Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 35:5
Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase [them].
5, 6. Let them be as chaff before the wind,
The angel of Jehovah thrusting them down.
Let their way be all dark and slippery,
The angel of Jehovah pursuing them.
A terrible picture of a pell-mell rout. Does it not read like a recollection of some incident in a warrior’s life, perhaps some defeat of the Philistines? Helpless as chaff before the wind (Psa 1:4, Psa 83:13) they are driven headlong down a dark and slippery track, where they can neither see nor keep their footing, with the dread Angel smiting them down as they vainly strive to escape. “The tracks down the limestone hills of Palestine are often worn as smooth as marble” ( Kay).
Most probably the participles should be transposed. Pursuing suits the image of the storm-driven chaff (Isa 17:13); thrusting down (Psa 36:12; Psa 118:13; Psa 140:4) agrees better with the picture of the stumbling fugitives. For the angel of Jehovah see note on Psa 34:7. Cp. the reminiscence of this passage in Jer 23:12.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let them be as chaff before the wind – As chaff is driven away in winnowing grain. See the notes at Psa 1:4.
And let the angel of the Lord chase them – Drive them away, or scatter them. Angels are often represented in the Scriptures as agents employed by God in bringing punishment on wicked people. See 2Ki 19:35; Isa 37:36; 1Ch 21:12, 1Ch 21:30; 2Sa 24:16.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Let the angel of the Lord chase them.] By angel we may either understand one of those spirits, whether good or bad, commonly thus denominated, or any thing used by God himself as the instrument of their confusion.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As chaff before the wind, i.e. dispersed and chased from place to place, finding rest and safety no where.
The angel of the Lord; whom God useth to defend his people, and to destroy their enemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5, 6. (Compare Ps1:4) a terrible fate; driven by wind on a slippery path indarkness, and hotly pursued by supernatural violence (2Sa 24:16;Act 12:23).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let them be as chaff before the wind,…. As they are; see Ps 1:4;
and let the angel of the Lord chase [them]; either a good angel, who is the Lord’s, his creature that ministers unto him, and is ready to obey his orders; and who, as he encamps about the saints and protects them, so he is able to destroy their enemies; as one angel in a night destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, and another the whole army of the Assyrians, Ex 12:29; an angel of the Lord, who is swift to fly, and so to chase and overtake, and able to execute whatever is the will of the Lord; or else an evil angel, who is the Lord’s, being made by him, though not made evil by him; and who is under his restraints, and can do nothing but by his permission; and who sometimes is employed by the Lord, as the executioner of his wrath upon wicked men; is suffered to distress and torture their consciences in this life, and hereafter drag them into everlasting burnings, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The same thing he expresses more clearly in the following verse, praying that the angel of the Lord would drive them through dark and slippery places, so that reason and understanding might fail them, and that they might not know whither to go, nor what to become, nor have even time given them to draw their breath. We need not be surprised that this work should be assigned to the angels, by whose instrumentality God executes his judgments. At the same time, this passage may be expounded of the devils as well as of the holy angels, who are ever ready to execute the divine behests. We know that the devil is permitted to exercise his dominion over the reprobate; and hence it is often said that “an evil spirit from God came upon Saul,” (1Sa 18:10.) But as the devils never execute the will of God, unless compelled to do it when God wishes to serve himself of them; the Sacred Scriptures declare that the holy and elect angels are in a much higher sense the servants of God. God, then, executes his judgments by the wicked and reprobate angels; but he gives the elect angels the pre-eminence over them. On this account, also, good angels only are called rightfully “principalities,” as in Eph 3:10; Col 1:16, and other similar passages. If it is objected that it is not meet that the angels, who are the ministers of grace and salvation, and the appointed guardians of the faithful, should be employed in executing judgment upon the reprobate, the explanation is simply this, that they cannot watch for the preservation of the godly without being prepared for fighting — that they cannot succor them by their aid without also opposing their enemies, and declaring themselves to be against them. The style of imprecation which the Psalmist here employs can be explained only by bearing in mind what I have elsewhere said, namely, that David pleads not simply his own cause, nor utters rashly the dictates of passion, nor with unadvised zeal desires the destruction of his enemies; but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit he entertains and expresses against the reprobate such desires as were characterised by great moderation, and which were far removed from the spirit of those who are impelled either by desire of revenge or hatred, or some other inordinate emotion of the flesh.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) As chaff.Comp. Psa. 1:4, and see Note. There can be little doubt that the angel of Jehovah in this and the following verse is (comp. Psa. 104:4) a personification of the hurricane itself, which drives before it all obstacles, and overwhelms even whole armies in dangerous places.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5, 6. Chaff Emblem of worthlessness. See on Psa 83:13.
Angel of the Lord The title occurs twice in this verse, and nowhere else in the psalms except Psa 34:7, where see note. Here it seems to mean any angel specially sent by Jehovah to execute the judgment; or, if Messiah is meant, he, too, executeth judgment. Psa 2:9-12; Joh 5:22-27.
Let their way be dark and slippery Literally, darkness and slipperinesses, the abstract for the concrete, and the plural of the last word for intensity.
Persecute Here, as in Psa 35:3, this word should be translated pursue. The figure is that of pursuing a retreating army in order to make victory complete, and answers to “chase” drive forward in Psa 35:5. A retreating army, covered with shame, confusion, and disappointment, pursued by the angel of Jehovah through dark and slippery passages, is an object too terrible for calm contemplation. Still it is only what they had meted out to David, and is according to the oldest laws of justice.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 35:5. And let the angel of the Lord chase them And an angel of the Lord driving: i.e. a very violent wind. He maketh his angels wind, &c. Mudge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase [them].
Ver. 5. Let them be as chaff ] Facti sint a corde suo fugitivi, let them fly before their own consciences, restless and uncertain whither to turn themselves.
And let the angel of the Lord chase them
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wind. Hebrew. ruach.
the angel of the LORD. See note on Psa 34:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
angel
(See Scofield “Heb 1:4”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
as chaff: Psa 1:4, Psa 83:13-17, Job 21:18, Isa 17:13, Isa 29:5, Hos 13:3
and: Exo 14:19, Isa 37:36, Act 12:23, Heb 11:28
Reciprocal: 2Sa 22:43 – as small 2Ki 19:35 – the angel 2Ch 20:22 – to sing and to Psa 18:37 – General Mat 3:12 – but Luk 5:21 – Who can
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 35:5. Let them be Or, They shall be; as chaff before the wind That is, dispersed and chased from place to place, finding rest and safety nowhere. And let the angel of the Lord Whom God employs to defend his people, and to destroy his enemies; chase them Drive them forward to their destruction, as chaff is driven by a fierce wind.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD {d} chase [them].
(d) Smite them with the spirit of giddiness that their enterprises may be foolish, and they received just reward.