PSALM 56 COMME�TARYEDITED BY GLE�� PEASE

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

I�TRODUCTIO�

SPURGEO�, "TITLE. To the Chief Musician. That mighty minstrel by degrees acquired a noble repertoire of hallowed songs, and set them all to music. Upon Jonathelemrechokim --this was probably the title of the tune, as we should say Old Hundred, or Sicilian Mariners. Perhaps the title may however belong to the Psalm, and if so it is instructive, for it has been translated "the silent dove in distant places." We have here the songs of God's servant, who rejoices once more to return from banishment, and to leave those dangerous places where he was compelled to hold his peace even from good. There is such deep spiritual knowledge in this Psalm that we might say of it, "Blessed art thou David Barjonas, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee." When David plays the Jonah he is not like the prophet of that name; in David the love of the dove predominates, but in Jonah its moaning and complaining are most notable. Michtam of David. This is the second golden Psalm, we had the first in Psalms 16:1-11, to which this Psalm has a great likeness, especially in its close, for it ends in the joyful presence. A golden mystery, the gracious secret of the life of faith is in both these Psalms most sweetly unveiled, and a pillar is set up because of God's truth. When the Philistines took him in Gath. He was like a dove in strangers' hands, and on his escape he records his gratitude.DIVISIO�S. In Psalms 56:1-2, he pours out his complaint; in Psalms 56:3-4 he declares his confidence in God; in Psalms 56:5-6 he returns to his complaining, but pleads in earnest hope in Psalms 56:7-9, and sings a grateful song from Psalms 56:10 to the close.

COKE, "Title. רחקים אלם יונת על al ionath eilem rechokiim. Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim] Upon the silent dove afar off. Or, according to Bochart, "To the tune of the dove in the remote woods." Thus David might call himself, when, after many wanderings, he got into the forest of Hareth; where he had leisure to reflect upon what was past, and to compose this psalm. Fenwick would render it, "Concerning the oppression of the handful, or little flock afar off;" i.e. the little flock of true believers dispersed among the Gentiles. The psalm is well suited to the occasion on

which the inscription says it was written, and which is related 1 Samuel 21. David begins it by imploring the protection of God, on account of the many enemies waiting for his destruction; Psalms 56:1-2 who wrested his words, and narrowly watched all his actions, that they might find some pretence to cut him off: Psalms 56:5-6 but he encourages himself by trust in God, and rests assured that he will deliver him, and give him renewed occasions of acknowledging his faithfulness, and celebrating his praises.

ELLICOTT, "If the title referring to an imprisonment of David at Gath is to be defended, it must be from 1 Samuel 21:10-15, on the supposition that the feigned madness did not succeed in its object, although the narrative gives reason to suppose that it did. The alternative of rejecting the inscription appears less objectionable. We have no clue, however, either to the person of the author or his time (beyond the general picture of danger and hostility), and the language rather gives the idea of large combined forces than of individual foes, especially in the prayer of Psalms 56:7. Probably the speaker is here again only the mouthpiece of oppressed and suffering Israel. The poetical form is irregular, but is plainly marked by the refrain in Psalms 56:3; Psalms 56:11.

Title—See Psalms 4, 16, Title.

Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim—i.e., upon a silent dove of distant (places). Of the conjectures on the meaning of this Title it is in accordance with the conclusions accepted in other cases to take the one which makes it the first words of some well-known song to the tune of which this psalm might be sung.

1 Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.

BAR�ES, "Be merciful unto me, O God - See the notes at Psa_51:1.

For man would swallow me up - The word used here means properly to breathe hard; to pant; to blow hard; and then, to pant after, to yawn after with open mouth. The idea is, that people came upon him everywhere with open mouth, as if they would swallow him down whole. He found no friend in man - in any man. Everywhere his life

was sought. There was no “man,” wherever he might go, on whom he could rely, or whom he could trust; and his only refuge, therefore, was in God.

He fighting daily - Constantly; without intermission. That is, all people seemed to be at war with him, and to pursue him always.

Oppresseth me - Presses hard upon me; so presses on me as always to endanger my life, and so that I feel no security anywhere.

CLARKE, "Be merciful unto me - I am assailed both at home and abroad. I can go nowhere without meeting with enemies: unless thou who art the Fountain of mercy and the Most High, stand up in my behalf, my enemies will most undoubtedly prevail against me. They fight against me continually, and I am in the utmost danger of being swallowed up by them.

GILL, "Be merciful unto me, O God,.... For David could expect no mercy at the hands of men, among whom he was, whose tender mercies were cruel; he being at Gath, the city of Goliath, whom he had slain, and whose sword he had now with him; and among his brethren and friends, who he might justly fear would revenge his death upon him: wherefore he betakes himself to God, and pleads not any merit or righteousness of his own, but implores the grace and mercy of God; and he might expect to find grace and mercy in this his time of need, since there is mercy with the Lord; he is plenteous in it, distributes it freely, delights in so doing, and does it constantly; his mercy endures for ever, it is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear him;

for man would swallow me up; the Targum renders it "isbi", a wicked man: it may be understood of some one man, some great man, as Achish king of Gath; or rather Saul king of Israel, who breathed and panted after his ruin and destruction, as the word (p), signifies; who sought to eat up his flesh, to take away his life, and utterly ruin him: or collectively of many, since it appears, by the following verse, that he had many enemies who were desirous to swallow him up. This he mentions as an aggravation of his distress, and as a reason why he hoped the Lord would be merciful to him; and that he, being God, would not suffer than to prevail; see 2Ch_14:12;

he fighting daily oppresseth me; this shows that Saul is more especially intended, who was continually with his army pursuing him, and sometimes surrounded him and his men, and reduced him to great distress. This may be applied to the old man, the corruptions of nature, and the lusts of the flesh, which are continually warring against the soul, oppress it, bring it into captivity, and threaten to swallow it up.

HE�RY 1-2, "David, in this psalm, by his faith throws himself into the hands of God, even when he

had by his fear and folly thrown himself into the hands of the Philistines; it was when they took him in Gath, whither he fled for fear of Saul, forgetting the quarrel they had with him for killing Goliath; but they soon put him in mid of it, 1Sa_21:10, 1Sa_21:11.

Upon that occasion he changed his behaviour, but with so little ruffle to his temper that then he penned both this psalm and the 34th. This is called Michtam - a golden psalm.So some other psalms are entitled, but this has something peculiar in the title; it is upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, which signifies the silent dove afar off. Some apply this to David himself, who wished for the wings of a dove on which to fly away. He was innocent and inoffensive, mild and patient, as a dove, was at this time driven from his nest, from the sanctuary (Psa_84:3), was forced to wander afar off, to seek for shelter in distant countries; there he was like the doves of the valleys, mourning and melancholy; but silent, neither murmuring against God nor railing at the instruments of his trouble; herein a type of Christ, who was as a sheep, dumb before the shearers, and a pattern to Christians, who, wherever they are and whatever injuries are done them, ought to be as silent doves. In this former part of the psalm,

I. He complains to God of the malice and wickedness of his enemies, to show what reason he had to fear them, and what cause, what need, there was that God should appear against them (Psa_56:1): Be merciful unto me, O God! That petition includes all the good we come to the throne of grace for; if we obtain mercy there, we obtain all we can desire, and need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his free rich mercy. He prays that he might find mercy with God, for with men he could find no mercy. When he fled from the cruel hands of Saul he fell into the cruel hands of the Philistines. “Lord” (says he), “be thou merciful to me now, or I am undone.” The mercy of God is what we may flee to and trust to, and in faith pray for, when we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers. He complains, 1. That his enemies were very numerous (Psa_56:2): “They are many that fight against me, and think to overpower me with numbers; take notice of this, O thou Most High!and make it to appear that wherein they deal proudly thou art above them.” It is a point of honour to come in to the help of one against many. And, if God be on our side, how many soever they are that fight against us, we may, upon good grounds, boast that there are more with us; for (as that great general said) “How many do we reckon him for?” 2. That they were very barbarous: they would swallow him up, Psa_56:1 and again Psa_56:2. They sought to devour him; no less would serve; they came upon him with the utmost fury, like beasts of prey, to eat up his flesh, Psa_27:2. Man would swallow him up, those of his own kind, from whom he might have expected humanity. The ravenous beasts prey not upon those of their own species; yet a bad man would devour a good man if he could. “They are men, weak and frail; make them to know that they are so,” Psa_9:20. 3. That they were very unanimous (Psa_56:6): They gather themselves together;though they were many, and of different interests among themselves, yet they united and combined against David, as Herod and Pilate against the Son of David. 4. That they were very powerful, quite too hard for him if God did not help him: “They fight against me(Psa_56:2); they oppress me, Psa_56:1. I am almost overcome and borne down by them, and reduced to the last extremity.” 5. That they were very subtle and crafty (Psa_56:6): “They hide themselves; they industriously cover their designs, that they may the more effectually prosecute and pursue them. They hide themselves as a lion in his den, that they may mark my steps;” that is, “they observe every thing I say and do with a critical eye, that they may have something to accuse me of” (thus Christ's enemies watched him, Luk_20:20), or “they have an eye upon all my motions, that they may gain an opportunity to do me a mischief, and may lay their snares for me.” 6. That they were very spiteful and malicious. They put invidious constructions upon every thing he said, though ever so honestly meant and prudently expressed (Psa_56:5): “They wrest my words, put them upon the rack, to extort that out of them which was never in them;” and so they made him an offender for a word (Isa_29:21), misrepresenting it to Saul, and aggravating it, to incense him yet more against him. They made it their whole business

to ruin David; all their thoughts were against him for evil, which put evil interpretations upon all his words. 7. That they were very restless and unwearied. They continually waited for his soul; it was the life, the precious life, they hunted for; it was his death they longed for, Psa_56:6. They fought daily against him (Psa_56:1), and would daily swallow him up (Psa_56:2), and every day they wrested his words, Psa_56:5. Their malice would not admit the least cessation of arms, or the acts of hostility, but they were continually pushing at him. Such as this is the enmity of Satan and his agents against the kingdom of Christ and the interests of his holy religion, which if we cordially espouse, we must not think it strange to meet with such treatment as this, as though some strange thing happened to us. Our betters have been thus used. So persecuted they the prophets.

JAMISO�, "Psa_56:1-13. Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim - literally, “upon the dove of silence” of distant places; either denoting a melody (see on Psa_9:1) of that name, to which this Psalm was to be performed; or it is an enigmatical form of denoting the subject, as given in the history referred to (1Sa_21:11, etc.), David being regarded as an uncomplaining, meek dove, driven from his native home to wander in exile. Beset by domestic and foreign foes, David appeals confidently to God, recites his complaints, and closes with joyful and assured anticipations of God’s continued help.

would swallow — literally, “pants as a raging beast” (Act_9:1).

K&D 1-4, "אלהים and אנוש, Psa_56:2 (Psa_9:20; Psa_10:18), are antitheses: over

against God, the majestic One, men are feeble beings. Their rebellion against the counsel of God is ineffective madness. If the poet has God's favour on his side, then he will face

these pigmies that behave as though they were giants, who fight against him מרום,

moving on high, i.e., proudly (cf. מ�רום, Psa_73:8), in the invincible might of God. ש�ף,

inhiare, as in Psa_57:4; לחם, as in Psa_35:1, with ל� like אל, e.g., in Jer_1:19. Thus, then,

he does not fear; in the day when (Ges. §123, 3, b) he might well be afraid (conjunctive

future, as e.g., in Jos_9:27), he clings trustfully to (אל as in Psa_4:6, and frequently,

Pro_3:5) his God, so that fear cannot come near him. He has the word of His promise on

his side (�ברו as e.g., Psa_130:5); �אלהים, through God will he praise this His word,

inasmuch as it is gloriously verified in him. Hupfeld thus correctly interprets it; whereas others in part render it “in Elohim do I praise His word,” in part (and the form of thisfavourite expression in Psa_56:11 is opposed to it): “Elohim do I celebrate, His word.” Hitzig, however, renders it: “Of God do I boast in matter,” i.e., in the present affair; which is most chillingly prosaic in connection with an awkward brevity of language. The

exposition is here confused by Psa_10:3 and Psa_44:9. ה�ל does not by any means

signify gloriari in this passage, but celebrare; and באלהים is not intended in any other

sense than that in Ps 60:14. ���טח� is equivalent to the New Testament phrase πιστεύειν�$ν.

is a circumstantial clause לא�אירא with a finite verb, as is customary in connection with לא

, Psa_35:8, Job_29:24, and עב, Pro_19:23.

