Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 59:5
Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
5. Yea, do Thou, Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to visit all the nations:
Be not gracious to any treacherous workers of iniquity.
Thou is emphatic, and the address virtually means, ‘since Thou art God of hosts, and God of Israel.’ The first title implies that He has the power (Psa 46:7, note), the second that He is under the obligation, to interpose and ‘visit,’ hold inquisition concerning, the nations, to punish them for their offences. But who are meant by the ‘nations’ or ‘heathen’? Are they the enemies against whom the Psalmist is praying, and identical with the ‘treacherous workers of iniquity,’ mentioned in the next line? If so, the Psalmist’s enemies are foreigners, for usage does not justify the interpretation of gym as ‘heathenishly minded men’; and if the Psalm is in its original form, it cannot have been written by David with reference to Saul and his myrmidons. But it is possible that, as in Psalms 7, the prayer for a judgement upon personal enemies is expanded into a prayer for a judgement upon all the enemies of Israel: and in that general judgement the treacherous Israelites who are iniquitously plotting against the Psalmist’s life will meet their due reward. Similarly in Psa 59:8, ‘them’ will refer to the Psalmist’s personal enemies, ‘the heathen’ or ‘nations’ to the enemies of Israel. It is also possible, as has been suggested above, that the Psalm has been altered for liturgical use.
The anomalous form of the combination Jehovah the God of hosts here and in Psa 80:4; Psa 80:19; Psa 84:8 ( Jehovah Elhm Tsebth not Jehovah Elh Tsebth) makes it probable that the original reading was simply Jehovah of hosts, and that God is the substitution of the Elohistic editor for Jehovah, which however, has survived or has been restored along with it.
Be not gracious is the opposite to the Psalmist’s prayer for himself, Psa 56:1, Psa 57:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts – God of armies: commanding all the armies of heaven – the angels, and the stars and constellations drawn out in the form of armies; thou, thus endowed with all power, and able to subdue all people though arrayed and combined for purposes of evil – awake to my help. On the meaning of the phrase God of hosts, see the notes at Isa 1:9.
The God of Israel – The God of the Hebrew people – the descendants of Jacob or Israel – the Protector of thy people – awake to help me, one of those who, being of that covenant people, come under the promise of protection.
Awake to visit all the heathen – On the word here rendered heathen – goyim – see the notes at Psa 2:1. It is from the use of this word in this verse and in Psa 59:8, as remarked in the Introduction to the psalm, that DeWette infers that the psalm could not have been composed on the occasion referred to in the title, and argues, that this term could not be applied by David to Saul and his followers. This objection, however, will lose its force if the word is understood as denoting people who had the usual character of pagans, who were fierce, bloody, savage, cruel. In this sense the word might be employed with reference to those who were engaged in seeking the life of David. David, using the common word heathen or nations, as denoting those who are wicked, cruel, harsh, prays that God would awake to visit them; that is, to visit them for purposes of punishment, or so to visit them as to prevent their carrying out their designs.
Be not merciful to any tricked transgressors – That is, Arrest and punish them as transgressors, or being transgressors. This prayer is not inconsistent with a desire that such people might be converted, and thus obtain mercy; but it is a prayer that God would not suffer them, being wicked people, to go at large and accomplish the work of wickedness which they designed. See General Introduction Section 6. (5) (e).
Selah – A musical pause. See the notes at Psa 3:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. O Lord God of hosts] This was a proper view to take of God. when Israel, a handful of poor distressed captives were surrounded and oppressed by the heathen chiefs above mentioned, and their several tribes. But Jehovah, God of hosts, was the God of Israel; and hence Israel had little to fear.
Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors.] Do not favour the cause of these wicked men. They are bogedey aven, “changers of iniquity:” they go through the whole round of evil; find out and exercise themselves in all the varieties of transgression. How exactly does this apply to Nehemiah’s foes! They sought, by open attack, wiles, flattery, foul speeches, fair speeches, threats, and ambuscades, to take away his life. Do not show them favour, that they may not succeed in their wicked designs. The prayer here is exactly the same in sentiment with that of Nehemiah, Ne 4:4-5. Hear, our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach upon their own heads;-cover not their iniquity, “and let not their sin be blotted out.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The God of Israel; a God in covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou hast promised to protect and bless. The heathen; or, these heathens, or Gentiles; who though they are called and accounted Israelites by their birth, yet in truth, and in their dispositions and manners, are mere heathens and barbarians; in which respect such men are elsewhere called strangers, Psa 54:3, men of Sodom and Gomorrah, Isa 1:10, and as Ethiopians, Amo 9:7; as among us ungodly Christians are oft called Jews, or Turks or heathens.
Be not merciful; for indeed thou canst not with thine honour, nor according to thy word, be merciful to any such incorrigible offenders.
