Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 44:5
Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
5. push down) Perhaps a reminiscence of Deu 33:17; but metaphors from horned animals are common. Cp. 1Ki 22:11.
our enemies) R.V. our adversaries, and similarly in Psa 44:7 ; Psa 44:10, the Heb. word being different from that in Psa 44:16.
through thy name ] Relying upon all that Thou hast revealed Thyself to be as the God of Israel: an emphatic alternative for through Thee. The Name of God is the compendious expression for His revealed character and attributes. See Oehler’s O.T. Theology, 56. Cp. Psa 5:11; Psa 20:1; Act 3:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Through thee – By thy help. Will we push down our enemies. The word here rendered push down means literally to strike or push with the horns, spoken of horned animals, Exo 21:28, Exo 21:31-32. Then it is applied to a conqueror prostrating nations before him: Deu 33:17; 1Ki 22:11.
Through thy name – That is, acting under thine authority and by thy help. If he gave the commandment Psa 44:4, it would be certain that they would be able to overcome their adversaries.
Will we tread them under – Will we conquer or subdue them. The language is taken from the custom of treading on a prostrate foe. See Psa 7:5, note; Psa 18:40, note; compare Job 40:12, note; Isa 10:6, note; Isa 63:3, note; Dan 7:23, note.
That rise up against us – Our enemies that have mustered their strength for war. The language would properly denote those who had rebelled against a government; but it seems here to be used in a more general sense, as referring to those who had waged war against them. See Psa 18:39,
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 44:5-8
Through Thee will we push down our enemies; through Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
Gods gift of victory
1. The believer may promise to himself whatsoever God hath promised unto him; hath God promised to give His own people the victory over their enemies? then the believer may promise to himself he shall overcome his persecutors, and through Gods strength be more than a conqueror over them; Through Thee will we push down our enemies. If the enemy make head against them after a defeat, the believer may say, Through Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
2. The less confidence we have in ourselves or in anything beside God, the more evidence have we of the sincerity of our faith in God: For I will not trust in my bow, etc.
3. It is a proof of sincerity of faith to give God as much credit for time to come, as He hath gained to Himself, by the evidencing of His truth in time bygone.
4. Whosoever doth hate the Lords people shall be forced to think shame of their enmity one day; Thou hast put them to shame that hated us.
5. The glory which we give to God in prosperity we should give Him the same in our adversity; change of times and dispensations should not change His glory, nor our confidence in Him. Though the Church be under foot of men, the Churchs God is above all. In God will we boast, etc. (D. Dickson.)
The better confidence
George III. was one day looking at the plate which had been recently brought from Hanover, and observing one of the articles with engraved arms upon it, he said to the domestic who attended him, This belonged to King George II.; I know it by the Latin inscription–I trust in my sword. This, said he, I always disliked; for had I nothing to trust in but my sword, I well know what would be the result; therefore, when I came to the crown, I altered it. My motto is, I trust in the truth of the Christian religion. He then, with his usual condescension, said, Which of the two inscriptions do you like best? The attendant replied, Your Majestys is infinitely preferable to the other. He said, I have ever thought so, and ever shall think so, for therein is my trust and confidence.
Psa 45:1-17
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. Through thee will we push down] Through thy WORD, bemeimra, “Thy substantial Word.” – Chaldee. If thou be with us, who can be successfully against us? Literally “We will toss them in the air with our horn;” a metaphor taken from an ox or bull tossing the dogs into the air which attack him.
Through thy name] Jehovah; the infinite, the omnipotent, the eternal Being; whose power none is able to resist.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Push down, Heb. smite with the horn, i.e. subdue and destroy. The phrase is taken from Deu 33:17, and is borrowed from horned beasts. Compare 1Ki 22:11.