CALVI�, "1Be merciful unto me, O God! for man swallows me up (330) It would be difficult to determine whether he speaks here of foreign or domestic enemies. When

brought to King Achish he was as a sheep between two bands of wolves, an object of deadly hatred to the Philistines on the one hand, and exposed to equal persecutions from his own fellow-countrymen. He uses the indefinite term man in this verse, though in the next he speaks of having many enemies, the more forcibly to express the truth that the whole world was combined against him, that he experienced no humanity amongst men, and stood in the last necessity of divine help. The term daily would suggest that he refers more immediately to Saul and his faction. But in general, he deplores the wretchedness of his fate in being beset with adversaries so numerous and so barbarous. Some translate שאף, shaaph, to regard, but it is more properly rendered to swallow up, a strong expression, denoting the insatiable rage with which they assailed him. I have adhered to the common translation of לחם , lacham, though it also signifies to eat up, which might consist better with the metaphor already used in the preceding part of the verse. It is found, however, in the sense to fight against, and I was unwilling to depart from the received rendering. I shall only observe in passing, that those who read in the second member of the verse, many fighting with me, as if he alluded to the assistance of angels, mistake the meaning of the passage; for it is evident that he uses the language of complaint throughout the verse.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 1. Be merciful unto me, O God. In my deep distress my soul turns to thee, my God. Man has no mercy on me, therefore double thy mercy to me. If thy justice has let loose my enemies, let thy mercy shorten their chain. It is sweet to see how the tender dove like spirit of the psalmist flies to the most tender attribute for succour in the hour of peril.For man would swallow me up. He is but thy creature, a mere man, yet like a monster he is eager for blood, he pants, he gapes for me; he would not merely wound me, or feed on my substance, but he would fain swallow me altogether, and so make an end of me. The open mouths of sinners when they rage against us should open our mouths in prayer. We may plead the cruelty of men as a reason for the divine interposition--a father is soon aroused when his children are shamefully entreated.He fighting daily oppresseth me. He gives me no interval--he fights daily. He is successful in his unrighteous war--he oppresses me, he crushes me, he presses me sore. David has his eye on the leader of his foes, and lays his complaint against him in the right place. If we may thus plead against man, much more against that great enemy of souls, the devil. We ask the Lord to forgive us our trespasses, which is another way of saying, "Be merciful to me, O God, "and then we may say, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." The more violent the attack of Satan the stronger our plea for deliverance.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSTitle. The words Jonathelemrechokim may be rendered, concerning the mute dove among them that are afar off, or in far places. John Gill.Title. Michtam. See also Explanatory �otes on Psalms 16:1-11, in the "Treasury of David, "Vol. 1, pp., 222-223.Ver. 1. Be merciful. This is the second of the Psalms beginning with the miserere; the fifty-first being the first of them. C. H. S.Ver. 1. Be merciful unto me, O God. This is to me the one source of all my

expectations, the one fountain of all promises: Miserere mei, Deus, miserere mei. Bernard, 1091-1157.Ver. 1. Be merciful. His first wrestling in prayer is with the check of his conscience, whether for his daily sins, or in particular for casting himself in such apparent danger, as to have ventured without probable security, to seek shelter among the enemies of the people of God, whose blood he himself had shed abundantly; for this rashness or other sins he begs mercy. David Dickson.Ver. 1. Man. He uses the indefinite term man in this verse, though in the next he speaks of having many enemies, the more forcibly to express the truth, that the whole world was combined against him, that he experienced no humanity amongst men, and stood in the last necessity of divine help. John Calvin.Ver. 1. Would swallow me up. Soop me up (as the Hebrew word soundeth); make but one draught of me, or suck me in as a whirlpool, swallow me up as a ravenous wild beast. John Trapp.Ver. 1. He fighting daily. There is no morning on which we can arise and go forth into the world, and say, "�o enemy will come out against me today." There is no night in which we can retire from that world, and think to find safety in the solitude of our own chambers, and say, "�o evil can enter here." Barton Bouchier, in "Manna in the Heart, "1855.Ver. 1-2. The same words are applicable to the situation and circumstances of David, pursued by his enemies; of Christ, persecuted by the Jews; of the church, afflicted in the world; and of the soul, encompassed by enemies, against whom she is forced to wage perpetual war. George Horne.

COKE, "Psalms 56:1. For man would swallow me up— The word שאפני sheaaphani, rendered swallow me up, properly signifies to breathe, to pant after, to draw, or snuff the air; and from thence hunt, by drawing in and following the scent of the air. And as hunting ends in the capture and destruction of the prey, it further denotes to swallow up and devour: and it is rendered in our version by panting, snuffing up, swallowing up, and devouring, and other words of the like nature. Dr. Chandler renders it by eagerly hunting after; which perfectly agrees with the character and conduct of Saul, who furiously pursued and hunted after David to destroy him.

WHEDO�, "1. �othing can surpass the tenderness and earnestness of David’s call for help. Man (Hebrew, frail man) would swallow me up—Literally, has panted for me. The word denotes the hard breathing which is the effect of anger or eager desire, or of exhaustive pursuit, as of a beast of prey on the scent of his victim—a panting eagerness to devour. Such were David’s enemies So Psalms 57:3.

Fighting daily—Giving the idea not only of danger unintermitted, but of continuance.

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:1 « To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. » Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim] Meaning himself, who had wished before the wings of a dove, Psalms 55:6, and was now the dove of dumbness among foreigners, Philistines, those ravenous hawks that were ready to seize and tear him, Fatua columba, Hosea 7:11. Dumb he was fain to feign himself, and worse, among them (see Psalms 34:1, the title; 1 Samuel 22:17, &c.), and therein was more of the serpent than of the dove.

Michtam of David] Davidi insigne aureolum, David’s jewels, or golden ingot. See Psalms 16:1, title. This Michtam he made likely (as also Psalms 34:1) when, gotten away from Gath, he came into the cave of Adullam, 1 Samuel 22:1.

Carmine secessum scribentis et otia quaerunt.

Ver. 1. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up] Sup me up (as the Hebrew word soundeth), make but one draught of me, or suck me in as a whirlpool, swallow me up as a ravenous wild beast. The devil is said to seek whom he may swallow down [1 Peter 5:8] at a gulp, as it were; and his imps are as greedy, but that they are gagged by God. The man here mentioned is Ishbibenob, the brother of Goliath, saith the Chaldee; but they do better who understand it to be Saul and his accomplices.

He fighting daily oppresseth me] Pliny saith of the scorpion, that there is not one minute wherein he doth not put forth the sting. The like do Satan and his instruments.

BE�SO�, "Psalms 56:1-2. Be merciful unto me, O God — This petition includes all the good we can come unto the throne of grace for: if we obtain mercy there, we obtain all we can desire, and need no more to make us happy. It implies, likewise, our best plea; not our merit, but God’s mercy, his free, rich mercy. He prays he might find mercy with God, for with men he could find none. When he fled from the cruel hands of Saul, he fell into the cruel hands of the Philistines. “Lord,” says he, “be thou merciful to me, or I am undone.” Thus, when we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers, we must flee and trust to, and pray in faith for, the mercy of God. For man — Hebrew, אנוש, enosh, weak, mortal, and miserable man, whom thou canst crush in an instant; would swallow me up — Like wild and ravenous beasts, rather than men. Hebrew, שאפני, sheapani, hath swallowed me up. The thing is begun, and in a manner done, if thou do not miraculously prevent it. Mine enemies — shoreri, my observers, who narrowly mark all my paths, and ,שורריwatch for my halting, and for an opportunity to destroy me. They be 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 thy high place beholdest all their plots, and canst with perfect ease confound and blast them.

COFFMA�, "PRAYER FOR DELIVERA�CE FROM E�EMIES A�D GRATEFUL TRUST I� GOD

Superscription: For the Chief Musician; set to [~Jonath] [~'elem] [~rehokim].

A Psalm of David.

Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.

Set to [~Jonath] [~'elem] [~rehokim]. Dummelow translated this as, "The dove of the distant terebinths," which indicated the song or the melody to which the psalm would be sung."[1] Adam Clarke gave another translation, "To the tune of the dove in the remote woods."[2]

Michtam. "The meaning of this is uncertain; but it may mean "A Golden Psalm of David."[3]

A Psalm of David. The authorship of the psalm is ascribed to David; and, until some valid reason for rejecting this ancient opinion is produced, we shall consider it to be valid. Delitzsch declared that this indication of Davidic authorship "is justified."[4]

When the Philistines took him in Gath. The Scriptures do indeed tell us of David's going to Gath, but there is no definite record of the Philistines actually `capturing him.' To us, this poses no problem whatever, as there are countless things in the life of David which are not related in the Old Testament.

McCaw wrote that, "This refers to David's first sojourn in Gath when he was evidently under some restraint (1 Samuel 21:13; 22:1). Psalms 34 was written after his escape from the Philistines, but this psalm is expressive of his misgivings while actually in the hands of Achish."[5] This psalm reveals the fact that David certainly considered the situation to be very dangerous.

There are many repetitions in the Psalms; and the prayer for deliverance from enemies is particularly a recurring feature, as is also the expression of grateful trust in God.

A person asked this writer, not long ago, why did David have so many enemies? The answer is that as a type of Christ, anything less than the constant enmity of the world would have been incorrect.

Perhaps the greatest error of our generation is the false notion that, `the true reign of Christ' will be a time of universal acceptance of His will among men. �othing could be further from the facts. The reign of Christ will occur in the midst of his enemies, in spite of them; and their enmity will continue throughout the Dispensation until "the last enemy," which is death, shall be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26).

The �ew Testament characterizes the "kingdom of heaven," which is the reign of Christ now going on (Matthew 28:18-20), as a time of "great tribulations," of constant "persecutions," of violent and implacable hatred, not only of the apostles, but also of "all who live godly in Christ Jesus."

Jesus Christ at this present time, "Has sat down on the right hand of God, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet" (Hebrews 10:12-13). It should be noted that the reign of Christ is therefore concurrent with the existence of many enemies.

True to the Great Antitype, David's life was constantly under the attack of bitter and persistent enemies. The only thing needed to incur the wrath and the hatred of the world is for Christians to reject the world's value judgments. Often, the friendship of Christians with the world is simply due to the fact that the Christians have failed to make that rejection properly visible to others.

Rawlinson tells us that:

"This psalm and the following (Psalms 57) are called "twin psalms." Each of them begins with almost the same words; each has a refrain that divides it into two parts. One difference is that this psalm has an epilogue (Psalms 56:12-13), whereas, Psalms 57 does not. Both are written in circumstances of very great distress; and the tone of thought in each of them is similar. Each has a statement of the problem, then a prayer for deliverance, and ends with praise and triumph."[6]Baigent divided the psalm into two parts, Psalms 56:1-4, and 5-11, with Psalms 56:12-13 as a concluding thanksgiving.[7]

Psalms 56:1-4

"Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up:

All the day long he fighting oppresseth me.

Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long;

For they are many that fight proudly against me.

What time I am afraid,

I will put my trust in thee.

In God (I will praise his word),

In God will I put my trust,

I will not be afraid;

What can flesh do unto me?"

"They are many that fight proudly against me" (Psalms 56:2). See chapter introduction for discussion of the number of David's enemies.

"I am afraid ... I will put my trust in thee" (Psalms 56:3). All of the worldly circumstances that surrounded David were calculated to project fear into his heart; but he thrust all fear aside by trusting in God. The rebellion of his enemies against the counsel of God was only madness. "The poet has God's favor on his side, therefore he will face those pigmies that behave as though they were giants, possessing the assurance of ultimate victory in the invincible might of God."[8] In these clauses, "Faith is a deliberate act in defiance of one's emotional state."[9]

"In God I put my trust, I will not be afraid" (Psalms 56:4). This is a refrain, repeated again and enlarged in Psalms 56:10-11. We find it again in Psalms 118:6, and in the �ew Testament also (Hebrews 13:6).

"What can flesh do to me?" (Psalms 56:4). This is very similar to the confident word of Paul who wrote, "If God be for us, who can be against us" (Romans 8:31).

EBC 1-6, "Psalms 56:1-13

THE superscription dates this psalm from the time of David’s being in Gath. Probably his first stay there is meant, during which he had recourse to feigned insanity in order to secure his safety. What a contrast between the seeming idiot scrabbling on the walls and the saintly singer of this lovely song of purest trust! But striking as the contrast is, it is not too violent to be possible. Such heroic faith might lie very near such employment of pardonable dissimulation, even if the two moods of feeling can scarcely have been contemporaneous. Swift transitions characterise the poetic temperament; and, alas! fluctuations of courage and faith characterise the devout soul. �othing in the psalm specially suggests the date assigned in the superscription; but, as we have already had occasion to remark, that may be an argument for, not against, the correctness of the superscription.

The psalm is simple in structure. Like others ascribed to David during the Sauline period, it has a refrain, which divides it into two parts; but these are of substantially the same purport, with the difference that the second part enlarges the description of the enemies’ assaults, and rises to confident anticipation of their defeat. In that confidence the singer adds a closing expression of thankfulness for the deliverance already realised in faith.

The first part begins with that significant contrast which is the basis of all peaceful fronting of a hostile world or any evil. On one side stands man, whose very name here suggests feebleness, and on the other is God. "Man" in Psalms 56:1 is plainly a collective. The psalmist masses the foes, whom he afterwards individualises and knows only too well to be a multitude, under that generic appellation, which brings

out their inherent frailty. Be they ever so many, still they all belong to the same class, and an infinite number of nothings only sums up into nothing. The Divine Unit is more than all these. The enemy is said to "pant after" the psalmist, as a wild beast openmouthed and ready to devour; or, according to others, the word means to crush. The thing meant by the strong metaphor is given in Psalms 56:1 b, Psalms 56:2; namely, the continual hostile activity of the foe. The word rendered "proudly" is literally "on high," and Baethgen suggests that the literal meaning should be retained. He supposes that the antagonists "held an influential position in a princely court." Even more literally the word may describe the enemies as occupying a post of vantage, from which they shower down missiles.

One brief verse, the brevity of which gives it emphasis, tells of the singer’s fears, and of how he silences them by the dead lift of effort by which he constrains himself to trust. It is a strangely shallow view which finds a contradiction in this utterance, which all hearts, that have ever won calmness in agitation and security amid encompassing dangers by the same means, know to correspond to their own experience. If there is no fear, there is little trust. The two do coexist. The eye that takes in only visible facts on the earthly level supplies the heart with abundant reasons for fear. But it rests with ourselves whether we shall yield to those, or whether, by lifting our eyes higher and fixing the vision on the Unseen and on Him who is invisible, we shall call such an ally to our side as shall make fear and doubt impossible. We have little power of directly controlling fear or any other feeling, but we can determine the objects on which we shall fix attention. If we choose to look at "man," we shall be unreasonable if we do not fear; if we choose to look at God, we shall be more unreasonable if we do not trust. The one antagonist of fear is faith. Trust is a voluntary action for which we are responsible.

