Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 55:20
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
20. He hath put forth his hands ] The arch-traitor is certainly meant, not (though the Heb. idiom would allow of this explanation) each of the evildoers mentioned in Psa 55:19. For the phrase cp. 1Sa 26:9, R.V.
against such as be at peace with him ] R.V., against such as were at peace with him. Cp. Psa 7:4; Psa 41:9 ( familiar friend, lit. man of my peace); Jer 20:10; Jer 38:22. The plural may merely generalise, but seems rather to indicate that the Psalmist is the representative of a party.
he hath broken his covenant ] R.V., he hath profaned his covenant: desecrated the sacred obligations of friendship (1Sa 18:3).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
20, 21. Once more the Psalmist reverts to the treachery of his former friend. It is quite natural that he should do so again, abrupt as is the transition from the great mass of his enemies to the one individual who to his mind stands in the forefront of them as the typical traitor. It is unnecessary to transpose these verses to follow Psa 55:12-14, or to assume that they are a misplaced fragment of another Psalm.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him – Against those who were his friends, or who had given him no occasion for war. The Septuagint and Vulgate render this, He hath put forth his hands in recompensing; that is, in taking vengeance. The Hebrew would bear this construction, but the more correct rendering is that in our common version. The connection here would seem to indicate that this is to be referred to God, as God is mentioned in the previous verse. But evidently the design is to refer to the enemies, or the principal enemy of the psalmist – the man whom he had particularly in his eye in the composition of the psalm; and the language is that of one who was full of the subject – who was thinking of one thing – and who did not deem it necessary to specify by name the man who had injured him, and whose conduct had so deeply pained him. He, therefore, begins the verse, He hath put forth his hands, etc.; showing that his mind was fixed on the base conduct of his enemy. The language is such as leads us to suppose that the psalmist had Ahithophel in view, as being eminently the man that had in this cruel and unexpected manner put forth his hands against one who was his friend, and who had always treated him with confidence.
He hath broken his covenant – He, Ahithophel. The margin, as the Hebrew, is, He hath profaned. The idea is, that he had defiled, or polluted it; or he had treated it as a vile thing – a thing to be regarded with contempt and aversion, as a polluted object is. The covenant here referred to, according to the views expressed above, may be supposed to refer to the compact or agreement of Ahithophel with David as an officer of his realm – as an adviser and counselor – that he would be faithful to the interests of the king and to his cause. All this he had disregarded, and had treated as if it were a worthless thing, by identifying himself with Absalom in his rebellion. See 2Sa 15:12, 2Sa 15:31.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. He hath put forth his hands] A farther description of Ahithophel. He betrayed his friends, and he broke his covenant with his king. He had agreed to serve David for his own emolument, and a stipulation was made accordingly; but while receiving the king’s pay, he was endeavouring to subvert the kingdom, and destroy the life of his sovereign.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He, i.e. they, the persons last mentioned. Before the singular number, Psa 55:13,14, was suddenly changed into the plural, Psa 55:15, that the punishment might reach not him only, but his partners, in those treacherous and treasonable actions; and here is as sudden a change from the plural into the singular, and he returns to that person who was the chief contriver and promoter of this rebellion under Absalom, even to Ahithophel, of whom he spoke Psa 55:13; and though he doth not excuse the rest, as we have seen, yet he lays the chief blame upon him, and here he adds new aggravations of his treason.
Hath put forth his hands, in way of force or violence, as this phrase is used, Gen 37:22; 1Sa 26:9; Neh 13:21; Act 12:1.
Against such as be at peace with him; against me, who gave him no provocation nor disturbance, but lived in great peace, and security, and friendship with him.
