Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 59:16
But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
16, 17. Render,
Yet as for me, I shall sing of thy strength;
Yea, I shall sing aloud of thy lovingkindness in the morning:
For thou hast been a high tower for me,
And a refuge In the day of my distress.
Unto thee, O my strength, will I make melody,
For God is my high tower, the God of my lovingkindness.
Thou hast been, for in the language of faith he looks back upon the deliverance from the morning of peace which succeeds the night of anxiety.
The refrain is slightly varied from Psa 59:9: the patient waiting of the night is changed into the joyous song of the morning.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But I will sing of thy power – That is, I will praise thee for the manifestation of thy power in rescuing me from danger.
Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning – When the light dawns; when these troubles are over; when the night of calamity shall have passed by. There is an allusion here, probably, to the fact that they encompassed the place of his abode at night Psa 59:6, Psa 59:14; but there is also the implied idea that that night was emblematic of sorrow and distress. The morning would come; morning after such a night of sorrow and trouble; a morning of joy and gladness, when he would feel that he had complete deliverance. Then would he praise God aloud. Compare the notes at Isa 21:12.
For thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble – That is, he looked to the time when he would feel this; when looking back he could say this; when in view of it he would praise God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 59:16-17
But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning.
Meditation and praise
I. The subject of the psalmists meditation.
1. He meditated upon the Divine mercy. All the perfections of the Divine nature are glorious, and furnish matter for delightful meditation. But it is from His mercy that we draw our chief consolation, encouragement, and hope.
2. He contemplated God as his refuge in trouble. Thou hast been my defence and refuge, etc. We have every encouragement to put our trust in God. He is represented as a rock, a fortress, a high tower, a shield, and a buckler. God as a refuge–
(1) Is near–always at hand.
(2) Affords the greatest security.
(3) Is suitable. Our troubles differ, but He is a suitable refuge in every trouble,
(4) David proved God as his refuge. Saul had laid plots to destroy him, but the Lord had delivered him. We also have obtained support and relief by trusting in God.
3. He contemplated God as his strength and confided in His power. In what respects are we to consider God as the strength of His people?
(1) He defends them from danger by His power.
(2) He assists and strengthens them for duty by His grace.
II. The influence of the psalmists meditation. It led him to praise God.
1. Praising God is most reasonable.
2. Is a pleasant and delightful exercise.
3. Should be a part of every days employment. Divine goodness is daily manifested, and should be daily acknowledged.
4. Will tend to prepare us to meet the trials which may yet be before us.
5. Will tend to meeten us for the enjoyment of heaven.
6. Requires a suitable frame of mind. True praise springs from gratitude; and is promoted by a consideration of what God is, what He has (lone for us, and what he has promised to do for us.
Conclusion.
1. How great are the privileges of the people of God!
2. How important seriously to consider whether we are interested in these privileges.
3. Learn the importance of continuing to make God our refuge in trouble. (Anon.)
In the morning.—
Morning energy
The morning is my time fixed for my meeting the Lord. What meaning there is in the word morning; it is a cluster of rich grapes. Let me crush them and drink the sacred wine. In the morning –then God meant me to be at my best in strength and hope; I have not to climb in my weariness; in the night I have buried yesterdays fatigue, and in the morning I take a new lease of energy. Give God thy strength–all thy strength He asks only what He first gave. In the morning–then He may mean to keep me long that He may make me rich. In the morning–then it is an endless road He bids me climb, else how could I reach it ere the sun be set? Sweet morning! there is hope in its music. (Joseph Parker.)
The God of my mercy.—
Personal appropriation of mercy
If God show mercy to thousands, labour to know that this mercy is for you. He is the God of my mercy. A man that was ready to drown saw a rainbow; saith he, What am I the better, though God will not drown the world, if I drown. So, what are we the better–God is merciful–if we perish? Let us labour to know Gods special mercy for us. (Watson.)
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Psa 60:1-12
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. I will sing of thy power] For it was because thy hand was upon me for good, that I have thus succeeded in my enterprises.
Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy] I shall publish abroad what thou hast done; and done not for my worthiness, nor for the worthiness of the people; but for thy own mercy’s sake.