The frequent use of the phrase "In the day when" is noticeable. It occurs in each verse of the first part, excepting the refrain. The antagonists are continually at work, and the psalmist, on his part, strives to meet their machinations and to subdue his own fears with as continuous a faith. The phrase recurs in the second part in a similar connection. Thus, then, the situation as set forth in the first part has three elements, -the busy malice of the foes; the effort of the psalmist, his only weapon against them, to hold fast his confidence; and the power and majesty of God, who will be gracious when besought. The refrain gathers up these three in a significantly different order. The preceding verses arranged them thus-God, man, the trusting singer. The refrain puts them thus-God, the trusting singer, man. When the close union between a soul and God is clearly seen and inwardly felt, the importance of the enemies dwindles. When faith is in the act of springing up, God, the refuge, and man, the source of apprehension, stand over against each other, and the suppliant, looking on both, draws near to God. But when faith has fruited, the believing soul is coupled so closely to the Divine Object of its faith, that He and it are contemplated as joined in blessed reciprocity of protection and trust, and enemies are in an outer region, where they cannot disturb its intercourse with its God. The order of thought in the refrain is also striking. First, the singer praises God’s word. By God’s gracious help he knows that he will receive the fulfilment of God’s promises (not necessarily any special "word," such as the promise of a throne

to David). And then, on the experience of God’s faithfulness thus won, is reared a further structure of trust, which completely subdues fear. This is the reward of the effort after faith which the psalmist made. He who begins with determining not to fear will get such tokens of God’s troth that fear will melt away like a cloud, and he will find his sky cleared, as the nightly heavens are swept free of cloud rack by the meek moonlight.

The second part covers the same ground. Trust, like love, never finds it grievous to write the same things. There is delight, and there is strengthening for the temper of faith, in repeating the contemplation of the earthly facts which make it necessary, and the super-sensuous facts which make it blessed. A certain expansion of the various parts of the theme, as compared with the first portion of the psalm, is obvious. Again the phrase "all the day" occurs in reference to the unwearying hostility which dogs the singer. "They wrest my words" may be, as Cheyne prefers, "They torture me with words." That rendering would supply a standing feature of the class of psalms to which this belongs. The furtive assembling, the stealthy setting of spies who watch his steps (lit. heels, as ready to spring on him from behind), are no new things, but are in accordance with what has long been the enemies’ practice.

BI 1-13, "Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up.

The deprecable and the desirable

I. The deprecable in relation to man.

1. Craven-heartedness. A man whose heart is morally sound is bold as a lion, invincible as the light of day.

2. Presumptuous revenge.

II. The desirable in relation to God.

1. A desire to trust Almighty God (Psa_56:3). All souls should centre in Him, cling to Him as planets to the sun. This is the real antidote to cowardly fear.

2. A desire to praise Almighty God (Psa_56:4; Psa_56:10; Psa_56:12). Praise consisteth in attuning our whole lives to His Spirit and law. The hymn of praise acceptable to Him is not a composition of words, but a composition of soul virtues and noble deeds.

3. A desire to be remembered by Almighty God (Psa_56:8). No words can affect a true heart as tears can; God’s infinite heart feels our tears as they fall.

4. A desire to walk before Almighty God (Psa_56:13). To “walk before God “ implies a constant consciousness of His presence and an enjoyment of His friendship. “Walk” before Him with His light shining behind you and over you, lighting up all the path and scenery ahead. (Homilist.)

PETT, "Verses 1-4

The Heading (Psalms 56:1 a).

‘For the Chief Musician; set to Yonath elem rehokim (‘the silent dove of far off places

(or ‘men’)’). A Psalm of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.

This is another Psalm dedicated to the Choirmaster or Chief Musician (the head of music). A Michtam may signify ‘a covering’ and thus a plea for protection (from the Akkadian katamu (‘to cover’). It has also been interpreted as ‘a golden Psalm’ (from chetem = ‘gold’). Michtam occurs also in reference to Psalms 16; Psalms 56-60. The tune ‘silent doves of far off places (or ‘far off men’) may originally have been the music composed for a Psalm celebrating the cultic releasing of birds to fly off to far off places (Leviticus 14:5-7). Or alternately of a Psalm celebrating escape from the turmoils of life (compare Psalms 55:6). The situation in life is described as being when the Philistines seized David in Gath (1 Samuel 21:10 ff.). At this time he had fled from Israel, possibly alone, and had taken refuge with Achish of Gath (that is in territory ruled by Achish) hoping to be unrecognised. But there he was challenged as to whether he was the successful Israelite commander who had had great successes against the Philistines. Being brought before Achish he escaped whatever fate might have been in store for him by feigning madness, subsequently fleeing back to Adullam where he built up his own fighting force.

Accepting the provenance stated it would appear that, having arrived in Gath after fleeing from the persecutions of Saul (Psalms 56:1-2), and hoping to be unnoticed, David’s footsteps were dogged by suspicious Philistines (Psalms 56:6). They clearly challenged him as to who he was (Psalms 56:5) refusing to accept his assurances, or that he was there in peace, and thus determined evil against him. The Psalm may well have been written while he was waiting for them to pounce, and praying in anticipation, with the final verses of the Psalm indicating that he had prayed through to a position of certainty concerning YHWH’s deliverance, even though it was yet future.

The Psalm stresses the Psalmist’s trust in God (Psalms 56:3-4; Psalms 56:10-11) and the powerful enemies whom he is facing (Psalms 56:1 a, 2, 5-7), and can be divided up into four parts:

A plea for God’s protection (Psalms 56:1-4).

A description of his enemies tactics as they close in on him (Psalms 56:5-7).

� An expression of his trust in God in the face of his enemies (Psalms 56:8-11).

� An expression of his gratitude for his deliverance (Psalms 56:12-13).

A Plea For God’s Protection (Psalms 56:1-4).

Psalms 56:1-2

‘Show favour to me, O God, for a human (’enosh) would swallow me up,

All the day long his fighting oppresses me.’

My enemies would swallow me up all the day long,

For they are many who fight haughtily (on high) against me.’

These verses may refer to the circumstances which forced David to flee to Gath, and thus be speaking of Saul’s attempts on his life. Alternately they may have in mind the attempts by the Philistines to seek him out whilst he was in hiding in a Philistine city.

Taking the first, and more probable alternative in view of the language, he calls on God for favour in view of the fact that a mere earthly man is seeking to swallow him up. He emphasises the continual attempts by his enemy (Saul or his erstwhile friend - Psalms 55), along with his men, to oppress him and ‘swallow him up’ (repeated twice for emphasis). These attempts have been occurring continually ‘all the day long’ (repeated twice for emphasis). He has never been able to relax. For his enemies are numerous and are behaving arrogantly towards him. They have set themselves up ‘on high’.

The repetitions stress how strongly he feels his situation, and how harassed he feels, as well he might for he has moved from being a power in the land to being a lone fugitive. But he is still confident in God, for whilst his enemies might think much of themselves, he recognises that they are mere humans.

Note the twofold patterns. ‘A human’ (line 1) contrasts with the fact that they have set themselves up ‘on high’ (line 4). All the day long (line 2) parallels ‘all the day long’ (line 3). There is a chiastic pattern. But ‘swallow me up’ occurs in lines 1 and 3, and ‘fighting’ occurs in lines 2 and 4. So there is also a consecutive pattern.

2 My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.

BAR�ES, "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 - mârôm מרום - 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.

CLARKE, "O thou Most High - marom. I do not think that this word מרום

expresses any attribute of God, or indeed is at all addressed to him. It signifies, literally, from on high, or froen 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.”

GILL, "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 מרום, "marom", is an epithet of God, as in Psa_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).

JAMISO�, "enemies — watchers (Psa_54:5).

most High — As it is not elsewhere used absolutely for God, some render the word here, arrogantly, or proudly, as qualifying “those who fight,” etc.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 2. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up. Their appetite for blood never fails them. With them there is no truce or armistice. They are many, but one mind animates them. �othing I can do can make them relent. Unless they can quite devour me they will never be content. The ogres of nursery tales exist in reality in the enemies of the church, who would crush the bones of the godly, and make a mouthful of them if they could.For they be many that fight against me. Sinners are gregarious creatures. Persecutors hunt in packs. These wolves of the church seldom come down upon us singly. The number of our foes is a powerful plea for the interposition of the one Defender of the faithful, who is mightier than all their bands. These foes of the gracious are also keen eyed, and ever on the watch, hence the margin calls them "observers."O thou most High. Thus he invokes against the lofty ones of the earth the aid of one who is higher than the highest. Some translate the words differently, and think that the writer means that his foes assailed him from the high places in which pride and power had placed them. Saul, his great foe, attacked him from his throne with all the force which his high position placed at his disposal: our comfort in such a case is near to hand, for God will help us from a higher place than our proudest foes can occupy. The greatness of God as the Most High is a fertile source of consolation to weak saints oppressed by mighty enemies.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 1-2. See Psalms on "Psalms 56:2" for further information.Ver. 2. O thou most High. The Hebrew is not that rendered Most High in Psalms 7:17; nor in our version is it ever rendered Most High in any other place, although found in the Hebrew Bible more than fifty times. There are but two other places where it is applied, as an epithet, to God; Psalms 92:8; Micah 6:6. It is commonly rendered, from above, on high, high places, high; once loftily, Psalms 73:8... The probable meaning is, they "fight against me from the high places of authority, both in Jerusalem and in Gath, "q.d., mine enemies are in power. William S. Plumer's "Studies in the Book of Psalms, "1867.

COKE, "Psalms 56:2. They be many that fight against me, &c.— The word מרוםmarom, 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 Psalms 92:8; Psalms 93:4. Isaiah 24:21. Ecclesiastes 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.

ELLICOTT, "(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; Isaiah 42:14; Ecclesiastes 1:5; Amos 2:7; Amos 8:4.) And this sense of bruising by trampling also suits the cognate verb, shûph, used only three times (Genesis 3:15; Job 9:17; Psalms 139:11). Symmachus also here has “bruise,” or “grind.” On the other hand in Psalms 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. Psalms 35:1.)

O thou most High.—Heb., marôm, which is here not a vocative, but an adverbial accusative, “proudly,” in pride.

TRAPP, "Psalms 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] Or, though there be many that fight for me from on high, that is, the angels, as Aben Ezra rendereth and senseth the text.

WHEDO�, "2. Mine enemies—Literally, my watchers, namely, the conspirators.

Swallow me up—Have panted for me, as a ravenous beast; same word as in Psalms 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— is nowhere else in Scripture translated as a (,maroom) ,מרוםtitle of Deity, and should not be here. The word means a high place, as Isaiah 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 Psalms 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, 2 Samuel 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.

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

BAR�ES, "What time I am afraid - literally, “the day I am afraid.” David did not hesitate to admit that there were times when he was afraid. He saw himself to be in danger, and he had apprehensions as to the result. There is a natural fear of danger and of death; a fear implanted in us:

(a) to make us cautious, and

(b) to induce us to put our trust in God as a Preserver and Friend.

Our very nature - our physical constitution - is full of arrangements most skillfully adjusted, and most wisely planted there, to lead us to God as our Protector. Fear is one of these things, designed to make us feel that we “need” a God, and to lead us to him when we realize that we have no power to save ourselves from impending dangers.

I will trust in thee - As one that is able to save, and one that will order all things as they should be ordered. It is only this that can make the mind calm in the midst of danger:

(a) the feeling that God can protect us and save us from danger, and that he “will” protect us if he sees fit;

(b) the feeling that whatever may be the result, whether life or death, it will be such as God sees to be best - if “life,” that we may be useful, and glorify his name yet upon the earth; if “death,” that it will occur not because he had not “power” to interpose and save, but because there were good and sufficient reasons why he should “not” put forth his power on that occasion and rescue us.

Of this we may be, however, assured, that God has “power” to deliver us always, and that if not delivered from calamity it is not because he is inattentive, or has not power. And of this higher truth also we may be assured always, that he has power to save us from that which we have most occasion to fear - a dreadful hell. It is a good maxim with

which to go into a world of danger; a good maxim to go to sea with; a good maxim in a storm; a good maxim when in danger on the land; a good maxim when we are sick; a good maxim when we think of death and the judgment - “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

GILL, "What time I am afraid,.... It was a time of fear with him now; he was afraid of Achish king of Gath, 1Sa_21:12; so believers have their times of fear; about their interest in the love, and grace, and covenant of God; about their sins and corruptions, and the prevalence of them, fearing they shall perish by them; and about their enemies, who are many, lively, and strong;

I will trust in thee; trust and confidence in the Lord is the best antidote against fears; who is unchangeable in his love, in whom is everlasting strength, and who is faithful and true to every word of promise; and therefore there is great reason to trust in him, and not be afraid.

HE�RY 3-4, "He encourages himself in God, and in his promises, power, and providence, Psa_56:3, Psa_56:4. In the midst of his complaints, and before he has said what he has to say of his enemies, he triumphs in the divine protection. 1. He resolves to make God his confidence, then when dangers were most threatening and all other confidences failed: “What time I am afraid, in the day of my fear, when I am most terrified from without and most timorous within, then I will trust in thee, and thereby my fears shall be silenced.” Note, There are some times which are, in a special manner, times of fear with God's people; in these times it is their duty and interest to trust in God as their God, and to know whom they have trusted. This will fix the heart and keep it in peace. 2. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his praises, and so we have reason to make them (Psa_56:4): “In God I will praise, not only his work which he has done, but his word which he has spoken; I will give him thanks for a promise, though not yet performed. In God (in his strength and by his assistance) I will both glory in his word and give him the glory of it.” Some understand by his word his providences, every event that he orders and appoints: “When I speak well of God I will with him speak well of every thing that he does.” 3. Thus supported, he will bid defiance to all adverse powers: “When in God I have put my trust, I am safe, I am easy, and I will not fear what flesh can do unto me; it is but flesh, and cannot do much; nay, it can do nothing but by divine permission.” As we must not trust to an arm of flesh when it is engaged for us, so we must not be afraid of an arm of flesh when it is stretched out against us.

JAMISO�, "in — or literally, “unto.”

thee — to whom he turns in trouble.

SBC, "I. Notice how beautifully there comes out here the occasion of trust. "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." That goes deep down into the realities of life. It is when we are afraid that we trust in God, not in easy times, when things are going smoothly with us. This principle—first fear and only then faith—applies all round the circle of our

necessities, weaknesses, sorrows, and sins.

II. Notice how there is involved in this the other consideration that a man’s confidence is not the product of outward circumstances, but of his own fixed resolves. "I will put my trust in Thee."