Wicked transgressors; or, perfidious transgressors; such as persecute me, and other good men, out of malice, and against their own consciences, which tell them that I am innocent, and with pretences of friendship. He might well pray so vehemently against such, not only for his own preservation, but for the just and necessary vindication of Gods honour, and for the public good of mankind, whose common interest it was that such vile miscreants should be taken out of the way.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts,…. Of the armies in heaven, the angels, and of all the inhabitants of the earth; who are all under him, and at his dispose, and can do among them and with them whatsoever he pleases;
the God of Israel; of the people of Israel, literally understood; and mystically of all the elect of God, Jews and Gentiles. The former epithet is expressive of his power, this of his grace and goodness in a covenant way; and both encouraged the psalmist to address him on the following account:
awake to visit all the Heathen: either the wicked Israelites that rose up against David, and sought to take away his life, who behaved like Heathens towards him, and were accounted as such by him; and the petition is, that God would arise and punish them, everyone of them, according to their deserts: or else the Gentiles, properly so called, whom he desires the Lord would visit, either in a way of grace, by sending the Gospel to them, and taking out of them a people for his name, as he did, Ac 15:14; foreseeing, by a spirit of prophecy, that the Jews would be rejected for their ill usage of the Messiah;
[See comments on Ps 59:1], title: or in a way of punishment for their idolatry and impiety; and particularly the antichristian states and powers, called the Heathen, and Gentiles, and nations of the earth,
Ps 10:16; may be here meant; whom God will visit for their idolatry, blasphemy, and bloodshed;
be not merciful to any wicked transgressors; that are perfidiously and abominably wicked, as Judas Iscariot, the Romish antichrist. The Targum renders it, “princes of a lie”; that speak lies in hypocrisy, and are given up to believe a lie, as the followers of antichrist. God is merciful to wicked men and to transgressors, but not to wicked transgressors; apostates may be meant, such as deal perfidiously and treacherously, as the word o used signifies; who sin wilfully and knowingly, after they have received the knowledge of the truth; sin against light and evidence, and obstinately and wickedly persist therein: who sin the sin against the Holy Ghost, the sin unto death, which is not to be prayed for, 1Jo 4:16; or otherwise this may seem to be contrary to the command and example of Christ, Mt 5:44.
Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2].
o “perfide agentibus”, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) Therefore . . .Better, Yea, even Thou . . . Not only is there an emphatic thou, but the passion of prayer cannot exhaust itself without piling up all the customary names of the Divine Being.
God of Israel.This is added so emphatically because of the heathen, against whom aid is invoked.
All the heathen . . . wicked transgressors.These two terms are not synonymous, but contrasted. There were not only foreign, but domestic foes, viz., the party who, pretending to be loyal Israelites, were yet intriguing with the foreigners. The literal coverers of wickedness implies concealment and treachery.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. O Lord God of hosts Jehovah God of armies. A term denoting his boundless power.
God of Israel A title denoting his covenant relation to his people, and his consequent special care of them, implying that David’s cause was the cause of Israel.
Awake to visit all the heathen Awake to punish the nations, that is, the heathen or Gentile nations. From this it would appear the issue lay between the “God of Israel,” and the “heathen nations.” We know that Doeg, the Edomite, (1Sa 22:22,) was influential in Saul’s court, and instigated him to desperate measures, and it is not improbable that behind Doeg, an Edomitish policy, through the leading men of his nation, operated to make this venal man a political tool for the weakening and overthrow of the new kingly government of Israel. This intrigue brought Edom into direct conflict with Jehovah’s designs concerning David. See on Psa 59:8. In the same way, Haman the Agagite, a descendant of the royal family of Amalek, sought to revenge his nation upon the Jews. Esther 3
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 59:5. Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors Literally, the prevaricators of wickedness; i.e. such as are guilty of great treachery and perfidiousness.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
All these expressions, if considered as referring to Christ, carry a correspondence with his complaints in other scriptures. Bulls of Bashan, and dogs from the assembly, beset him around. Psa 22:11-21 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 59:5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
Ver. 5. Awake to visit all the heathen ] These pagan Israelites, who might have some heathens also among them, Saul’s slaughtermen, men fleshed in blood.
Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
LORD God of hosts = Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth. See note on 1Sa 1:3.
heathen = nations.
wicked. Hebrew. ‘aven. App-44.
transgressors = hypocrites. Hebrew. bagad.
Selah. Connecting the wicked transgressors with their true character as dogs of the Gentiles; and marking off and connecting the two prayers in verses: Psa 59:1-5, and verses: Psa 59:11-13. See App-66.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the God: Gen 33:20, Exo 3:15
visit: Exo 20:5
the heathen: Psa 9:15, Psa 54:3, Isa 1:10, Amo 9:7, Rom 2:28, Rom 2:29, Rom 9:6
be not: Psa 7:12, Psa 7:13, Psa 55:15, Isa 27:11, Eze 18:27, Eze 18:28, Jam 2:13
Reciprocal: Neh 4:5 – cover not Neh 13:29 – Remember Job 8:6 – he would Psa 3:7 – Arise Psa 7:6 – awake Psa 44:23 – Awake Psa 59:8 – heathen Jer 18:23 – forgive
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 59:5. O Lord, &c., the God of Israel In covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou promisest to protect and bless. Awake to visit all the heathen Or, these heathen, who, though they are Israelites by birth, yet in truth, and in their dispositions and manners, are mere heathen. Be not merciful Hebrew, , al tachon, Thou wilt not be merciful, that is, Thou canst not with honour, nor according to thy word, be merciful, to any wicked transgressors Hebrew, , cal bogedee aven, perfidious transgressors, or, more literally, prevaricators of wickedness; that is, such as are guilty of great treachery and perfidiousness, meaning such as, with pretences of friendship, persecuted him and other good men, out of malice, and against their own consciences. But neither can God, in consistency with the perfections of his nature, and the truths of his word, show mercy to any incorrigible offenders.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
59:5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not {d} merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
(d) Seeing it belongs to God’s judgments to punish the wicked, he desires God to execute his vengeance on the reprobate, who maliciously persecutes his Church.