Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 144:2
My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and [he] in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
2. Cp. Psa 18:2; Psa 18:47, and notes there.
My goodness ] Rather, my lovingkindness, a bold expression for the God of my lovingkindness (Psa 59:10; Psa 59:17), to denote Jehovah as the sum and source of lovingkindness. A partial parallel may be found in Jon 2:8, but in view of the fact that the verse is almost wholly derived from Psalms 18, it seems not improbable that we should read as in Psa 18:1, my strength ( for ), or as in Psa 18:2, my cliff ( ), which agrees better with the next epithet my fortress or stronghold.
my deliverer ] Lit. my deliverer for me, as in 2Sa 22:2. In Psalms 18 for me is omitted.
my shield, and he in whom I have taken refuge] A somewhat awkward variation from the text in Psalms 18, “my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield.”
who subdueth my people under me ] The phrase resembles the text of 2Sa 22:48 ( who bringeth down) more closely than that of Psa 18:47 ( and led subject, a different word from that used here). Instead of my people both texts read peoples, which is supported by some MSS and several Versions (Aq. Syr. Jer. Targ.) here. If Israel is the speaker, this reading must be adopted here, and the reference must be to the subjugation of neighbouring nations: but if the leader of the community is speaking, the more difficult reading ‘my people,’ which is supported by the LXX, may be right. The reference will then be to his success in overcoming internal dissensions (cp. “the strivings of my people,” 2Sa 22:44) and the establishment of his authority.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
My goodness – Margin, my mercy. That is, He shows me mercy or favor. All the favors that I receive come from him.
And my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer – See the notes at Psa 18:2, where the same words occur.
My shield – The same word which in Psa 18:2 is rendered buckler. See the notes at that passage.
And he in whom I trust – The same idea as in Psa 18:2. The tense of the verb only is varied.
Who subdueth my people under me – See the notes at Psa 18:47. The language is slightly different, but the idea is the same. It is to be remarked that David here refers to his people – who subdueth my people, meaning that those over whom God had placed him had been made submissive by the divine power.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Who subdueth my people] Who has once more reduced the nation to a state of loyal obedience. This may refer to the peace after the rebellion of Absalom.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
My goodness; or, my mercy; or, the God of my mercy, as God is called, Psa 59:10,17; the name of God being easily understood from the foregoing verse. Or, he who is exceeding good or merciful to me, as good as goodness itself; the abstract being put for the concrete, as it is frequently in speeches of God, who is called wisdom, truth, goodness, &c.; and, sometimes of men, as Psa 12:1; Pro 10:29, where faithfulness and uprightness are put for faithful and upright men.
Who subdueth my people under me; who has disposed my peoples hearts to receive and obey me as their king.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
My goodness,…. Not only good, but goodness itself; the donor of all the blessings of goodness to him; the author of all goodness in him; the provider of all goodness for him, laid up to be used hereafter. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it my mercy, properly enough; that is, the God of “my mercy”, as in
Ps 59:10; who is all mercy, full of mercy, rich and plenteous in it; which is abundant, and from everlasting to everlasting. Or, “my grace” d; the God of all grace, the giver of every grace, and who is able to make all grace to abound; and from whom every blessing of grace, and every particular grace, as faith, hope, and love, and all the supplies of grace, as well as every good and perfect gift, come: Christ is prevented with all the blessings of goodness; in him all fulness of grace dwells, and with him God keeps his mercy for evermore;
and my fortress; garrison or strong hold: what fortresses or fortifications are to cities, whether natural or artificial, that is God to his people; all his perfections are on their side; and particularly they are kept by his power, as in a garrison, through faith unto salvation, 1Pe 1:5;
my high tower: the name of the Lord, which is himself, is a strong tower, where his righteous ones that flee to him are safe; and is an “high” one, where they are out of the reach of all their enemies,
Pr 18:10;
and my deliverer; that delivered him from his temporal enemies; and from his spiritual ones, from sin, Satan, and the world; from all afflictions and temptations, from wrath and ruin, death and hell;
my shield; that protected him from all evil and danger; whose favour encompassed him as a shield; whose salvation was a shield to him; and more particularly the person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of his Son, called the shield of faith, Eph 6:16;
and [he] in whom I trust; not in men, no, not in princes; but in the Lord only; in his Word, as the Targum; for things temporal and spiritual; for the blessings of grace here, and glory hereafter; of these several titles, see more on Ps 18:2;
who subdueth my people under me; the people of Israel, all the tribes; whose hearts the Lord inclined to make him king over them all, 2Sa 5:1. Or, “the people” f; so the Targum, Syriac, and Arabic versions; the Heathen people, the Philistines, Ammonites, Edomites, Moabites, and Syrians; see 2Sa 8:1. The former reading seems best, and is followed by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and other versions: and this may be typical of the subduing of Christ’s people under him; who are made willing, in the day of his power, to receive and own him as their King; profess subjection to his Gospel, and submit to his ordinances.