III. These words, or rather one portion of them, give us a bright light and a beautiful thought as to the essence and inmost centre of this faith or trust. Scholars tell us that the word here translated "trust" has a graphic, pictorial meaning for its root idea. It signifies literally to cling to or hold fast anything, expressing thus both the notion of a good tight grip and of intimate union. That is faith, cleaving to Christ, turning round Him with all the tendrils of our heart, as the vine does round its pole, holding to Him by His hand, as a tottering man does by the strong hand that upholds.

IV. These two clauses give us very beautifully the victory of faith. "In God I have put my trust; I will not fear." He has confidence, and in the strength of that he resolves that he will not yield to fear. The one true antagonist and triumphant rival of all fear is faith, and faith alone. The true way to become brave is to lean on God. That, and that alone, delivers from otherwise reasonable fear. Faith bears in her one hand the gift of outward safety and in her other that of inward peace.

A. Maclaren, Weekday Evening Addresses, p. 103.

CALVI�, "3.In the day that I was afraid, etc. In the Hebrew, the words run in the future tense, but they must be resolved into the praeterite. He acknowledges his weakness, in so far as he was sensible of fear, but denies having yielded to it. Dangers might distress him, but could not induce him to surrender his hope. He makes no pretensions to that lofty heroism which contemns danger, and yet while he allows that he felt fear, he declares his fixed resolution to persist in a confident expectation of the divine favor. The true proof of faith consists in this, that when we feel the solicitations of natural fear, we can resist them, and prevent them from obtaining an undue ascendancy. Fear and hope may seem opposite and incompatible affections, yet it is proved by observation, that the latter never comes into full sway unless there exists some measure of the former. In a tranquil state of the mind, there is no scope for the exercise of hope. At such times it lies dormant, and its power is only displayed to advantage when we see it elevating the soul under dejection, calming its agitations, or soothing its distractions. This was the manner in which it manifested itself in David, who feared, and yet trusted, was sensible of the greatness of his danger, and yet quieted his mind with the confident hope of the divine deliverance.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 3. What time I am afraid. David was no braggart, he does not claim never to be afraid, and he was no brutish Stoic free from fear because of the lack of tenderness. David's intelligence deprived him of the stupid heedlessness of ignorance, he saw the imminence of his peril, and was afraid. We are men, and therefore liable to overthrow; we are feeble, and therefore unable to prevent it; we are sinful men, and therefore deserving it, and for all these reasons we are afraid. But the condition of the psalmist's mind was complex-- he feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind, for he adds,

I will trust in thee. It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. We are strange beings, and our experience in the divine life is stranger still. We are often in a twilight, where light and darkness are both present, and it is hard to tell which predominates. It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to him. If I fear man I have only to trust God, and I have the best antidote. To trust when there is no cause for fear, is but the name of faith, but to be reliant upon God when occasions for alarm are abundant and pressing, is the conquering faith of God's elect. Though the verse is in the form of a resolve, it became a fact in David's life, let us make it so in ours. Whether the fear arise from without or within, from past, present, or future, from temporals, or spirituals, from men or devils, let us maintain faith, and we shall soon recover courage.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. There is nothing like faith to help at a pinch; faith dissolves doubts as the sun drives away the mists. And that you may not be put out, know that your time for believing is always. There are times when some graces may be out of use, but there is no time wherein faith can be said to be so. Wherefore faith must be always in exercise. Faith is the eye, is the mouth, is the hand, and one of these is of use all the day long. Faith is to see, to receive, to work, or to eat; and a Christian should be seeing or receiving, or working, or feeding all day long. Let it rain, let it blow, let it thunder, let it lighten, a Christian must still believe. "At what time, "said the good man, "I am afraid, I will trust in thee." John Bunyan.Ver. 3. What time I am afraid, etc. A divine spark may live in a smoke of doubts without a speedy rising into flame. When grace is at the bottom of doubting, there will be reliance on Christ and lively petitions to him. Peter's faith staggers when he began to sink, but he casts a look and sends forth a cry to his Saviour, acknowledging his sufficiency; Matthew 14:30, "Lord, save me." Sometimes those doubtings strengthen our trust and make us take hold faster on God. Psalms 56:3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. This was a fear of himself or others, rather than a jealousy of God. Had he had unworthy suspicions of him, he would not have trusted him; he would not have run for remedy to the object of his fear. The waverings where faith is, are like the tossings of a ship fast at anchor (still there is a relying upon God), not like a boat carried by the waves of the sea to be dashed against a rock. If the heart stay on Christ in the midst of those doubtings, it is not an evil heart of unbelief. Such doubtings consist with the indwelling of the Spirit, who is in the heart, to perform the office of a Comforter against such fears and to expel those thick fumes of nature. Stephen Charnock.Ver. 3. What time I am afraid, etc. I know not what to do, but I will try my old way, it is good for me to draw near still; I will do so still, as I used to do; I will cast myself down upon the free grace of Christ in the promises; I will lay the weight of my sinking spirit there, I will renew my hold, life, expectation there; this is my old path, I will never be turned or beaten out here. This Christian in his strength may challenge all the gates of hell. This was David's course (Psalms 71:5), "Thou art my trust from my youth, "etc. Thence was it that he could say, What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee: his shield and sword was always in his hand, therefore he could make use of it when fear and inward trouble offered themselves. Afraid! alas, who is

not? but what course will you take then? Even what course you used to take, i.e., believe; use faith always; and have it now. Elias Pledger(-1676), in "Morning Exercises."Ver. 3. What time, etc. Literally, What day. As "Man daily oppresseth me" (Psalms 56:1), so "Every day, when I am afraid, I trust in thee." A. R. Fausset.Ver. 3. It is a good maxim with which to go into a world of danger; a good maxim to go to sea with; a good maxim in a storm; a good maxim when in danger on the land; a good maxim when we are sick; a good maxim when we think of death and the judgment--What time I am afraid, I WILL TRUST I� THEE. Albert Barnes.Ver. 3. I will trust in thee. Faith and fear stand together; and so fear and love. John Richardson, -1654.Ver. 3-4. Sometimes faith comes from prayer in triumph, and cries, Victoria. It gives such a being and existence to the mercy prayed for in the Christian's soul, before any likelihood of it appears to sense and reason, that the Christian can silence all his troubled thoughts with the expectation of its coming. So Hannah prayed, "and was no more sad." 1 Samuel 1:18. Yea, it will make the Christian disburse his praises for the mercy long before it is received. Thus high faith wrought in David. At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, and in the next words, In God I will praise his word; that is, he would praise God for his promise before there was any performance of it in him, when it had no existence but in God's faithfulness and David's faith. This holy man had such a piercing eye of faith, that he could see the promise when he was at the lowest ebb of misery, so certain and unquestionable in the power and truth of God, that he could then praise God as if the promised mercy had been actually fulfilled to him. William Gurnall.HI�TS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHERVer. 2-3.I. Fears are common to all men, at one time oranother.II. Improper and inefficacious means of removingfear are often resorted to.III. There is here suggested a true and effectualmethod of removing fear.Robert Morrison (1782-1834), in "A Parting Memorial."Ver. 3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Whensoever we are afraid of any evil, we are still to put our trust in God.I. What is it to put our trust in God?1. To keep our hearts from desponding or sinking down under any fears.2. To comfort ourselves in God.3. To expect deliverance from him. II. What is there in God we ought to put our trust in?1. In his promises.2. In his properties. His power, wisdom, justice, mercy, all sufficiency. III. Why should we in all our fears put our trust in God?1. Because there is none else can secure us from our fears. Whereas,2. There are no fears but God can secure us from them, either by removing the thing feared, or by subduing the fear of the thing. Bishop Beveridge.Ver. 3.

I. There is fear without trust.II. There is trust without fear.III. There is fear and trust united. G. R.Psalms 56:4*

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Ver. 3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee] This was bravely resolved: Quid timet hominem homo in sinu Dei positus? Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear; but awful dread, it breedeth, feedeth, fostereth, and cherisheth.

WHEDO�, "3. What time I am afraid—The history informs us, “David… was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.” 1 Samuel 21:12.

I will trust in thee—�ever was childlike confidence in the moment of danger more beautifully illustrated. Here was his refuge, his tower of strength. There is no absurdity in supposing fear and trust to coexist; for, as Calvin says, “Experience shows that hope, there in fact, really reigns where some portion of the heart is possessed by fear. When it has been smitten with fear, hope sustains and props it up.”

BE�SO�, "Psalms 56:3-4. What time I am afraid, &c. — When I have the greatest cause of fear I will rely on thy providence and promise for deliverance. In God will I praise his word — I will praise, or boast, in the Lord’s word, or, in the Lord for his word. Or with, or by, God’s favour or help, I will praise his word. The sense seems to be this: there are many things to be praised and celebrated in God, his power and wisdom, &c., but among them all, and above them all, I shall now praise him for his Word, which he hath magnified above all his name, as is said Psalms 138:2, even for his promises of protection and deliverance, made to his people in all their exigencies, and particularly for that promise of the kingdom made to me; for which I will now praise him, because, though it be not yet fulfilled, I am as sure of its accomplishment as if it were done already. I will not fear what flesh can do unto me — Infirm and mortal men, altogether unable to oppose thy infinite majesty; called flesh by way of contempt.

BI 3-4, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.

Fear and faith

It is not given to many men to add new words to the vocabulary of religious emotion. But so far as an examination of the Old Testament avails, I find that David was the first that ever employed the word that is here translated, “I will trust,” with a religious meaning. And it is a favourite word of his. I find it occurs constantly in his psalms; twice as often, or nearly so, in the psalms attributed to David as in all the rest of the psalter put together; and it is in itself a most significant and poetic word. But, first of all, I ask you to notice how beautifully there comes out here the occasion of trust. “What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.” This psalm is one of those belonging to the Sauline

persecution. If we adopt the allocation in the superscription, it was written at one of the very lowest points of his fortunes. And there seem to be one or two of its phrases which acquire new force, if we regard the psalm as drawn forth by the perils of his wandering, hunted life. For instance—“Thou tellest my wanderings,” is no mere expression of the feelings with which he regarded the changes of this earthly pilgrimage, but is the confidence of the fugitive that in the doublings and windings of his flight God’s eye marked him. “What time I am afraid,” I will trust. That is no trust which is only fair weather trust, nor the product of outward circumstances, but of his own fixed resolves. I will put my trust in Thee. True faith, by a mighty effort of the will, fixes its gaze on the Divine helper, and there finds it possible and wise to lose its fears. Then, still further, these words, or rather one portion of them, give us a bright light and a beautiful thought as to the essence and inmost centre of this faith or trust. Scholars tell us that the word here translated “trust “ signifies literally to cling to or hold fast anything, expressing thus both the notion of a good tight grip and of intimate union. Now, is not that metaphor vivid and full of teaching as well as of impulse? “I will trust in Thee.” “And he exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord.” We may follow out the metaphor of the word in varied illustrations. For instance, here is a strong prop, and here is the trailing, lithe feebleness of the vine. Gather up the leaves that are creeping all along the ground, and coil them around that support, and up they go straight towards the heavens. Here is a limpet in some pond or other, left by the tide, and it has relaxed its grasp a little. Touch it with your finger and it grips fast to the rock, and you will want a hammer before you can dislodge it. Or, take that story in the Acts of the Apostles, about the lame man healed by Peter and John. All his life long he had been lame, and when at last healing comes, one can fancy with what a tight grasp “the lame man held Peter and John.” That is faith, cleaving to Christ, twining round Him with all the tendrils of our heart, as the vine does round its pole; holding to Him by His hand, as a tottering man does by the strong hand that upholds. And then one word more. These two clauses that I have put together give us not only the occasion of faith in fear, and the essence of faith in this clinging, but they also give us very beautifully the victory of faith. You see with what poetic art—if we may use such words about the breathings of such a soul—he repeats the two main words of the former verse in the latter, only in inverted order—“What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” He is possessed by the lower emotion, and resolves to escape from its sway into the light and liberty of faith. And then the next words still keep up the contrast of faith and fear, only that now he is possessed by the more blessed mood, and determines that he will not fall back into the bondage and darkness of the baser. “In God I have put my trust; I will not fear.” He has confidence, and in the strength of that he resolves that he will not yield to fear. There are plenty of reasons for dread in the dark possibilities and not less dark certainties of life. Disasters, losses, partings, disappointments, sicknesses, death, may any of them come at any moment, and some of them will certainly come sooner or later. Temptations lurk around us like serpents in the grass, they beset us in open ferocity like lions in our path. Is it not wise to fear unless our faith has hold of that great promise, “Thou shall tread upon the lion and adder; there shall no evil befall thee”? (A. Maclaren, D. D.)

On public prayer in connection with natural national calamities

There are two classes of calamities in connection with which men have felt themselves in all ages moved to public confession and supplication; those which come to them from the hand of Providence through the order of the system of Nature around them, and those which have their origin wholly or chiefly in the follies, vices and sins of mankind.

But the two stand by no means on the same ground with regard to the question of national humiliation and prayer. In the case of calamities which a nation has brought upon itself by its follies and crimes, there can be no question of the duty of humiliation and prayer. But when we are asked to join in an act of national humiliation on account of a scanty harvest, we seem to be standing on quite different ground. Chastisement which seems to fail on us from the skies brings suffering, but with it much that modifies it, and which may make us see, if we have but the open eye, that it is blessing in disguise. If we were asked to recognize in a late and scanty harvest a signal part of the Divine chastisement, I should feel little disposed to respond. And this not on the ground of doubts about the power of prayer in its legitimate sphere; but rather from a deepening sense of the reality and grandeur Of this power of prayer. We are only just emerging from Jewish levels of thought and belief in the Christian Church. Through all the Christian ages we have been prone to return on the tracks of Judaism, and to conceive of God, in His ways in the providential government of the world, as the ruler, after all, of a little realm, at the centre of which are the interests of our little lives.