In the day of my trouble.] When I came with small means and feeble help, and had the force and fraud of many enemies to contend with, besides the corruption and unfaithfulness of my own people; thou wast then my defence; and in all attacks, whether open or covered, my sure refuge. I will, therefore, sing of thy mercy in the morning-I will hasten to acquit myself of a duty I owe to thee for such singular interpositions of mercy and power.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
16, 17. Contrast the lot ofGod’s servant, who employs his time in God’s praise.
sing aloud . . . in themorningwhen they retire famishing and disappointed, orit may denote delightful diligence in praise, as in Ps30:5.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But I will sing of thy power,…. In creating all things out of nothing; in upholding all things in being; in the redemption of his people; in their conversion and calling; in the preservation of them to eternal happiness; in the performance of his promises to them; in the destruction of their enemies; and in their protection:
yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning; of providential mercies, which are new every morning; and of special mercy in the heart of God, in the covenant of his grace, in redemption, in regeneration, in the pardon of sin, and in eternal life and salvation;
for thou hast been my defence; [See comments on Ps 59:9];
and refuge in the day of my trouble; whither he fled, and found protection and safety; [See comments on Ps 9:9].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
16 But I will sing of thy power By this he does not mean merely that he would have occasion to sing at some future period, but prepares himself presently for the exercise of thanksgiving; and he proceeds to acknowledge that his deliverance would be at once an illustrious effect of Divine power, and conferred of mere grace. It may be true, that David escaped at this time from the hands of his enemies without stir, and with secrecy, through the dexterity of his wife; still, by means of this artifice, God disappointed the preparations and forces of Saul, and may, therefore, with propriety be said to have exerted his power. We may suppose, however, that David takes occasion, from this particular instance, to look further back, and embrace, in his view, the various Divine interpositions which he had experienced.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
16. But I will sing of thy power The antithesis is here brought out between David’s enemies and himself. They shall wander up and down like hungry dogs for food and find nothing; but I, fully rescued, will “sing of thy power,” etc.
In the morning Contrasted with the night work of his enemies. They continue all night in fruitless attempts to destroy me, but I, in the morning, will sing of thy mercy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
How delightfully the Psalm ends in this resolution of the soul. God’s power, God’s mercy, both come in for a part in the hymn of praise: indeed all the attributes of Jehovah, become so many subjects of adoration, love, and praise; inasmuch as in Christ Jesus, and the salvation by him, they have all taken part, and have been richly displayed. And observe, to whom the song is directed: it is to Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, because all the sacred persons become the united object of praise, as all the persons were concerned and did cooperate in the redemption of sinners. And the Mediator, as Mediator, leads the souls of his people in this hymn, because the church are all blessed in him; and for him, and by him, that church, as well as all things, must consist.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Ver. 16. In the morning ] That time wherein they thought to have surprised me, 1Sa 19:11 , but thou hast secured me. See Isa 65:14 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 59:16-17
16But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold
And a refuge in the day of my distress.
17O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.
Psa 59:16-17 The psalmist contrasts (i.e., but as for me) his lifestyle and motives with them.
1. I shall sing of Your strength, Psa 59:16
2. I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness, Psa 59:16
3. I will sing praises to You, Psa 59:17
The reason for these songs of praise is YHWH
1. has been his stronghold (BDB 960 I)
2. is his refuge (BDB 631) in the day of distress, cf. Jer 16:19
3. is his stronghold (BDB 960 I), cf. Psa 9:9; Psa 59:9; Psa 62:2; Psa 62:6
4. has shown him lovingkindness (BDB 338)
Several of the key theological terms describing YHWH are repeated in this close.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Who are the enemies? Why does it seem there are two groups?
2. Is the psalmist claiming sinlessness in Psa 59:3 c, 4a?
3. What is the imagery behind arouse and awake?
4. List the universal elements in this Psalm. What do they imply?
5. Psa 59:11 seems confusing. Why?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
power = strength, as in Psa 59:9.
been = proved.
defence = high tower.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
But: Psa 59:9, Psa 59:10, Psa 21:13, Psa 106:8, Psa 145:11, Exo 15:6, Job 37:23
sing aloud: Psa 31:7, Psa 36:5, Psa 86:13, Psa 89:1, Psa 101:1, Rom 15:9, Eph 1:6, Eph 1:7
morning: Psa 5:3, Psa 30:5, Psa 143:8, 1Sa 19:11, 1Sa 19:12
for thou: Psa 4:1, Psa 61:2, Psa 61:3, 1Sa 17:37, 2Co 1:10, Eph 3:20
day: Psa 77:2, Psa 116:1-5, Psa 138:7, Jer 30:7, Heb 5:7
Reciprocal: 2Sa 22:3 – my refuge Psa 56:12 – I will Psa 94:22 – But Jer 17:17 – thou Nah 1:7 – in the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
59:16 But I will sing of thy {n} power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
(n) Who used the policy of a weak woman to confound the enemies strength, 1Sa 19:12.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
In contrast to their behavior, the psalmist voiced his confident trust that God would frustrate his antagonists, as He had done often in the past. He looked forward to singing praises to the Lord for His strength, loyal love, and protection.
Even when our spiritual enemies threaten our security, we who are believers can trust in the Lord with great confidence. He will allow nothing to separate us from His love (cf. Rom 8:31-39). As we go through attacks, we should not only strengthen ourselves with reminders of His complete adequacy as our resource, but we should also pray for His glory.