Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 71:10
For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
10. against me ] R.V. concerning me. Cp. Psa 3:2; Psa 41:5. What they say follows in Psa 71:11.
they that lay wait for my soul ] Or, they that watch for my life.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For mine enemies speak against me – That is, they said substantially, as it is stated in Psa 71:11, that God had forsaken him, and that therefore, they would arise and punish him, or treat him as an outcast from God.
And they that lay wait for my soul – For my life; or, to take my life. The margin here – as the Hebrew – is, watch, or observe. The watchers for my life; that is, they who watch for an opportunity to take my life, or to destroy me.
Take counsel together – About the best means of accomplishing their object.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Lay wait for my soul] They seek to destroy my life.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lay wait for my soul, or watch it, that they may find occasion to destroy it, and that it may not escape their hands.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10, 11. The craft and malicioustaunts of his enemies now led him to call for aid (compare the termsused, 2Sa 17:12; Psa 3:2;Psa 7:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For mine enemies speak against, me,…. Or “say unto me” y what is expressed in the following verse, “God hath forsaken him”; and so these words are a reason of the above petitions: or “mine enemies speak to me”; or “of me” z; not good, but evil, and so the Targum paraphrases it,
“for mine enemies speak evil against me;”
or concerning me. David had his enemies, and many, as Ahithophel, and others, who spake against him to the people, and thereby drew many with them into rebellion against him; and particularly Shimei spoke against him, and cursed him, calling him a bloody man, a man of Belial,
2Sa 16:7;
and they that lay wait for my soul; or “life”; that laid snares for him; or lay in ambush, and sought for an opportunity to take away his life: or “they that keep my soul”, or “life” a; that were his bodyguards that were about his person for the preservation of him; and so the Targum seems to understand it;
take counsel together; lay schemes and form plots how to destroy him, as Ahithophel did, 2Sa 16:20.
y “dixerunt mihi”, Montanus. z “De me loquuti sunt, vel loquuntur”, Tigurine version, Junius Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis. a “custodientes animam meam”, Pagninus, Montanus “custodiebant”, V. L.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10. For my enemies have said of me, etc. He pleads, as an argument with God to show him mercy, the additional circumstance, that the wicked took greater license in cruelly persecuting him, from the belief which they entertained that he was rejected and abandoned of God. The basest of men, as we all know, become more bold and audacious, when, in tormenting the innocent, they imagine that this is a matter in which they have not to deal with God at all. Not only are they encouraged by the hope of escaping unpunished; but they also boast that all comes to pass according to their wishes, when no obstacle presents itself to restrain their wicked desires. What happened to David at that time is almost the ordinary experience of the children of God; namely, that the wicked, when once they come to believe that it is by the will of God that his people are exposed to them for a prey, give themselves uncontrolled license in doing them mischief. Measuring the favor of God only by what is the present condition of men, they conceive that all whom he suffers to be afflicted are despised, forsaken, and cast off by him. Such being their persuasion, they encourage and stimulate one another to practice every thing harassing and injurious against them, as persons who have none to undertake and avenge their cause. But this wanton and insulting (109) procedure on their part ought to encourage our hearts, since the glory of God requires that the promises which he has so frequently made of succouring the poor and afflicted should be actually performed. The ungodly may flatter themselves with the hope of obtaining pardon from him; but this foolish imagination does not by any means lessen the criminality of their conduct. On the contrary, they do a double injury to God, by taking away from him that which especially belongs to him.
(109) “ Atqui proterva haec eorum insultatio.” — Lat. “ Mais cest enrage desdain et outrage.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 71:10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
Ver. 10. For mine enemies ] Who, rather than their lives, would bereave me of mine; these would double murder me, first by detraction, and then by deadly practice.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
my soul = me (emphatic). Hebrew. nephesh.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and they: Psa 10:9, Psa 56:6, Pro 1:11
lay wait for: Heb. watch or observe, Psa 37:32, Psa 37:33, 1Sa 19:11, Jer 20:10
take: Psa 2:2, Psa 83:3, 2Sa 17:1-14, Mat 26:3, Mat 26:4, Mat 27:1
Reciprocal: 1Sa 23:7 – God hath Psa 31:15 – deliver Psa 35:15 – in mine Psa 119:42 – So shall Isa 36:4 – What Dan 9:25 – restore and to build Jerusalem Joh 11:53 – they