Hath broken his covenant; all those solemn obligations by which he was tied to me, both as his king and as his friend.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20, 21. The treachery isaggravated by hypocrisy. The changes of number, Psa 55:15;Psa 55:23, and here, enliven thepicture, and imply that the chief traitor and his accomplices are inview together.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He hath put forth his hands,…. The psalmist returns and describes, in this verse Ps 55:3, the cruelty, perfidy, and hypocrisy of his false friend; who had stretched forth his hands
against such as be at peace with him, or he pretended to be at peace with. So Ahithophel put forth his hands against David, by whom he had been admitted into his privy council, and there had taken sweet counsel together, by entering into a conspiracy and rebellion against him, and by forming a scheme to smite the king only, 2Sa 17:1; and Judas, though he did not lay hands on Christ himself, yet he gave his enemies a sign by which they might know him, and seize him, and hold him fast, as they did; and him Christ calls the man of his peace, Ps 41:9; they being at peace when he lifted up his heel against him;
he hath broken his covenant; of friendship that was made between them; he proved false and treacherous, broke through his engagements, and violated his faith.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
20. He hath sent his hands against those that were at peace with him He afterwards speaks in verse 23d in the plural number, but here it is probable that he begins by addressing the leader and head of the wicked conspiracy. He accuses him of waging war in the midst of peace, and being thus guilty of a breach of faith. He had neither suffered provocation, nor had he announced in an open manner his intention to give battle, but had commenced the attack unexpectedly and with treachery. The same charge is insisted upon still further, when it is added, that butter and oil were in his lips, while war was in his heart, and his words themselves were darts. To appearance they were soft and agreeable, but they covered a hidden virulence and cruelty which wounded like a sword or like darts, (320) according to the common proverb, that deceivers carry on their lips poison besmeared with honey. It is well known how many fair promises and flatteries Saul addressed to David with a view to entrap him, and we may conjecture that the same arts were practiced by his courtiers. It is one special trial of the Lord’s people, that they are exposed to such attempts on the part of crafty men to seduce them into destruction. Here the Holy Spirit puts a mark of reprobation upon all subtilty of this kind, and particularly upon treacherous flatteries, exhorting us to cultivate simplicity of intention.
(320) In the figurative language of the East, severe, unfeeling, and injurious words are often compared to swords, daggers, arrows, etc. Thus it is said in Psa 59:7, “Swords are in their lips; for who, say they, doth hear?” and in Pro 12:18, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword.” In our own language, a similar figure of speech is quite common, as when we speak of keen, cutting, and piercing words, and of the wounds which they inflict. “I will speak daggers to her.” — Hamlet.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) He hath.As in Psa. 55:12, the individual specially prominent in the traitorous crew is here singled out, and his treachery exposed.
He hath broken . . .Literally, he perforated. In a note in his work on the Creed, referring to Col. 2:14, Bishop Pearson says one mode of cancelling a bond was to drive a nail through it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. He hath broken his covenant The covenant that was implied by their close friendship. Here again Ahithophel appears to view. See Psa 55:14
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
David Draws Out The Evil And Hypocrisy Of His Enemy ( Psa 55:20-21 ).
David here defines what type of enemy he is up against. This may refer to Saul, but more probably it refers to his treacherous one time friend who has already been mentioned (Psa 55:13-14).
Psa 55:20-21
‘He has put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him,
He has profaned his covenant.
His mouth was smooth as butter,
But his heart was war,
His words were softer than oil,
Yet were they drawn swords.’
We have described here his friend’s (or Saul’s) treachery. He and David had been on the best of terms (at peace), as had their men, but without warning he had put forth his hands against both David and his bodyguard. They had had a covenant of friendship, but he had ignored it and dealt treacherously with David. He had, pretending continuing friendship, spoken soft, smooth words, possibly in order to get him on his own, but in his heart he had been plotting violence and death. He is treacherous in every way.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 55:20. He hath broken his covenant He hath profaned, and violated his covenant; namely, of allegiance and friendship.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Here is another view of the enemies of David; and still more so of the enemies of David’s Lord. How smooth were the words of Judas when he said, Hail, Master! and kissed him. But how was the prophecy fulfilled in his end, as a bloody and deceitful man?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 55:20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
Ver. 20. He hath put forth his hands, &c. ] That wicked Ahithophel hath. The Fathers understand it of God and his judgments.
He hath broken his covenant
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
He: i.e. Ahithophel.
broken his covenant: by his disloyalty.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 55:20-21
Psa 55:20-21
A FINAL PARENTHESIS REGARDING THE TRAITOR
“He hath put his hands against such as were at peace with him:
He hath profaned his covenant.
His mouth was smooth as butter,
But his heart was war:
His words were softer than oil,
Yet were they drawn swords.”
“He hath profaned his covenant” (Psa 55:20). Ahithophel was a counselor of the King; he knew the will of God regarding the perpetual nature of the Davidic kingdom; yet he consciously violated what he knew to be the will of God by his participation in Absalom’s futile rebellion.
The enemy in these two verses is addressed in the singular “enemy,” but in Psa 55:19; Psa 55:23, they are addressed in the plural “they.” “However, this is no insuperable barrier to regarding the Psalm as a unity. One enemy stands out above all the others.”
“These two verses reveal another painful facet of the betrayal of friendship; he practiced hypocritical and deceitful flattery, described here with marvelous imagery. Perhaps the sting of the author’s pain was intensified by its being such a long time before he found out the truth.”
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 55:20. He applies to the evil characters described in the preceding verse. These men were even covenant breakers, and had raised their hands against the very ones who would have been at peace with them.
Psa 55:21. The wicked character is still the antecedent of the pronoun. The verse describes a hypocrite who uses favorable words to hide the evil intentions that are in the heart. By thus misleading the victim he could be held within the grasp of the foe until the opportune time for striking.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
put: 1Sa 22:17, 1Sa 24:10, 2Sa 18:12, Act 12:1
at peace: Psa 7:4, Psa 109:5, Psa 120:6, Psa 120:7
broken: Heb. profaned, Psa 89:28, Psa 89:34, Psa 89:38, 2Sa 2:4, 2Sa 5:3, 2Sa 14:32, 2Sa 14:33, 2Sa 15:10-12, Ecc 8:2, Eze 17:16-19
Reciprocal: Gen 17:14 – broken Num 30:2 – break Job 19:19 – my inward friends Psa 41:9 – Yea Psa 89:31 – break Pro 3:29 – Devise not evil Pro 11:9 – An hypocrite Mic 2:8 – securely Mat 26:48 – Whomsoever Mar 14:44 – Whomsoever
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 55:20-21. He, &c. I speak especially of that perfidious person, who hath not only violated all the laws of friendship, but profanely broken his promise and oath of fidelity, wherein he was engaged to me. Bishop Patrick. Although, as we have seen, David did not excuse the rest that were concerned in these treacherous and treasonable practices, yet the base conduct of Ahithophel grieved him most, and dwelt most upon his mind; and, therefore, having mentioned the wickedness: and foretold the punishment of the others, he here returns to him of whom he had spoken, Psa 55:13, and of whose wickedness, as being the chief contriver and promoter of the rebellion, he here adds some new and aggravating circumstances. Hath put forth his hand In the way of force or violence; against such as be at peace with him Against me, who gave him no provocation nor disturbance, but lived in great peace, and security, and friendship with him. He hath broken his covenant All those solemn obligations by which he was tied to me, both as his king and as his friend. The words of his mouth were smoother, &c. Chandler and Houbigant, taking , ma-chamaoth, for an adjective, render the clause, Smooth and deceitful are the buttery words of his mouth. It is, however, considered by Kimchi as a substantive, with the preposition prefixed, and so taken is properly translated, than butter. Either way the sense is the same, namely, he covered his treasonable and bloody design with fair and flattering speeches. So courteous was he, and obliging, so free in his professions of respect and kindness, and the proffers of his service, that he carried the appearance of a true and faithful friend: but war was in his heart All this courtesy and pretended kindness was but a stratagem of war, and those very words had a mischievous intention: though softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords Pernicious in their design and consequences.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
55:20 He {p} hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
(p) I did not provoke him but was as at peace with him, yet he made war against me.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
David further described the deceitfulness of his former friend’s treachery.