Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 59:3
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O LORD.
3, 4. For, lo, strong ones have laid wait for my life,
They gather themselves together against me,
For no transgression or sin of mine, Jehovah.
For no iniquity (of mine) they run and station themselves:
Arouse thee to meet me, and behold.
Observe the tenses. Secret plots (cp. Pro 1:11; Mic 7:2) have long been going on: now they are preparing a more open attack (Psa 54:3; Psa 56:6). In this crisis he calls upon God to arouse Himself from His apparent slumber of indifference (Psa 44:23), and ‘meet him’ as with an army of relief. For ‘behold’ (lit. see) cp. Psa 10:14; Psa 25:18; Psa 31:7.
The transgression, sin, iniquity, of which he protests his innocence, might refer to offences against God, for which this persecution might have been sent as a punishment (1Sa 26:19); but more probably they refer to offences against his persecutors. Their hostility is unprovoked. Exactly the same words are used by David in protesting his innocence of treasonable designs against Saul, 1Sa 20:1 ; 1Sa 24:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul – They lie in wait as wild beasts do for their prey, ready to spring upon it. The word used here is often employed to denote the act of lying in ambush; of watching in secret places to spring upon a victim: Jdg 9:32; Jdg 21:20; Psa 10:9. The word soul here means life. They lie in ambush that they may kill me.
The mighty are gathered against me – Strong men; hostile men; cruel men. Saul would employ on this occasion not the weak, the cowardly, the faint-hearted, but men of courage and strength; men who were unscrupulous in their character; men who would not be likely to be moved by entreaty, or turned from their purpose by compassion. It is not mere strength that is here referred to, but that kind of strength or courage which can be employed in a desperate enterprise, and which is suited to accomplish any scheme of wickedness, however daring or difficult.
Not for my transgression, nor for my sin – This is done not on account of my violating the laws of the land, nor because it is alleged that I am a sinner against God. David was conscious that he did not deserve this treatment from the hand of man. He bad been guilty of no wrong against Saul that exposed him to just punishment. He carried with him the consciousness of innocence as to any crime that could have made this treatment proper; and he felt that it was all the result of unjust suspicions. It was not improper for him to refer to this in his prayer; for, however he might feel that he was a sinner in the sight of God, yet he felt that a great and grievous wrong was done him by man; and he prayed, therefore, that a righteous God would interpose. See Psa 7:8, note; Psa 17:2, note; Psa 35:24, note; Psa 43:1, note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul] For my life. See the passages referred to above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Without any provocation or cause given them by me. I am a sinner before thee, O Lord, but I have done them no injury.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul,…. As the men did that watched his house, when Saul sent to kill him; so the Jews sought and lay in wait to take away the life of Christ; and very often was it the case of the Apostle Paul, that he was in danger of his life, through the lying in wait of the Jews; so Satan makes use of cunning devices, stratagems, and wiles, to ruin the souls of God’s people, if possible; and false teachers lie in wait to deceive them. The emphasis lies upon the word “soul”, which is so precious, and the redemption of which has cost so much, even the blood of Christ;
the mighty are gathered against me; or, “dwell by me”; see
Ps 56:6; around his house, the soldiers that Saul sent; and such were the enemies of Christ, Ps 69:4; the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, men of great authority and influence among the people; the kings of the earth and rulers, Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and people of the Jews, Ac 4:26; yea, Satan, and his principalities and powers; and who are also those against whom the saints wrestle, and would be too mighty for them, were it not that God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and the holy angels, are on their side;
not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O Lord; as the cause of such usage and treatment. David was not without original sin, in which he was conceived and born; nor without inward corruptions, of which he often complained; nor without actual transgressions, and some very gross ones, and which he owned and confessed, and prayed for the pardon of: but in the case of Saul there was no transgression nor iniquity in him, as he declared to him himself, and appeals to God for the truth of it, 1Sa 24:11. One of the words here used signifies “rebellion” m; of this he was not guilty; he never entered into any treasonable measures, nor committed any treasonable practices, nor conspired against the life and crown of his sovereign; in this respect he was quite clear and innocent. Christ, his antitype, was entirely without sin, without original or actual transgression; he had no sin in his nature, nor committed any in his life; he had none inherent in him, only the sins of his people imputed to him; and therefore the usage he met with from men was very cruel and unjust. And as for the saints, though they are not free from sin, original and actual, yet in the case for which they suffer reproach, and are persecuted by men, they are not criminal; they have done nothing to deserve such usage; they do not suffer as evildoers, but as Christians, 1Pe 4:15.
m “rebellionem meam”, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) For, lo, they lie in wait . . .Better, for look, they have laid an ambush.
Mighty.Perhaps with the idea of insolence in their strength.
Not for my transgression . . .Better, Without transgression or fault of mine, as in next verse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. They lie in wait It would seem that Saul had sent spies through the city to watch for David, in hopes of assassinating him privately, and that this had been going on for some time before the night when they finally surrounded his house, 1Sa 19:11. David, in simplicity, tells God all the movements of the enemy.
The mighty The strong ones; the chiefs of the nation. There is no appeal to any human power above them, therefore he carries his cause directly to God.
Not for my sin I have committed no offence to cause this.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 59:3. The mighty are gathered against me The mighty are turned aside to lay snares against me. See Psa 56:6. Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Observe, Reader, how determined the point is here to the immaculate holiness of the Lord Jesus! None but Christ could thus plead a faultless conduct.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 59:3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O LORD.
Ver. 3. The mighty are gathered aqainst me ] The seven sons of Saul, say the Rabbis, who were afterwards hanged, 2Sa 21:1-9 , with a company of cut-throats attending them (R. Obad. Gaon in loc.).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
transgression = rebellion. Hebrew. pasha’.
sin. Hebrew. chata’.
LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they: Psa 10:9, Psa 10:10, Psa 37:32, Psa 37:33, Psa 38:12, Psa 56:6, 1Sa 19:1, Pro 12:6, Mic 7:2, Act 23:21
the mighty: Psa 2:2, Act 4:26, Act 4:27
not: Psa 7:3-6, Psa 69:4, 1Sa 24:11, 1Sa 24:17, 1Sa 26:18, Joh 15:25
Reciprocal: Gen 40:15 – done 1Sa 19:11 – sent messengers Psa 54:3 – oppressors Psa 64:4 – the perfect Psa 94:21 – gather Psa 109:3 – fought Psa 119:86 – they Psa 142:6 – for they Pro 3:29 – Devise not evil Pro 24:15 – Lay Dan 6:7 – have consulted Mat 22:15 – how Eph 4:14 – lie
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 59:3. They lie in wait for my soul For my life, to take it away. The mighty are gathered against me They are all mighty, men of honour and estates, and interest in the court and country. They are in a confederacy, united by a league; and actually gathered together against me; combined both in consultation and action. Not for my transgression, nor for my sin Without any provocation or cause given by me. I am a sinner before thee, O Lord, but I have done them no injury. It was a noble vindication of Davids innocence, in that he could, in the most private retirement, and upon the most serious and deliberate reflection, thus solemnly appeal to God, that he was not chargeable with the least perfidy, wickedness, or crime, which could excite the hatred of his enemies, and give occasion to Saul to pursue him with such eagerness and malice, to his destruction.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
59:3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not [for] my {c} transgression, nor [for] my sin, O LORD.
(c) For I am innocent toward them, and have not offended them.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The beleaguered psalmist explained the reason for his request. Violent men were laying a trap for him, even though he had done nothing to deserve their hostility.