The same with the poor and the afflicted; who, though traduced by men, and evil spoken of and ill used by them, are righteous in the sight of God; being justified by the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to them, and received by faith, in consequence of which they live soberly and righteously: these the psalmist knew and was assured they would give thanks to the Lord, and praise his holy name, for the righteousness by which they are made righteous, and for every other blessing of grace and mercy of life; for maintaining their cause and their right, and for the ruin and destruction of their enemies; see
Re 18:20;
the upright shall dwell in thy presence; under his care and protection; in his gracious presence, enjoying the light of his countenance here; and in his glorious presence hereafter, where is fulness of joy: these upright ones are such who are upright in heart; whose hearts are right with God, sincere in his service and worship, and walk uprightly according to the rule of his word. These, as some render it, “shall sit before [him]” t or “in his presence”: as children before a father, in whom he delights; or as disciples before a master, to be taught and instructed. The Targum is,
“shall return to pray before thee:”
and so Aben Ezra interprets it of their dwelling, or sitting before God, in the house of prayer; and Kimchi adds, by way of explanation,
“to seek thee, and know thy ways.”
Jerom reads it, “shall dwell with thy countenance or face” u; and understands it of dwelling with Christ, the face of God, Heb 1:3; with whom they shall dwell for evermore.
t “considebunt”, Junius Tremellius “sedebunt”, Cocceius; so Ainsworth and Syriac version. u So Sept. V. L. Arabic version, and Pagninus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) Surely.Or, perhaps here, only, the primary meaning of the particle.
Dwell.For the thought comp. Psa. 11:7; Psa. 16:11. After the peril and seeming abandonment God again proves the covenant promise true, and those whom the heathen would have chased from the land find in it a sure dwelling-place in the light of the presence and favour of Jehovah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 140:13. Surely the righteous, &c. The two clauses here are co-incident. The latter means, as the former, that good men shall always be admitted into God’s presence; that is, here, to thank him for their victory over the wicked.
REFLECTIONS.1st, The way to glory lies through much tribulation; thus David came to the throne of Israel, and we may expect to meet with our portion of temptation, to suffer for Christ, before we reign with him. We have,
1. The Psalmist’s complaints; many, mighty, and inveterate were his enemies; they were evil in their dispositions, and violent in their rage against him, crafty and mischievous, incessantly studying his ruin, and united in strict confederacy against him. With tongues of malignant venom they aspersed his character. Hardened in wickedness, they stopped at no violence; and, with full purpose of heart, determined his destruction. Proud, and confident of success, they laid their snares for him in all his paths, and expected quickly to see him their prey. Thus was Christ also beset with the malice and persecution of men, aspersed by their envenomed tongues; and snares laid to destroy him; while Herod and Pilate, priests and people, confederated against him, with ceaseless enmity pursued him to the cross. Let none of his servants count it strange, if they meet with the like enmity, slander, and opposition. The disciple is not above his master.
2. His prayer and confidence in God. Deliver me from their hands, preserve me from their snares, keep me, for I cannot keep myself; Thou art my God, my rock, my refuge, on whom I depend, the strength of my salvation, able to save to the uttermost, engaged to do it in that covenant which seals thee mine. Hear the voice of my supplications, and answer me in peace, according to the protection that I have hitherto experienced; for thou hast covered my head in the day of battle, and warded off every mortal blow aimed at me by my enraged foes. In the conflict with the powers of darkness, the Son of David thus offered up prayers and supplications, and was heard in the day of trouble, made triumphant in his resurrection, and his head exalted over all his foes. Behold here also every believer’s warfare and strength. 1. His recourse is by prayer to God for strengthening and upholding grace. 2. He is enabled to exercise faith in God, as his God, and to find in him the strength of his salvation. 3. Thus is he protected in every dangerous conflict, and though his spiritual foes thrust sore at him, that he should fall, his head is covered, his soul preserved, and, if faithful, all his foes at last shall be made his footstool.
2nd, However prevalent for a time the wicked may seem, their triumphing is but for a moment.
1. David prays for the disappointment of his enemies. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked, further not his wicked device, or let it not come forth, however deep laid, or eagerly pursued, disconcert the enterprise when ready to be carried into execution, lest they exalt themselves, and grow insolent with success.
2. He foresees their ruin approaching. For as let may be rendered shall, what appears a prayer may be translated as a prophesy; though that God should be glorified in the destruction of the obstinately impenitent, may, without any private enmity, be the subject of a believer’s prayer. Their cursing and lies shall return upon their own heads, and their own mischief cover them with confusion. The wrath of God shall fall on them, as the fire that devoured the cities of Sodom; and, sunk into the pit of torment, they shall never rise again from the everlasting burnings. All lying tongues are but for a moment, and the gains of falsehood shall never be established in the earth: like a beast of prey, evil shall hunt the violent man, till, at the last, destruction final and eternal shall overtake him. And this might be particularly levelled against Saul, or Doeg, but it is universally true of all the enemies of Christ and his people, whose end shall be, that they shall be rooted out at the last.
3. He expresses his confidence in God’s care over his believing people. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted; he had experienced this himself, and was sure it would be still the case respecting his suffering servants, whose innocence he would vindicate, and whose quarrel he would espouse; and the right of the poor, because such are liable to be oppressed; but God is the poor man’s friend, to do him that justice which on earth may be denied him. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name, acknowledging with gratitude his kind interposition on their behalf, and the upright shall dwell in thy presence, as children under their father’s care protected and preserved, as servants in their master’s house, to wait his orders, or as saints around his throne in glory, to follow him with their everlasting praises.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
LORD! I pray thee, never suffer me to think of afflictions or sorrow for them, either in myself or the saints of God, without keeping in remembrance thine unequalled sorrows, wherewith the Lord afflicted thee in the day of thy redemption-work. Was ever sorrow like to thine, thou blessed Jesus? And, Lord, while I think of thy sorrows, let me think also of thy patience. Thou wast led as a Lamb to the slaughter: and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so didst thou open not thy mouth. And, blessed Jesus! let my soul feel all that sweet complacency and resignation in every exercise, be the exercise what it may, in the recollection that thou art looking on, thou knowest all, thou appointest all, and thou wilt finally bless all. Though mine enemies live, and are mighty, yet if thou wilt be my helper, under the shadow of thy wings I shall rejoice. Yes, Lord! thou wilt carry me through, and bring me out, and bring me home, and I shall be more than conqueror, through thy grace helping me.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
Ver. 13. Shall give thanks ] He shall have no other cause.
The upright shall dwell in thy presence
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
name. See note on Psa 20:1.
dwell in Thy presence. Compare Psa 11:7; Psa 16:11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Surely: Psa 32:11, Psa 33:1, Isa 3:10
the upright: Psa 16:11, Psa 23:6, Psa 73:24, Joh 14:3, Joh 17:24, 1Th 4:17, Rev 7:14-17, Rev 21:24-27
Reciprocal: Psa 5:4 – evil Psa 7:11 – General Psa 54:6 – praise Pro 11:20 – upright
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall {k} dwell in thy presence.
(k) That is, will be descended and preserved by your fatherly providence and care.