1. The principle on which we are less ready than of old to rush to confession under natural national calamities of an ordinary type, is a just and noble one, and is a sign of vital progress in our theological conceptions, and our view of our relation to the world and to God.

2. This progress in the Christian thought of our times runs parallel to the progress in our conceptions of the true nature and the subject-matter of prayer, which is the fruit of growing knowledge and experience in the individual believing soul. As experience widens and deepens prayer becomes, or ought to become, less a cry of pain, and more an act of communion; intercourse with the Father in heaven, whereby His strength, His serenity, His hope flow into and abide in our hearts I should think but little of a Christian experience in which there is not a constant lifting up into the higher regions the subject-matter of prayer.

3. I by no means say, that even in an advanced state of Christian intelligence, there may not be natural national calamities, under which it would be wise and right for a nation to humble itself in confession and supplication before God. We must hot regard our prayer as a sure means of securing the removal of such calamities. Always, behind the prayer, if it is to be worth anything, is the thought, “It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth to Him good.” There is in man, deep down in his nature, a sense, not only that the relation between his nature and the world around him, and the God who rules it, have become jangled and out of tune, but also that the responsibility for the discord lies at his door. Everywhere, in all countries, in all ages, at the bottom of man’s deepest thoughts is the sense of sin. It is natural for men to rush to humble confession and importunate supplication when they think that the hand of God is upon them in judgment; and it is good and right for them at such seasons to approach Him, if they will but remember that the message of the Gospel is that God is reconciled in Christ to His children, that all His dealings with them, His sharpest and sternest discipline, are moved and ruled by the hand of that love which gave the well-beloved Son to Gethsemane and Calvary, that men might know its measure. (J. Baldwin Brown, B. A.)

Faith conquering fear

Our nature is strangely compounded. Trembling and trust often co-exist in us. It was so in David, whose heart is laid bare to us in these psalms. Now, fearfulness, although it has

some ill effects which are sure to appear unless it is kept under the control of faith, nevertheless it has its own appointed good results in the formation of Christian character. Some have no fear, they are utterly unconcerned as to God and His claims. They need that the alarm bell of fear should be rung in their hearts. And many Christians need more of it: their flippant talk about sacred things; their indifference as to the condition of the ungodly: their heedlessness of talk would cease and give place to a holy fear. Fear, then, is not to be indiscriminately condemned. But it is when fear paralyzes trust that it becomes a sin, and as such is condemned.

I. Occasions of undue fear are—

1. The Christian worker’s sense of responsibility.

2. Experiences of affliction.

3. Constitutional nervous disorder.

4. Anxiety as to the future.

II. Its disadvantages: it hinders all success and misrepresents God.

III. Its cure. Get more light and exercise more trust. (Alfred Rowland, B. A.)

Fear and trust

“What time I am afraid.” Alas! those times are many. Let me speak of three causes of fear and unrest, and the trust which should remove them.

I. Fear for the morrow. There is the fear which arises from a contemplation of possible exigencies and contingencies in the future of our life’s temporal economy. Where one can sing—

“ . . . I do not ask to see

The distant scene: one step enough for me,”

a hundred are bowed down with anxiety, worry, care, and the restlessness of doubt. I am perfectly sure that underneath the placid face and the serene smile that sits on many a brow there is much fear and alarm as to the future. What is the remedy for this? What is there that will give a man peace? My answer is—Trust! Trust in God, His wisdom, His love, His Fatherly care, His plans and His purposes! If there is one phase of the teachings of the Bible that has been more attested by human experience than another, it is the assurance that trust in God is the secret of strength, serenity, and peace. He is behind all events, and before all contingencies. He is above the cloud and below the waters. Say, then, O ye timid ones, ye sorrowing ones, ye foreboding ones, ye anxious ones, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.”

II. Another great cause of fear is the fact of death. God has so constituted us that the very elements of life stand in battle array against the elements that produce death. It is natural, and in perfect harmony with God’s purpose in us, that we should cling to life; and by so much as we cling to life, by that much do we fear death. And perhaps the two feelings in regard to death that most contribute to this fear are the loneliness and uncertainty that inevitably belongs to it. “I shall die alone,” said the great Pascal. Nothing is so distressing to the human spirit as solitude, and when sell, rude is overhung ,with darkness it is then full of awfulness. And it is the awfulness that comes from the solitude and darkness of death that makes us shrink from it. What is the panacea for this

fear? Trust in God—God’s presence, God’s sustaining hand. If there be a Providence watching over us in life, is it not reasonable to suppose that some provision for our need in the hour and conflict of death is made for us? that His providence will open the gate of death for us and guide us through? that His care for us will be as manifest then as now? Does a mother watch over her child all day—fondle it, nestle it in her bosom, teach it, protect it, uphold it—and then leave it alone when the darkness conies?

III. Fear in regard of the destinies of the future life. They ask, Where will my destiny be? Shall I be numbered with the blest, or rejected with the lost? Momentous questions! Tremendous thoughts! I cannot wonder that they make men anxious. The wonder is that, living as we do on the threshold of eternity, we are not more concerned. Whither, at such times of foreboding, shall we flee for succour? To God, the Father of our spirits. Every soul that turns to Him with the cry, “Father, I have sinned”; every heart that yearns for His forgiveness, shall have refuge and peace on earth, shall have a welcome home in heaven (W. J. Hocking, B. A.)

The saints’ great resource in times of fear

I. There are many times and circumstances calculated to awaken our fears.

1. Our state of sin should awaken great fear in our hearts.

2. Well may we fear when conscience convicts and condemns.

3. In times of temptation we ought to fear.

4. A backsliding state may well make us afraid.

5. To be in affliction and nigh to death in a state of impenitence, is a state which should excite the greatest fears.

II. There is an adequate resource under every kind and degree of fear.

1. God has revealed the doctrine of His providence as an antidote to all those fears which relate to this life.

2. He has revealed the doctrine of His grace as an antidote to all these fears which result from sin and guilt.

3. He has revealed the doctrine of immortal glory and blessedness to remove the fear of death and our anxiety concerning another world.

III. There is a great blessedness in knowing this resource before our fears come.

1. In some cases the knowledge of this Divine resource has delivered the mind from all fear.

Fear concerning the body or the soul—life or death, the grave or eternity (Job_13:15; Pro_28:1).

2. Where it does not do this, it may prevent the worse effects of fear. Two ships in a storm, the one with a good anchor and anchorage, and the ether without either, meet that storm under widely different circumstances (2Co_7:10).

3. Sometimes in the most fearful circumstances it enables us not only in patience to possess our souls, but to glorify God.

IV. The greatest of all fears will seize upon those who know not this only true antidote to

fear.

1. The absence of that salutary fear, which leads to provision against danger, proves the extremity of that danger in which we are involved.

2. That fear which is accompanied with utter despair must be the portion of those who have not found the true refuge.

3. They will realize infinitely more than they ever feared in the very deepest seasons of their despair in this life. For it is very certain no man ever formed a sufficiently awful idea of the worm that dieth not, and of eternity. Let all these considerations induce sinners to prize that refuge of mercy and grace which the Gospel presents, and let us be allowed to turn them all into an occasion for urging upon them the immediate and indispensable necessity of trust in God. (Evangelist.)

PETT, "Psalms 56:3-4

The time when I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.’

In God, I will praise his word,

In God have I put my trust,

I will not be afraid, what can flesh do to me?’

He assures God of how much he trusts in Him (repeated twice). When he is afraid it is to God that he will look, and as a consequence he will not be afraid. And this is because he has full confidence in Him. He had cause to be afraid, for the hand of Saul, and every man’s hand was against him. And even now as a fugitive in Gath he was in enemy territory. The Philistines had no cause to love him either. So he was beset on every side. But he was confident that God was greater than them all, and that He would help him. Why then should he be afraid. After all his enemies were merely flesh. On the other hand God was God, and he trusted Him and praised His promised word (possibly the word spoken to him by Samuel). Compare for this Psalms 56:10.

Note again the chiastic pattern. ‘Afraid’ in lines 1 and 5. ‘Put my trust’ in lines 2 and 4. ‘In God’ in lines 3 and 4.

MACLARE�, "FEAR A�D FAITHPsalms 56:3 - Psalms 56:4.It is not given to many men to add new words to the vocabulary of religious emotion. But so far as an examination of the Old Testament avails, I find that David was the first that ever employed the word that is here translated, I will trust, with a religious meaning. It is found occasionally in earlier books of the Bible in different connections, never in regard to man’s relations to God, until the Poet-Psalmist laid

his hand upon it, and consecrated it for all generations to express one of the deepest relations of man to his Father in heaven. And it is a favourite word of his. I find it occurs constantly in his psalms; twice as often, or nearly so, in the psalms attributed to David as in all the rest of the Psalter put together; and as I shall have occasion to show you in a moment, it is in itself a most significant and poetic word.

But, first of all, I ask you to notice how beautifully there comes out here the occasion of trust. ‘What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.’This psalm is one of those belonging to the Sauline persecution. If we adopt the allocation in the superscription, it was written at one of the very lowest points of David’s fortunes. And there seem to be one or two of its phrases which acquire new force, if we regard the psalm as drawn forth by the perils of his wandering, hunted life. For instance-’Thou tellest my wanderings,’ is no mere expression of the feelings with which he regarded the changes of this early pilgrimage, but is the confidence of the fugitive that in the doublings and windings of his flight God’s eye marked him. ‘Put thou my tears into Thy bottle’-one of the few indispensable articles which he had to carry with him, the water-skin which hung beside him, perhaps, as he meditated. So read in the light of his probable circumstances, how pathetic and eloquent does that saying become-’What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.’ That goes deep down into the realities of life. It is when we are ‘afraid’ that we trust in God; not in easy times, when things are going smoothly with us. �ot when the sun shines, but when the tempest blows and the wind howls about his ears, a man gathers his cloak round him, and cleaves fast to his supporter. The midnight sea lies all black; but when it is cut into by the oar, or divided and churned by the paddle, it flashes up into phosphorescence, and so it is from the tumults and agitation of man’s spirit that there is struck out the light of man’s faith. There is the bit of flint and the steel that comes hammering against it; and it is the contact of these two that brings out the spark. The man never knew confidence who does not know how the occasion that evoked and preceded it was terror and need. ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust.’ That is no trust which is only fair weather trust. This principle-first fear, and only then, faith-applies all round the circle of our necessities, weaknesses, sorrows, and sins.There must, first of all, be the deep sense of need, of exposedness to danger, of weakness, of sorrow, and only then will there come the calmness of confidence. A victorious faith will‘rise large and slowFrom out the fluctuations of our souls,As from the dim and tumbling seaStarts the completed moon.’And then, if so, notice how there is involved in that the other consideration, that a man’s confidence is not the product of outward circumstances, but of his own fixed resolves. ‘I will put my trust in Thee.’ �ature says, ‘Be afraid!’ and the recoil from that natural fear, which comes from a discernment of threatening evil, is only possible by a strong effort of the will. Foolish confidence opposes to natural fear a groundless resolve not to be afraid, as if heedlessness were security, or facts could be altered by resolving not to think about them. True faith, by a mighty effort of the will, fixes its gaze on the divine Helper, and there finds it possible and wise to lose its

fears. It is madness to say, ‘I will not to be afraid!’ it is wisdom and peace to say, ‘I will trust, and not be afraid.’ But it is no easy matter to fix the eye on God when threatening enemies within arm’s-length compel our gaze; and there must be a fixed resolve, not indeed to coerce our emotions or to ignore our perils, but to set the Lord before us, that we may not be moved. When war desolates a land, the peasants fly from their undefended huts to the shelter of the castle on the hilltop, but they cannot reach the safety of the strong walls without climbing the steep road. So when calamity darkens round us, or our sense of sin and sorrow shakes our hearts, we need effort to resolve and to carry into practice the resolution, ‘I flee unto Thee to hide me.’ Fear, then, is the occasion of faith, and faith is fear transformed by the act of our own will, calling to mind the strength of God, and betaking ourselves thereto. Therefore, do not wonder if the two things lie in your hearts together, and do not say, ‘I have no faith because I have some fear,’ but rather feel that if there be the least spark of the former it will turn all the rest into its own bright substance. Here is the stifling smoke, coming up from some newly-lighted fire of green wood, black and choking, and solid in its coils; but as the fire burns up, all the smoke-wreaths will be turned into one flaming spire, full of light and warmth. Do you turn your smoke into fire, your fear into faith. Do not be down-hearted if it takes a while to convert the whole of the lower and baser into the nobler and higher. Faith and fear do blend, thank God! They are as oil and water in a man’s soul, and the oil will float above, and quiet the waves. ‘What time I am afraid’-there speak nature and the heart; ‘I will trust in Thee’-there speaks the better man within, lifting himself above nature and circumstances, and casting himself into the extended arms of God, who catches him and keeps him safe.Then, still further, these words, or rather one portion of them, give us a bright light and a beautiful thought as to the essence and inmost centre of this faith or trust. Scholars tell us that the word here translated ‘trust’ has a graphic, pictorial meaning for its root idea. It signifies literally to cling to or hold fast anything, expressing thus both the notion of a good tight grip and of intimate union. �ow, is not that metaphor vivid and full of teaching as well as of impulse? ‘I will trust in Thee.’ ‘And he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord.’ We may follow out the metaphor of the word in many illustrations. For instance, here is a strong prop, and here is the trailing, lithe feebleness of the vine. Gather up the leaves that are creeping all along the ground, and coil them around that support, and up they go straight towards the heavens. Here is a limpet in some pond or other, left by the tide, and it has relaxed its grasp a little. Touch it with your finger and it grips fast to the rock, and you will want a hammer before you can dislodge it. There is a traveller groping along some narrow broken path, where the chamois would tread cautiously, his guide in front of him. His head reels, and his limbs tremble, and he is all but over, but he grasps the strong hand of the man in front of him, or lashes himself to him by the rope, and he can walk steadily. Or, take that story in the Acts of the Apostles, about the lame man healed by Peter and John. All his life long he had been lame, and when at last healing comes, one can fancy with what a tight grasp ‘the lame man held Peter and John.’ The timidity and helplessness of a lifetime made him hold fast, even while, walking and leaping, he tried how the unaccustomed ‘feet and ankle bones’ could do their work. How he would clutch the arms of his two supporters, and feel himself firm and safe only as

long as he grasped them! That is faith, cleaving to Christ, twining round Him with all the tendrils of our heart, as the vine does round its pole; holding to Him by His hand, as a tottering man does by the strong hand that upholds.And there is one more application of the metaphor, which perhaps may be best brought out by referring to a passage of Scripture. We find this same expression used in that wonderfully dramatic scene in the Book of Kings, where the supercilious messengers from the king of Assyria came up and taunted the king and his people on the wall. ‘What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? �ow, on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? �ow, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which, if a man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce it: so is Pharaoh, king of Egypt, unto all that trust on him,’ The word of our text is employed there, and as the phrase shows, with a distinct trace of its primary sense. Hezekiah was leaning upon that poor paper reed on the �ile banks, that has no substance, or strength, or pith in it. A man leans upon it, and it runs into the palm of his hand, and makes an ugly festering wound. Such rotten stays are all our earthly confidences. The act of trust, and the miserable issues of placing it on man, are excellently described there. The act is the same when directed to God, but how different the issues. Lean all your weight on God as on some strong staff, and depend upon it that your support will never yield nor crack and no splinters will run into your palms from it.If I am to cling with my hand I must first empty my hand. Fancy a man saying, ‘I cannot stand unless you hold me up; but I have to hold my bank book, and this thing, and that thing, and the other thing; I cannot put them down, so I have not a hand free to lay hold with, you must do the holding.’ That is what some of us are saying in effect. �ow the prayer, ‘Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe,’ is a right one; but not from a man who will not put his possessions out of his hands that he may lay hold of the God who lays hold of him.‘�othing in my hand I bring.’Then, of course, and only then, when we are empty-handed, shall we be free to grip and lay hold; and only then shall we be able to go on with the grand words-‘Simply to Thy Cross I cling,’as some half-drowned, shipwrecked sailor, flung up on the beach, clasps a point of rock, and is safe from the power of the waves that beat around him.And then one word more. These two clauses that I have put together give us not only the occasion of faith in fear, and the essence of faith in this clinging, but they also give us very beautifully the victory of faith. You see with what poetic art-if we may use such words about the breathings of such a soul-he repeats the two main words of the former verse in the latter, only in inverted order-’What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.’ He is possessed by the lower emotion, and resolves to escape from its sway into the light and liberty of faith. And then the next words still keep up the contrast of faith and fear, only that now he is possessed by the more blessed mood, and determines that he will not fall back into the bondage and darkness of the baser. ‘In God I have put my trust; I will not fear.’ He has confidence, and in the strength of that he resolves that he will not yield to fear. If we put that thought into a more abstract form it comes to this: that the one true antagonist and triumphant rival of all fear is faith, and faith alone. There is no reason why any man should be emancipated from his fears either about this world or about the next, except in

proportion as he has faith. �ay, rather it is far away more rational to be afraid than not to be afraid, unless I have this faith in Christ. There are plenty of reasons for dread in the dark possibilities and not less dark certainties of life. Disasters, losses, partings, disappointments, sicknesses, death, may any of them come at any moment, and some of them will certainly come sooner or later. Temptations lurk around us like serpents in the grass, they beset us in open ferocity like lions in our path. Is it not wise to fear unless our faith has hold of that great promise, ‘Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; there shall no evil befall thee’? But if we have a firm hold of God, then it is wise not to be afraid, and terror is folly and sin. For trust brings not only tranquillity, but security, and so takes away fear by taking away danger.That double operation of faith in quieting and in defending is very strikingly set forth by an Old Testament word, formed from the verb here employed, which means properly confidence, and then in one form comes to signify both in security and in safety, secure as being free from anxiety, safe as being sheltered from peril. So, for instance, the people of that secluded little town of Laish, whose peaceful existence amidst warlike neighbours is described with such singular beauty in the Book of Judges, are said to ‘dwell careless, quiet, and secure.’ The former phrase is literally ‘in trust,’ and the latter is ‘trusting.’ The idea sought to be conveyed by both seems to be that double one of quiet freedom from fear and from danger. So again, in Moses’ blessing, ‘The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him,’ we have the same phrase to express the same twofold benediction of shelter, by dwelling in God, from all alarm and from all attack:‘As far from danger as from fear,While love, Almighty love is near.’This thought of the victory of faith over fear is very forcibly set forth in a verse from the Book of Proverbs, which in our version runs ‘The righteous is bold as a lion.’ The word rendered ‘is bold’ is that of our text, and would literally be ‘trusts,’ but obviously the metaphor requires such a translation as that of the English Bible. The word that properly describes the act of faith has come to mean the courage which is the consequence of the act, just as our own word confidence properly signifies trust, but has come to mean the boldness which is born of trust. So, then, the true way to become brave is to lean on God. That, and that alone, delivers from otherwise reasonable fear, and Faith bears in her one hand the gift of outward safety, and in her other that of inward peace.Peter is sinking in the water; the tempest runs high. He looks upon the waves, and is ready to fancy that he is going to be swallowed up immediately. His fear is reasonable if he has only the tempest and himself to draw his conclusions from. His helplessness and the scowling storm together strike out a little spark of faith, which the wind cannot blow out, nor the floods quench. Like our Psalmist here, when Peter is afraid, he trusts. ‘Save, Lord! or I perish.’ Immediately the outstretched hand of his Lord grasps his, and brings him safety, while the gentle rebuke, ‘O thou of little faith! wherefore didst thou doubt?’ infuses courage into his beating heart. The storm runs as high as ever, and the waves beat about his limbs, and the spray blinds his eyes. If he leaves his hold for one moment down he will go. But, as long as he clasps Christ’s hand, he is as safe on that heaving floor as if his feet were on a rock; and as long as he looks in Christ’s face and leans upon His upholding arm, he does not ‘see the waves boisterous,’ nor tremble at all as they break around him. His

fear and his danger are both gone, because he holds Christ and is upheld by Him. In this sense, too, as in many others, ‘this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.’

4 In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

BAR�ES, "In God I will praise his word - The meaning of this seems to be, “In reference to God - or, in my trust on God - I will especially have respect to his “word” -his gracious promise; I will make that the special object of my praise. In dwelling in my own mind on the divine perfections; in finding there materials for praise, I will have special respect to his revealed truth - to what he has “spoken” as an encouragement to me. I will be thankful that he “has” spoken, and that he has given me assurances on which I may rely in the times of danger.” The idea is, that he would “always” find in God that which was the ground or foundation for praise; and that that which called for special praise in meditating on the divine character, was the word or promise which God had made to his people.

I will not fear what flesh can do unto me - What man can do to me. Compare the notes at Mat_10:28 (notes); Rom_8:31-34 (notes); Heb_13:6 (notes).

CLARKE, "In God I will praise his word - ,belohim may mean here באלהים

through God, or by the help of God, I will praise his word. And, that he should have cause to do it, he says, “In God I have put my trust,” and therefore he says, “I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” Man is but Flesh, weak and perishing; God is an infinite Spirit, almighty and eternal. He repeats this sentiment in the tenth and eleventh verses.

GILL, "In God I will praise his word,.... Or praise him for his words for the whole Scripture that was then in being; for those testimonies which were David's counsellors in times of difficulty and distress; and particularly for some word of promise made unto

him, he was persuaded would be fulfilled, and in which he gloried and made his boast of, and on which his faith and hope were built; and this he did, and determined to do, in the strength of the Lord, and by the assistance of his grace;

in God I have put my trust; either in times past, and was not ashamed or confounded; or now, as he determined he would in Psa_56:3;

I will not fear what flesh can do unto me: or continue to fear any or all of my enemies; though I have been afraid of them, I will shake off these fears, trusting in the Lord, and depending on his word. Or, "what can flesh do unto me?" (t) which is as grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field. Poor, frail, mortal man! what can he do against me, if God be for me? And therefore why should I fear? Men may contrive schemes, form weapons, and attempt many things against the saints, but can execute nothing, except permitted by the Lord; and the utmost they can do, when suffered, is to kill the body.

JAMISO�, "in God ... his word — By His grace or aid (Psa_60:12; Psa_108:13), or, “I will boast in God as to His word”; in either case His word is the special matter and cause of praise.

flesh — for mankind (Psa_65:2; Isa_31:3), intimating frailty.

CALVI�, "4.In God I will praise his word Here he grows more courageous in the exercise of hope, as generally happens with the people of God. They find it difficult at first to reach this exercise. It is only after a severe struggle that they rise to it, but the effort being once made, they emerge from their fears into the fullness of confidence, and are prepared to grapple with the most formidable enemies. To praise, is here synonymous with glorying or boasting. He was now in possession of a triumphant confidence, and rejoiced in the certainty of hope. The ground of his joy is said to be the divine word; and this implies, that however much he might seem to be forsaken and abandoned by God, he satisfied himself by reflecting on the truthfulness of his promises. He would glory in God notwithstanding, and although there should be no outward appearance of help, or it should even be sensibly withdrawn, he would rest contented with the simple security of his word. The declaration is one that deserves our notice. How prone are we to fret and to murmur when it has not pleased God immediately to grant us our requests! Our discontent may not be openly expressed, but it is inwardly felt, when we are left in this manner to depend upon his naked promises. It was no small attainment in David, that he could thus proceed to praise the Lord, in the midst of dangers, and with no other ground of support but the word of God. The sentiment contained in the latter clause of the verse might seem at first glance to merit little consideration. What more obvious than that God is able to protect us from the hand of men, that his power to defend is immensely greater than their power to injure? This may be true, but we all know too well how much of that perverse unbelief there is in our hearts, which leads us to rate the ability of God below that of the creature. It was no small proof, therefore, of the faith of David, that he could despise the threatenings of his enemies. And it would be well if all the saints of God were impressed with such a sense of his

superiority to their adversaries as would lead them to show a similar contempt of danger. When assailed by these, it should never escape their recollection, that the contest is in reality between their enemies and God, and that it were blasphemous in this case to doubt the issue. The great object which these have in view is to shake our faith in the promised help of the Lord; and we are chargeable with limiting his power, unless we realize him standing at our right hand, able with one movement of his finger, or one breath of his mouth, to dissipate their hosts, and confound their infatuated machinations. Shall we place him on a level with mortal man, and measure his probable success by the numbers which are set against him? “But how,” may it be asked, “are we to account for this sudden change in the exercise of David? A moment before, he was expressing his dread of destruction, and now he bids defiance to the collected strength of his enemies.” I reply, that there is nothing in his words which insinuate that he was absolutely raised above the influence of fear, and every sense of the dangers by which he was encompassed. They imply no more than that he triumphed over his apprehensions, through that confident hope of salvation with which he was armed. Men he terms in this verse flesh, to impress the more upon his mind the madness of their folly in attempting a contest so infinitely above their strength.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 4. In God I will praise his word. Faith brings forth praise. He who can trust will soon sing. God's promise, when fulfilled, is a noble subject for praise, and even before fulfilment it should be the theme of song. It is in or through God that we are able to praise. We praise as well as pray in the Spirit. Or we may read it--in extolling the Lord one of the main points for thanksgiving is his revealed will in the Scriptures, and the fidelity with which he keeps his word of promise.In God I have put my trust. Altogether and alone should we stay ourselves on God. What was a gracious resolve in the former verse, is here asserted as already done.I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Faith exercised, fear is banished, and holy triumph ensues, so that the soul asks, "What can flesh do unto me?" What indeed? He can do me no real injury; all his malice shall be overruled for my good. Man is flesh, flesh is grass--Lord, in thy name I defy its utmost wrath. There were two verses of complaint, and here are two of confidence; it is well to weigh out a sufficient quantity of the sweet to counteract the sour.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 3-4. See Psalms on "Psalms 56:3" for further information.Ver. 4. In God I will praise his word. Or, praise him for his word; for the whole Scripture that was then in being. John Gill.Ver. 4. The best hold that faith can have of God, is to take him by his word, however his dispensation seems to be; this will give satisfaction at length; for In God I will praise his word, is as much as to say, albeit he withhold comfort and deliverance from me, so that I cannot find what I would, yet let me have his word, and I will give him the glory of all his attributes. David Dickson.Ver. 4. I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Fear not man, he is but flesh. Thou needest not, thou oughtest not to fear. Thou needest not. What, not such a great man; not such a number of men, who have the keys of all the prisons at their girdle; who can kill or save alive? �o, not these; only look they be thy enemies for

righteousness sake. Take heed thou makest not the least child thine enemy, by offering wrong to him; God will right the wicked even upon the saint. If he offends he shall find no shelter under God's wing for his sin. This made Jerome complain that the Christian sin made the arms of those barbarous nations which invaded Christendom victorious: �ostris peccatis fortes sunt barbari. But if man's wrath find thee on God's way, and his fury take fire at thy holiness, thou needest not fear though thy life be the prey he hunts for. Flesh can only wound flesh; he may kill thee, but not hurt thee. Why shouldest thou fear to be stripped of that which thou hast resigned already to Christ? It is the first lesson you learn, if a Christian, to deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow thy Master; so that the enemy comes too late; thou hast no life to lose, because thou hast given it already to Christ; nor can man take away that without God's leave; all thou hast is insured; and though God hath not promised thee immunity from suffering in this kind, yet he hath undertaken to bear the loss, yea, to pay thee a hundredfold, and thou shalt not stay for it till another world. Again, thou oughtest not to fear flesh. Our Saviour (Matthew 10:1-42) thrice, in the compass of six verses, commands us not to fear man: if thy heart quail at him, how wilt thou behave thyself in the last against Satan, whose little finger is heavier than man's loins? The Romans had arma proelusoria, weapons rebated or cudgels, which they were tried at before they came to the sharp. If thou canst not bear a bruise in thy flesh from man's cudgels and blunt weapons, what wilt thou do when thou shalt have Satan's sword in thy side? God counts himself reproached when his children fear a sorry man; therefore we are bid sanctify the Lord, not to fear their fear. William Gurnall.Ver. 4. I will not fear, etc. Eusebius tells us of a notable speech that Ignatius used when he was in his enemies' hands, not long before he was to suffer, which argued a raised spirit to a wonderful height above the world, and above himself. "I care, "says he, "for nothing visible or invisible, that I might get Christ. Let fire, the cross, the letting out of beasts upon me, breaking of my bones, the tearing of my members, the grinding of my whole body, and the torments of the devils come upon me, so be it I may get Christ." From Jeremiah Burroughs' "Moses his Self denial, "1649.Ver. 4. What flesh can do, etc. It is according to the phrase of Scripture, when it would speak contemptibly of man and show him to be the lowest creature, to call him "flesh, "to set forth the weakness that man is subject to. John Arrowsmith, 1600-1660.Ver. 4. (last clause). Fear of man --grim idol, bloody mouthed; many souls has he devoured and trampled down into hell! His eyes are full of hatred to Christ's disciples. Scoffs and jeers lurk in his eye. The laugh of the scorner growls in his throat. Cast down this idol. This keeps some of you from secret prayer, from worshipping God in your family, from going to lay your case before ministers, from openly confessing Christ. You that have felt God's love and Spirit, dash this idol to pieces. "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die?" "Fear not, thou worm Jacob." "What have I to do any more with idols?" Robert Murray Macheyne, 1813-1843.Ver. 4. Faith groweth valiant in fight; albeit it began like a coward, and staggered in the first conflict, yet it groweth stout, incontinent, and pulls its adversaries under foot: In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. David Dickson.

COKE, "Psalms 56:4. In God I will praise his word— Truth, and faithfulness to his promises, are attributes which dwell in, or belong to God. God had promised David the kingdom of Israel, and therefore in God he would praise his word or promise: i.e. under his protection and by trusting in his power, even amidst the greatest enemies, he would celebrate the praises of his truth and goodness; not doubting but that God would, in due time, accomplish his promise: for it follows, In God will I trust; I will not fear what man can do.

ELLICOTT, "(4) In God.—This verse, which forms the refrain (Psalms 56:11-12 are wrongly separated), is as it stands hardly intelligible, and the text is rendered suspicious by the fact that the LXX. read “my words,” instead of “his word,” and by the omission of the suffix altogether in Psalms 56:11, where the first clause of the refrain is doubled. The obvious treatment of the verse is to take the construction as in Psalms 44:8, “I praise God with my word,” i.e., in spite of all my enemies I find words to praise God.

I will not.—Rather, I fear not What can flesh do?

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

Ver. 4. In God I will praise his word] Having placed my confidence in God, I will take his bare word for my security. He hath promised to make me king, 1 Samuel 16:13, and he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, or alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, Psalms 89:33. The word of God cannot be broken, John 5:35. David once doubted it, but he soon took himself up for halting, Psalms 116:11.

I will not fear what flesh can do unto me] Flesh is terminus diminuens. What can proud flesh do against the God of the spirits of all flesh? Man is but despicable flesh at the best.

WHEDO�, "4. In God I will praise his word—God’s “word,” here, probably refers specially to that spoken by Samuel when he anointed him, 1 Samuel 16:13; and also probably at Ramah, 1 Samuel 19:18, by which David became the promised king of Israel. The phrase “in God I will praise,” etc., is equal to by his help, or through his grace, I will praise, etc. His faith held firmly to the word of promise against contradictory appearances.

What flesh can do—What all mankind can do. When the word “flesh” is thus figuratively and genetically used, it always takes the adsignification of weakness, mortality. The same word occurs Psalms 56:1. The Hebrew punctuation places the text thus:—

In God I have confidence,I will not fear;

What can flesh [frail man] do to me?�oble words of a triumphant faith.

5 All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin.

BAR�ES, "Every day they wrest my words - The word here rendered “wrest,” means literally to give pain, to grieve, to afflict; and it is used here in the sense of “wresting,” as if force were applied to words; that is, they are “tortured,” twisted, perverted. We have the same use of the word “torture” in our language. This they did by affixing a meaning to his words which he never intended, so as to injure him.

All their thoughts are against me for evil - All their plans, devices, purposes. They never seek my good, but always seek to do me harm.

CLARKE, "Every day they wrest my words - They have been spies on my conduct continually; they collected all my sayings, and wrested my words out of their proper sense and meaning, to make them, by inuendos, speak treason against Saul. They are full of evil purposes against me.

GILL, "Every day they wrest my words,.... Form, fashion, and shape them at their pleasure; construe them, and put what sense upon them they think fit. The word (u) is used of the formation of the human body, in Job_10:8; They put his words upon the rack, and made them speak what he never intended; as some men wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, 2Pe_3:16; and as the Jews wrested the words of Christ, Joh_2:19. The word has also the sense of causing vexation and grief, Isa_63:10; and so it may be rendered here, "my words cause grief" (w); to his enemies; because he had said, in the preceding verses, that he would trust in the Lord, and praise his word, and not be afraid of men; just as the Sadducees were grieved at the apostles preaching, through Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, Act_4:1. Or they caused grief to himself; for because of these his enemies reproached him, cursed him, and distressed him. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin render it, "they cursed my words"; or despised them, as the Ethiopic and Arabic versions:

all their thoughts are against me for evil; their counsels, schemes, and

contrivances, were all formed to do him all the hurt and mischief they could.

JAMISO�, "A vivid picture of the conduct of malicious enemies.

CALVI�, "5Every day my words vex me The first part of this verse has been variously rendered. Some understand my words to be the nominative in the sentence, and with these I agree in opinion. Others suppose a reference to the enemies of David, and translate, they calumniate my words, or, they cause me grief on account of my words. Again, יעצבו, yeatsebu, has been taken in the neuter sense, and translated, my words are troublesome. But 332(עצב ), atsab, commonly signifies to afflict with grief, and in Pihel is always taken transitively; nor does there seem any reason in this place to depart from the general rule of the language. And the passage flows more naturally when rendered, my words affect me with grief, or vex me, than by supposing that he refers to his enemies. According to this translation, the verse contains a double complaint, that, on the one hand, he was himself unsuccessful in everything which he attempted, his plans having still issued in vexatious failure; while, on the other hand, his enemies were devising every means for his destruction. It may appear at first sight rather inconsistent to suppose that he should immediately before have disclaimed being under the influence of fear, and now acknowledge that he was not only distressed, but in some measure the author of his own discomfort. I have already observed, however, that he is not to be considered as having been absolutely divested of anxiety and fear, although enabled to look down with contempt upon his enemies from the eminence of faith. Here he speaks of the circumstances which tried him, which his faith certainly overcame, but at the same time could not altogether remove out of the way. He confesses his own lack of wisdom and foresight, shown in the abortive issue of every plan which he devised. It aggravated the evil, that his enemies were employing their united counsels to plot his ruin. He adds, that they gathered themselves together; and this made his case the more calamitous, matched as he was, a single individual, against this numerous host. In mentioning that theyhide themselves, he adverts to the subtile devices which they framed for surprising him into destruction. The verb ;vau, in the middle ,ו yitsponu, by grammatical rule ought to have the letter ,יצפינוfrom which the general opinion is, that the י yod, is as it were the mark of Hiphil, denoting that the enemies of David came to the determination of employing an ambush, with the view of surrounding him. He tells us that they pressed upon him in every direction, and as it were trod upon his heels, so that he had no respite. And he points at their implacable hatred as the cause of their eager pursuit of him; for nothing, he informs us, would satisfy them but his death.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 5. Every day they wrest my words. This is a common mode of warfare among the ungodly. They put our language on the rack, they extort meanings from it which it cannot be made fairly to contain. Thus our Saviour's prophecy concerning the temple of his body, and countless accusations against his servants, were founded on wilful perversions. They who do this every day become great adepts in the art. A wolf can always find in a lamb's discourse a reason for

eating him. Prayers are blasphemies if you choose to read them the wrong way upwards.All their thoughts are against me for evil. �o mixture of good will tone down their malice. Whether they viewed him as a king, a psalmist, a man, a father, a warrior, a sufferer, it was all the same, they saw through coloured glass, and could not think a generous thought towards him. Even those actions of his which were an undoubted blessing to the commonwealth, they endeavoured to undervalue. Oh, foul spring, from which never a drop of pure water can come!EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 5. Every day they wrest my words; or, they put my words to pain and grief, or, they painfully and grievously wrest my words. David's enemies took up what he spake, and put a new shape upon it; and this they did so vexingly, that they are said to wrest his words; a thing is vexed when it is wrested or wrought out of the form it before had. The same metaphor the apostle Peter useth in reference to doctrine, speaking of the Epistles of Paul, in which "are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, "or put upon the rack; they painfully form his words, and represent them in a meaning which he never intended. 2 Peter 3:16. What is spoken may be right, both in the matter and intendment of the speaker, yet another wrests, forms and fashions it in his own mould, and makes it bear a sense which the speaker never dreamed of. Joseph Caryl.Ver. 5. Every day they wrest my words, etc. Mr. Jewel, the Bishop of Salisbury, who, according to his life, died most godly and patiently, at the point of death used the versicle of the Hymn, "Te Deum, ""O Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded, " whereupon, suppressing the rest, they published that the principle champion of the heretics, in his very last words, cried he was confounded. Lord Bacon's "Bible Thoughts."Ver. 5. They wrest my words. Whatever Christ said in justification of himself was twisted to a meaning injurious to him. So it is still in the world, self justification by words answers but little purpose with ungodly men. W. Wilson, D.D., 1860.

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts [are] against me for evil.

Ver. 5. Every day they wrest my words] Or, my matters; they distort and pervert everything I say, or do, from the true intention, and all to make a traitor of me. That I carried myself wisely in the court, valiantly in the field, faithfully toward Jonathan, cautiously for the safeguard of mine own life, shifting as I could from one place to another; all this they say was done out of affectation for the kingdom, and as seeking Saul’s death. So they dealt by our Saviour in the Gospel, taking that with the left hand which he tendered with the right, and many times marring a good text by an ill gloss put upon it. So Simon the leper served that good woman, who made an ewer (a) of her eyes and a towel of her hair, Luke 7:34. Men should interpret everything the best way, and not as logicians do, Sequi partem deteriorem.

WHEDO�, "5. They wrest my words—The word rendered “wrest,” means, fashion,

shape; they shape my words to suit their purposes. The text implies that David had entered a defence of the innocent object of his visit, perhaps at different times, and as they were deficient in facts to convict him they sought occasion by torturing his language. Their thoughts—Their devices.

BE�SO�, "Psalms 56:5-6. They wrest my words — They misconstrue and pervert my most innocent expressions, and turn them into matter of calumny, in order that they may incense Saul against me. Hebrew, יעצבו, jegnatzeebu, they put upon the rack my words, to extort that out of them which was never in them. Or, they endeavour to squeeze from my words, as it were by torture, any sense they please, contrary to the intention of the speaker. All their thoughts, &c. — It is their whole study to do me mischief. They gather themselves together, &c. — After they have separately employed their thoughts against me, they meet together to hold consultations, and compare their schemes, and put them in execution. They hide themselves — They lurk secretly; either, that they may pry into all my most private actions; or, that they may surprise me with mischief unawares. They mark my steps — All my ways and actions, that they may find some occasion to reproach or entangle, and so destroy me; when they wait for my soul — Or life, namely, to take it away.

COFFMA�, "Verse 5"All the day long they wrest my words:

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

They gather themselves together, they hide themselves,

They mark my steps,

Even as they have waited for my soul.

Shall they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, O God.

Thou numberest my wanderings:

Put thou my tears into thy bottle;

Are they not in thy book?

Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call:

This I know that God is for me.

In God (I will praise his word),

In Jehovah (I will praise his word),

In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid;

What can man do unto me?"

"They wrest my words" (Psalms 56:5). The KJV here has `twist my words.'

"Their thoughts are against me" (Psalms 56:5). The purpose of the Philistines was continually that of destroying David.

"Gather themselves together ... hide themselves ... mark my steps" (Psalms 56:6). This means they convened counsels on how to destroy David; they concealed themselves in order to spy upon him, and they watched his every move. Yes, those wicked men watched David's every step; but God also was watching over his own (Psalms 56:8), "numbering all of his wanderings, and even counting his tears."

Delitzsch paraphrased these words regarding the activity of David's enemies. "David affirmed his loyalty to Saul, but they forced upon his words false meanings; they banded themselves together, they placed men in ambush."[10]

"Shall they escape by iniquity?" (Psalms 56:7) Mistreatment of David by the Philistines mentioned here was doubtless the root of his determination, after he became king, to utterly subdue them. He would become God's instrument in granting the answer to David's prayer for their destruction (2 Samuel 5:17; 8:1).

"In anger cast down the peoples, O God" (Psalms 56:7) The word `peoples' here is the same as `Gentiles,' or `nations.' Indicating that all nations of the whole world were affected in some manner by what happened to David. Of course, this is profoundly true, because the Davidic kingdom was the type and forerunner of the "Kingdom of God." Addis missed this profound truth altogether, writing that, "�ations were not concerned in the petty espionage which the Psalm describes."[11]

"My wanderings ... my tears" (Psalms 56:8). Is it really true that God has such detailed interest in his servants? Kidner pointed out that it is even so, adding that, "Our Lord had equally striking terms for God's attention to detail. He said, `The very hairs of your head are all numbered.' (Matthew 10:29)."[12]

"Are they not in thy book?" (Psalms 56:8). Rhodes observed that both `bottle' and `book' here are metaphorical references to the `records' of God; and this seems to be correct. God, of course would need neither a record book nor a bottle. As DeHoff noted, "The figure of speech here is similar to that of Revelation 5:8 where the prayers of the saints are represented as being preserved in `golden vials.'"[13]

"This I know that God is for me" (Psalms 56:9). David's absolute confidence in the truth and dependability of what God had told him through the prophet �athan sustained him throughout his lifetime, no matter how difficult the circumstances of

many heartbreaking situations which he confronted.