d “gratia mea”, Cocceius, Gejerus. f “pro” “populos”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2. My goodness, etc. This way of using the word in a passive sense, as in the Hebrew, sounds harsh in Latin; just as elsewhere (Psa 18:50) he calls himself “God’s king,” not in the sense of his having dominion over God, but being made and appointed king by him. Having experienced God’s kindness in so many ways, he calls him “his goodness,” meaning that whatever good he possessed flowed from him. The accumulation of terms, one upon another, which follows, may appear unnecessary, yet it tends greatly to strengthen faith. We know how unstable men’s minds are, and especially how soon faith wavers, when they are assailed by some trial of more than usual severity. It is not enough, if God would sustain us under such weakness, to promise us his help in individual or single expressions; and, even however many aids he supplies us with, we are subject to very great vacillations, and a forgetfulness of his mercy creeps in upon us which almost overwhelms our minds. We are to remember that it is not merely in token of his gratitude that David heaps together so many terms in declaring the goodness of God, but to fortify God’s people against all attacks of the world, and of the evil one. He had a reason for reckoning it among the chiefest of God’s mercies, that he controlled the people under his government. For עמי, ami, my people, some read, עמים, amim, peoples; (258) and it is surprising they should prefer such a forced rendering, as David means simply that the settled state of the kingdom was owing not to any counsel, valor, or authority of his own, but to God’s secret favor. The verb רדד, radad, is used appropriately, signifying to spread out. The idea some have, that by a people spread out is meant a people set down at ease in a prosperous and happy condition, is farfetched. I have as great objections to the idea of others, that he means a people laid prostrate, so as that they may be trodden under foot; for a violent domination like this would not have been desirable over the chosen people, and sacred inheritance of the Lord. When a people yields a cordial and willing obedience to the laws, all subordinating themselves to their own place peaceably, this signally proves the divine blessing. And in such a settlement as this, where there is no turbulence, nor confusion, the people are appropriately represented, according to what we have said above, as being spread out. David accordingly having ascribed the victories he had gained over foreign enemies to God, thanks him at the same time for the settled state of the kingdom. Raised indeed as he was from an obscure station, and exposed to hatred from calumnious charges, it was scarcely to have been believed that he would ever obtain a peaceable reign. The people had suddenly and beyond expectation submitted to him, and so surprising a change was eminently God’s work.
(258) Those who conjecture that עמים, amim, is the correct reading, refer to the parallel passage in Psa 18:47, where the word is in the plural. They also observe in support of their opinion, that this reading is actually found in a great number of MSS. examined by Kennieott and De Rossi; and they account for עמי, ami, having got into the text by supposing that it was written in the first instance as a contraction for עמים, amim. Rosenmuller supposes, but with less probability, that the original word was עם, and that the letter י, yod, is paragogic, that is, has been annexed to improve the sound; עם, am, being taken collectively. The Masorets have noticed that עם, which the translators of our English Bible took to be עם, with its possessive affix here, in 2Sa 22:44, and Lam 3:14, and consequently rendered by my people, is to be taken as the plural number of that noun.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) My goodnessOr, my lovingkindness, or my grace, a shortened form of God of my grace (Psa. 59:10; Psa. 59:17). The expression is exactly analogous to the term grace, applied to kings as the source of grace or mercy. For the other epithets, see Psa. 18:2.
Who subdueth.Psa. 18:47; but the verb is different (cognate with 2Sa. 22:48), and here the singular, my people, instead of my peoples. Some MSS. indeed have the plural here, and the Syriac and Chaldee followed them, or changed to suit Psalms 18. If we had the historical incidents out of which the psalm sprung we might account for the change.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. My goodness Meaning, “the source from which goodness, or mercy, comes to me.”
Who subdueth Refers to the restoration of David’s authority after the suppression of Absalom’s rebellion.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 144:2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and [he] in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
Ver. 2. My goodness and my fortress ] See Psa 18:1 , with the notes, His epithetis et elogiis eblanditur Deum, saith an interpreter (Genebr.).
Who subdueth my people under me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
goodness = lovingkindness. The Syriac reads “refuge”.
deliverer = liberator. Hebrew. paLatin Not the same word as in verses: Psa 144:7, Psa 144:10, Psa 144:11. See notes below.
trust = flee for refuge. Hebrew. hasah. App-69.
my People: A special reading called Sevir (see App-34), and some other codices, with Aram, rind Syriac, read “peoples”. Compare Psa 18:47.
under me. In some codices there is a marginal note: “under Him”; and this is read the text, in some codices.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
My goodness: or, mercy
my fortress: 2Sa 22:2, 2Sa 22:3, 2Sa 22:40-48, Jer 16:19
who subdueth: Psa 18:47, Psa 110:3
Reciprocal: Deu 20:4 – to fight 1Sa 26:24 – let him deliver 2Sa 8:6 – the Lord 2Sa 18:28 – Blessed 2Sa 22:48 – that bringeth 1Ch 29:12 – give strength Psa 18:1 – I will Psa 18:2 – fortress Psa 33:20 – he is Psa 71:3 – my rock Psa 138:7 – thou shalt stretch Pro 2:7 – a buckler Pro 18:10 – a strong Pro 30:5 – pure Nah 1:7 – strong hold Heb 11:33 – through
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
144:2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and [he] in whom I trust; who {b} subdueth my people under me.
(b) He confesses that neither by his own authority, power or policy was his kingdom quiet, but by the secret grace of God.