Through thy name, i.e. by the help of thy power.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. The figure drawn from thehabits of the ox.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Through thee will we push down our enemies,…. The Chaldee paraphrase renders it, “through the Word”: the essential Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the church’s King and God, and has wrought out complete deliverance and salvation for his people; and he is the horn of salvation, by which, though weak in themselves, they push down their enemies, which are many and mighty, and they are more than conquerors over them: the metaphor is taken from creatures pushing with their horns those that oppose them, and in defence of themselves; and there seems to be an allusion to De 33:17;
through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us; in the name of the Lord the saints set up their banners, and in his name they come forth and fight with their spiritual enemies, that rise up against them, as sin, Satan, and wicked men; and in the name, and through the power of the Lord, they tread them down as mire in the streets; and before long Satan will be wholly bruised under them; and the antichristian party shall be trodden down by them, and be as ashes under the soles of their feet; see Ro 16:20.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. Through thee we have pushed, or smitten, with the horn our adversaries. (135) The prophet here declares in what respect God had manifested himself to be the King of this people. He did so by investing them with such strength and power, that all their enemies stood in fear of them. The similitude, taken from bulls, which he here uses, tends to show, that they had been endued with more than human strength, by which they were enabled to assail, overturn, and trample under foot, every thing which opposed them. In God, and in the name of God, are of the same import, only the latter expression denotes, that the people had been victorious, because they fought under the authority and direction of God. It ought to be observed, that what they had spoken before concerning their fathers, they now apply to themselves, because they still formed a part of the same body of the Church.
And they do this expressly to inspire themselves with confidence and courage, for had they separated themselves from their fathers, this distinction would, in a certain sense, have interrupted the course of God’s grace, so that it would have ceased to flow down upon them. But now, since they confess that whatever God had conferred upon their fathers he had bestowed upon them, they may boldly desire him to continue his work. At the same time, it ought to be observed again in this place, that, as I have stated a little before, the reason why they ascribe their victories wholly to God is, that they were unable to arrive at such a consummation by their own sword or their own bow. When we are led to consider how great is our own weakness, and how worthless we are without God, this contrast much more clearly illustrates the grace of God. They again declare, (verse 7,) that they were saved by the power of God, and that he also had chased away and put to shame their enemies.
(135) The allusion is to the pushing, striking, or butting of oxen and other animals with their horns, and means to vanquish or subdue, (Deu 33:17; 1Kg 22:11; Dan 8:4.) “Literally,” says Dr Adam Clarke, “We will toss them in the air with our horn; a metaphor taken from an ox or bull tossing the dogs into the air which attack him.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) Push down.The image of the original is lost here, the LXX. have retained it. It is that of a buffalo or other horned animal driving back and goring its enemies. Deu. 33:17 applies it as a special description of the tribe of Joseph. The figure is continued in the next clause; the infuriated animal tramples its victim under foot.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Through thee will we push down If our theocratic King be the same now as of old, deliverance shall come to Jacob now as then.
Push down tread them under An allusion to the mode of attack of the buffalo, whose strength is in his horns and neck.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 44:5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
Ver. 5. Through thee will we push down our enemies ] Cornu petemus, a metaphor from horned creatures, as Deu 33:17 . This we shall soon do if thou do but only give the word of command; for together with thy word goeth forth a power.
Through thy name enemies = adversaries.
Thy name. See note on Psa 20:1.
Through thee: Psa 18:39-42, Psa 118:10-13, Isa 41:14-16, Phi 4:13
push: Deu 33:17, 1Ki 22:11, Dan 8:4
tread: Psa 60:12, Psa 91:13, Psa 108:13, Zec 10:5, Rom 16:20, *marg.
Reciprocal: Jos 23:10 – Lord Jdg 5:21 – O my soul 2Sa 22:40 – them Psa 7:5 – tread Psa 60:10 – Wilt Psa 138:7 – and thy right 2Co 1:9 – that
44:5 {h} Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
(h) Because they and their forefathers made both one Church, they apply that to themselves which before they attributed to their fathers.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes