Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 56:2
Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High.
2. They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up [or, crush me] all the day long:
For many are they that fight against me haughtily.
For they that lie in wait for me see note on Psa 54:5. The word rendered O thou most High in A.V. is not Elyn, the word usually so rendered (e.g. Psa 57:2), but mrm. This word is applied to God, as in Mic 6:6, “the high God,” Psa 92:8, “Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore:” but it can hardly stand by itself as a vocative, and probably means ‘with a high hand,’ ‘haughtily.’ Cp. Psa 73:8. ‘Be thou exalted’ in Psa 57:5; Psa 57:11 is derived from the same root. The Psalmist prays that God will prove His own supreme exaltation against these self-exalted braggarts. P.B.V. are in hand = are busying themselves.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mine enemies – Margin, mine observers. The Hebrew word here used means properly to twist, to twist totogether; then, to be firm, hard, tough; then, to press together, as a rope that is twisted – and hence, the idea of oppressing, or pressing hard on one, as an enemy. See Psa 27:11; Psa 54:5. In the former verse the psalmist spoke of an enemy, or of one that would swallow him up (in the singular number), or of man as an enemy to him anywhere. Here he uses the plural number, implying that there were many who were enlisted against him. He was surrounded by enemies. He met them wherever he went. He had an enemy in Saul; he had enemies in the followers of Saul; he had enemies among the Philistines, and now when he had fled to Achish, king of Gath, and had hoped to find a refuge and a friend there, he found only bitter foes.
Would daily swallow me up – Constantly; their efforts to do it are unceasing. A new day brings no relief to me, but every day I am called to meet some new form of opposition.
For they be many that fight against me – His own followers and friends were few; his foes were many. Saul had numerous followers, and David encountered foes wherever he went. O thou Most High. The word used here – marom – means properly height, altitude, elevation; then, a high place, especially heaven, Psa 18:16; Isa 24:18, Isa 24:21; then it is applied to anything high or inaccessible, as a fortress, Isa 26:5. It is supposed by Gesenius (Lexicon), and some others, to mean here elation of mind, pride, – implying that his enemies fought against him with elated minds, or proudly. So the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and Luther render it; and so DeWette understands it. Yet it seems most probable that our translators have given the correct rendering, and that the passage is a solemn appeal to God as more exalted than his foes, and as one, therefore, in whom he could put entire confidence. Compare Psa 92:8; Psa 93:4,; Mic 6:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. O thou Most High.] marom. I do not think that this word expresses any attribute of God, or indeed is at all addressed to him. It signifies, literally, from on high, or from a high or elevated place: “For the multitudes fight against me from the high or elevated place;” the place of authority – the court and cabinet of Saul.
Most of the Versions begin the next verse with this word: “From the light of the day, though I fear, yet will I trust in thee.” From the time that persecution waxes hot against me, though I often am seized with fear, yet I am enabled to maintain my trust in thee. Dr. Kennicott thinks there is a corruption here, and proposes to read: “I look upwards all the day long.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mine enemies, Heb. my observers, that narrowly look to all my paths, and watch for my haltings, and for an opportunity to destroy me.
Many that fight against me: they trust to their great numbers, wherein they know themselves to be much superior to me.
O thou Most High; who from thine high place beholdest all their plots, and canst most easily disturb and blast them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. enemieswatchers (Ps54:5).
most HighAs it is notelsewhere used absolutely for God, some render the word here,arrogantly, or proudly, as qualifying “those who fight,”&c.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up,…. For not one man only, but many, were his enemies; who observed and watched him, and were eagerly desirous of his ruin. The believer has many enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, seeking to devour and destroy him, though they cannot;
for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High; he appeals to God, who dwells on high, and sees all things, for the truth of this, that he had many enemies both at Gath and in Israel; as well as applies to him for help, he being higher than they. Some render the words, “for [they] be many that fight against me from on high” q, or “highly” r, proudly and haughtily. Aben Ezra gives a very different sense,
“I have many angels on high that fight for me.”
But , “marom”, is an epithet of God, as in Ps 92:8; and so it is interpreted by Jarchi and Kimchi; and also by the Targum, which renders it, O God most High; and adds,
“whose throne is on high;”
which is approved by Gussetius s.
q “a sublimi”, Junius Tremellius “ex alto”, Cocceius; so Arab vers. and Michaelis. r “Elato animo”, Musculus; so some in Vatablus; “superbe”, Gejerus. s Ebr. Comment. p. 783.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Swallow me up.The root idea of the Hebrew word so rendered is by no means clear. In many passages where it is used the meaning given here by the LXX., trample on, will suit the context quite as well as, or even better than, the meaning, pant after, given in the Lexicons. (See Job. 5:5; Isa. 42:14; Ecc. 1:5; Amo. 2:7; Amo. 8:4.) And this sense of bruising by trampling also suits the cognate verb, shph, used only three times (Gen. 3:15; Job. 9:17; Psa. 139:11). Symmachus also here has bruise, or grind. On the other hand in Psa. 119:131; Job. 7:2, &c, we want the idea of haste or desire. Possibly the original meaning of trample may have passed through the sense of physical haste to that of passion. Or we may even get the sense of greedily devouring by the exactly similar process by which we come to talk of devouring the road with speed. The same verb is used in the next verse with an object.
Fighting.Better, devouring. (Comp. Psa. 35:1.)
O thou most High.Heb., marm, which is here not a vocative, but an adverbial accusative, proudly, in pride.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Mine enemies Literally, my watchers, namely, the conspirators.
Swallow me up Have panted for me, as a ravenous beast; same word as in Psa 56:1.
They be many It would seem from the sequel of the history, (1 Samuel 27, 29,) that Achish, the king, favoured David, but was overpowered by the number and influence of his enemies.
O thou Most High , ( maroom,) is nowhere else in Scripture translated as a title of Deity, and should not be here. The word means a high place, as Isa 22:16, and figuratively a high office or dignity, and adverbially, in a bad sense, loftily, proudly; my enemies fight against me from a high place, or, they fight loftily, stately, as Psa 73:8. In the Hebrew territory David had Saul and the government against him; here, in Philistia, the nobility and lords of the nation. Gath was the city of the giants, David’s mortal enemies, of whom he, as already mentioned, had killed Goliath, and of the four surviving, one was Goliath’s brother, 2Sa 21:19. They all subsequently fell by the hands of David and his officers. 1 Chronicles 20. He might well complain that those who sought his life were numerous and in high places, or of a lofty spirit.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 56:2. They be many that fight against me, &c. The word marom, rendered O thou most High, is not found any where singly applied to God. It generally signifies a high place; and when applied to persons, it denotes their superior elevation, as to dwelling and station. See Psa 92:8; Psa 93:4. Isa 24:21. Ecc 10:6. It should be rendered, In high places, or stations. David might well complain, that those who fought against him were in high stations, since his enemies were Saul and his officers; and when he fled from them, Achish, and the princes of the Philistines, among whom he promised himself a safe retreat. Chandler. Mudge renders it, With a high hand.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 56:2 Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High.
Ver. 2. Mine enemies (or observers) would daily swallow me up] Anhelant observatores mei. To set forth the indignity of the thing, he repeateth the same sentence again in the plural number; noting that there were not a few of them bitterly bent by might and main to mischief him, a poor forlorn, friendless man.
For they be many that fight against me, O thou most High
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
enemies = watchers, or observers.
O Thou Most High. Hebrew. marom, lofty, or exalted (not Elyon).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
enemies: Heb. observers, Psa 54:5
many: Psa 3:1, Psa 118:10-12, Act 4:25-27, Rev 16:14
most: Psa 9:2, Psa 91:1, Psa 92:1, Psa 92:8, Psa 93:4, Isa 57:15, Dan 5:18, Mic 6:6
Reciprocal: 2Sa 17:16 – be swallowed Ezr 3:3 – for fear Job 35:9 – they make Psa 21:9 – the Lord Psa 25:19 – Consider Psa 27:1 – of whom Psa 35:25 – We have Psa 38:19 – But Psa 57:2 – God most Psa 57:3 – from the reproach of him Psa 59:10 – enemies Psa 64:1 – preserve Psa 119:134 – General Psa 119:157 – Many Psa 123:3 – Have mercy Psa 124:3 – Then they Psa 138:7 – thou shalt stretch Pro 1:12 – swallow Isa 49:19 – they that Lam 2:16 – We have swallowed Hab 1:13 – the wicked 2Co 2:7 – swallowed 2Co 4:8 – yet