"In God (I will praise his word)" (Psalms 56:10). This picks up the refrain from Psalms 56:4, emphasizes its first line by repeating it almost verbatim, which Kidner tells us was a favorite method of emphasis by the psalmist.[14]

K&D 5-7, "This second strophe describes the adversaries, and ends in imprecation,the fire of anger being kindled against them. Hitzig's rendering is: “All the time they are injuring my concerns,” i.e., injuring my interests. This also sounds unpoetical. Just as we

say חמס�תורה, to do violence to the Tôra (Zep_3:4; Eze_22:26), so we can also say: to

torture any one's words, i.e., his utterances concerning himself, viz., by misconstruing and twisting them. It is no good to David that he asseverates his innocence, that he asserts his filial faithfulness to Saul, God's anointed; they stretch his testimony concerning himself upon the rack, forcing upon it a false meaning and wrong inferences.

They band themselves together, they place men in ambush. The verb 4ור signifies

sometimes to turn aside, turn in, dwell (= Arab. jâr); sometimes, to be afraid (= יגר, Arab.

wjr); sometimes, to stir up, excite, Psa_140:3 and sometimes, as here, and in ;(4רה =)

Psa_59:4, Isa_54:15 : to gather together (= 8גר). The Kerî reads יצ9ונו (as in Psa_10:8;

Pro_1:11), but the scriptio plena points to Hiph. (cf. Job_24:6, and also Psa_126:5), and

the following ה�ה leads one to the conclusion that it is the causative יצ9ינו that is

intended: they cause one to keep watch in concealment, they lay an ambush (synon.

refers to the liers-in-wait told off by them: as to these - they המה 1Sa_15:5); so that ,האריב

observe my heels or (like the feminine plural in Psa_77:20; Psa_89:52) footprints

(Rashi: mes traces), i.e., all my footsteps or movements, because (properly, “in

accordance with this, that,” as in Mic_3:4) they now as formerly (which is implied in the

perfect, cf. Psa_59:4) attempt my life, i.e., strive after, lie in wait for it (קוה like שמר, Psa_

71:10, with the accusative = קוה�ל� in Psa_119:95). To this circumstantial representation of

their hostile proceedings is appended the clause על־עון�9�ט־למו, which is not to be

understood otherwise than as a question, and is marked as such by the order of the words (2Ki_5:26; Isa_28:28): In spite of iniquity [is there] escape for them? i.e., shall they, the liers-in-wait, notwithstanding such evil good-for-nothing mode of action,

escape? At any rate 9�ט is, as in Psa_32:7, a substantivized finitive, and the “by no

means” which belongs as answer to this question passes over forthwith into the prayer for the overthrow of the evil ones. This is the customary interpretation since Kimchi's day. Mendelssohn explains it differently: “In vain be their escape,” following Aben-

Jachja, who, however, like Saadia, takes פלט to be imperative. Certainly adverbial

notions are expressed by means of על, - e.g., על־יתר�,. , abundantly, Psa_31:24; על־שקר,

falsely, Lev. 5:22 (vid., Gesenius, Thesaurus, p. 1028), - but one does not say על־הבל, and

consequently also would hardly have said �על־8ון (by no means, for nothing, in vain);

moreover the connection here demands the prevailing ethical notion for און. Hupfeld

alters פלט to 9�ס, and renders it: “recompense to them for wickedness,” which is not only

critically improbable, but even contrary to the usage of the language, since פלס signifies

to weigh out, but not to requite, and requires the accusative of the object. The widening of the circle of vision to the whole of the hostile world is rightly explained by Hengstenberg by the fact that the special execution of judgment on the part of God is only an outflow of His more general and comprehensive execution of judgment, and the

belief in the former has its root in a belief in the latter. The meaning of הורד becomes

manifest from the preceding Psalm (Ps 55:24), to which the Psalm before us is appended by reason of manifold and closely allied relation.

PETT, "

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Psalms 56

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Verses 1-4

The Heading (Psalms 56:1 a).

‘For the Chief Musician; set to Yonath elem rehokim (‘the silent dove of far off places (or ‘men’)’). A Psalm of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.

This is another Psalm dedicated to the Choirmaster or Chief Musician (the head of music). A Michtam may signify ‘a covering’ and thus a plea for protection (from the Akkadian katamu (‘to cover’). It has also been interpreted as ‘a golden Psalm’ (from chetem = ‘gold’). Michtam occurs also in reference to Psalms 16; Psalms 56-60. The tune ‘silent doves of far off places (or ‘far off men’) may originally have been the music composed for a Psalm celebrating the cultic releasing of birds to fly off to far off places (Leviticus 14:5-7). Or alternately of a Psalm celebrating escape from the turmoils of life (compare Psalms 55:6). The situation in life is described as being when the Philistines seized David in Gath (1 Samuel 21:10 ff.). At this time he had fled from Israel, possibly alone, and had taken refuge with Achish of Gath (that is in territory ruled by Achish) hoping to be unrecognised. But there he was challenged as to whether he was the successful Israelite commander who had had great successes against the Philistines. Being brought before Achish he escaped whatever fate might have been in store for him by feigning madness, subsequently fleeing back to Adullam where he built up his own fighting force.

Accepting the provenance stated it would appear that, having arrived in Gath after fleeing from the persecutions of Saul (Psalms 56:1-2), and hoping to be unnoticed, David’s footsteps were dogged by suspicious Philistines (Psalms 56:6). They clearly challenged him as to who he was (Psalms 56:5) refusing to accept his assurances, or that he was there in peace, and thus determined evil against him. The Psalm may well have been written while he was waiting for them to pounce, and praying in anticipation, with the final verses of the Psalm indicating that he had prayed through to a position of certainty concerning YHWH’s deliverance, even though it was yet future.

The Psalm stresses the Psalmist’s trust in God (Psalms 56:3-4; Psalms 56:10-11) and the powerful enemies whom he is facing (Psalms 56:1 a, 2, 5-7), and can be divided up into four parts:

A plea for God’s protection (Psalms 56:1-4).

A description of his enemies tactics as they close in on him (Psalms 56:5-7).

� An expression of his trust in God in the face of his enemies (Psalms 56:8-11).

� An expression of his gratitude for his deliverance (Psalms 56:12-13).

A Plea For God’s Protection (Psalms 56:1-4).

Psalms 56:1-2

‘Show favour to me, O God, for a human (’enosh) would swallow me up,

All the day long his fighting oppresses me.’

My enemies would swallow me up all the day long,

For they are many who fight haughtily (on high) against me.’

These verses may refer to the circumstances which forced David to flee to Gath, and thus be speaking of Saul’s attempts on his life. Alternately they may have in mind the attempts by the Philistines to seek him out whilst he was in hiding in a Philistine city.

Taking the first, and more probable alternative in view of the language, he calls on God for favour in view of the fact that a mere earthly man is seeking to swallow him up. He emphasises the continual attempts by his enemy (Saul or his erstwhile friend - Psalms 55), along with his men, to oppress him and ‘swallow him up’ (repeated twice for emphasis). These attempts have been occurring continually ‘all the day long’ (repeated twice for emphasis). He has never been able to relax. For his enemies are numerous and are behaving arrogantly towards him. They have set themselves up ‘on high’.

The repetitions stress how strongly he feels his situation, and how harassed he feels, as well he might for he has moved from being a power in the land to being a lone fugitive. But he is still confident in God, for whilst his enemies might think much of themselves, he recognises that they are mere humans.

Note the twofold patterns. ‘A human’ (line 1) contrasts with the fact that they have set themselves up ‘on high’ (line 4). All the day long (line 2) parallels ‘all the day long’ (line 3). There is a chiastic pattern. But ‘swallow me up’ occurs in lines 1 and 3, and ‘fighting’ occurs in lines 2 and 4. So there is also a consecutive pattern.

Psalms 56:3-4

The time when I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.’

In God, I will praise his word,

In God have I put my trust,

I will not be afraid, what can flesh do to me?’

He assures God of how much he trusts in Him (repeated twice). When he is afraid it is to God that he will look, and as a consequence he will not be afraid. And this is because he has full confidence in Him. He had cause to be afraid, for the hand of Saul, and every man’s hand was against him. And even now as a fugitive in Gath he was in enemy territory. The Philistines had no cause to love him either. So he was beset on every side. But he was confident that God was greater than them all, and that He would help him. Why then should he be afraid. After all his enemies were merely flesh. On the other hand God was God, and he trusted Him and praised His promised word (possibly the word spoken to him by Samuel). Compare for this Psalms 56:10.

Note again the chiastic pattern. ‘Afraid’ in lines 1 and 5. ‘Put my trust’ in lines 2 and 4.

‘In God’ in lines 3 and 4.

Verse 5

‘All day long they wrest my words,

All their thoughts are against me for evil.’

So now that he is in Philistine territory David finds that he has not escaped from trouble. It still dogs him ‘all day long’. The Philistines are suspicious of this Israelite fugitive who has come among them, and they are questioning him and twisting his words. It is quite clear that they intend trouble against him. Their thoughts are against him. They are for evil and not for good.

Psalms 56:6

‘They gather themselves together,

They hide themselves,

They mark my steps,

Even as they have waited for my life.’

A group of Philistines have apparently got together. They are watching him continually. They try to remain unobserved, although to no avail, and they watch his every step. It is quite clear that they bode no good, and are waiting for his life. He had escaped from Saul only to find himself pursued by the Philistines. If at this stage they were already fairly sure that he was David, one of Saul’s most successful commanders (1 Samuel 21:21-22), we can understand why they were suspicious. But it seems that they were not absolutely sure of their ground. Later they would detain him and bring him before Achish, one of the five Philistine Rulers (1 Samuel 21:14), but by this time David, aware of his great danger, had begun to feign madness so that Achish dismissed him in contempt.

Psalms 56:7

‘Will they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, O God.’

In David’s eyes these men are accountable to God, and what they are planning is iniquitous. He feels that as a fugitive (and as the anointed of YHWH) he deserves consideration, and that all they are doing is make things worse for him. He had come in good faith and sought refuge among them. Did they think that they could escape any threat that he posed by failing to show hospitality and doing him harm? Was he not only one among many? To David’s pure soul this was not acceptable conduct, it was inexcusable (it was the opposite of what he would have done). And he calls on God in His anger against their perfidy to ‘cast down the peoples’, that is, all who are causing him trouble, whether Israelite or Canaanite or Philistine, and all who are like them. At present he sees the whole world as against him. Everyone has proved to be his enemy.

PETT, "Verses 5-7

A Description Of His Enemies Tactics As They Close In On Him (Psalms 56:5-7).

These words could still refer to his enemies in Israel, but it seems more likely that they have his current situation in mind as a fugitive among the Philistines. When he arrived among them it would not be surprising if he was closely questioned, for it would be clear to them that he was an Israelite. The Israelites were no friends of the Philistines, although no doubt in times of peace they traded with each other, but the Israelites had been a subject people, and quite probably there were many Israelites living in Philistia. This the Philistines were not quite sure about David.

6 They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.

BAR�ES, "They gather themselves together - That is, they do not attack me singly, but they unite their forces; they combine against me.

They hide themselves - They lurk in ambush. They do not come upon me openly, but they conceal themselves in places where they cannot be seen, that they may spring upon me suddenly.

They mark my steps - They watch me whatever I do. They keep a spy upon me, so that I can never be sure that I am not observed.

When they wait for my soul - As they watch for my life; or, as they watch for opportunities to take away my life. I am never secure; I know not at what time, or in what manner, they may spring upon me. This would apply to David when he fled to Achish, king of Gath; when he was driven away by him; and when he was watched and pursued by Saul and his followers as he fled into the wilderness. 1Sa_21:1-15; 22.

CLARKE, "They gather themselves together - They form cabals; have secret meetings and consultations how they may most effectually destroy me, under the pretense of justice and safety to the state.

They hide themselves - They do all secretly.

They mark my steps - They are constantly at my heels.

They wait for my soul - They lie in wait for my life. Our translators have missed the

meaning of נפש nephesh and ψυχε, - which generally signify the animal life, not the

immortal spirit, - more than any other words in the Old or New Testament.

GILL, "They gather themselves together,.... And meet in some one place, to contrive ways and means to do hurt, and then assemble together again to put them in execution; as did the Jews with respect to Christ, Mat_26:3. Aben Ezra supposes a

various reading without any reason; and that, instead of יגורו which Jarchi renders "they

lodge", and the Septuagint, and the versions following that, "they sojourn", it should be

read יגודו, "they assemble in troops": because they were many: but the sense is, "they

stay" (x), or continue in some certain place:

they hide themselves; the Targum adds, "in ambush": they lay in wait, and caused others to lie in wait for him, in order to take him; as did Saul and his men, and the servants of the king of Gath;

they mark my steps; they observed where he went, that they might seize him; or they observed his heels, as the old serpent did the Messiah's, that he might bruise them; or they watched for his halting, as Jeremiah's familiars did for his;

when they wait for my soul; to take away his life, to destroy him; see Psa_119:95; they wanted not a will to do it, they only waited for an opportunity. The Targum is,

"as they waited, they did to my soul:''

or rather, "after they had hoped for my soul" (y): when they had entertained hopes of taking him, this animated them to do the above things.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 6. They gather themselves together. Firebrands burn the fiercer for being pushed together. They are afraid to meet the good man till their numbers place terrible odds against him. Come out, ye cowards, man to man, and fight the old hero! �o, ye wait till ye are assembled like thieves in bands, and even then ye waylay the man. There in nothing brave about you.They hide themselves. In ambuscade they wait their opportunity. Men of malice are men of cowardice. He who dares not meet his man on the king's highway, writes himself down a villain. Constantly are the reputations of good men assailed with deep laid schemes, and diabolical plots, in which the anonymous enemies stab in the dark.They mark my steps, as hunters mark the trail of their game, and so track them. Malicious men are frequently very sharp sighted to detect the failings, or supposed failings, of the righteous. Spies and mouchards are not all in the pay of earthly governments, some of them will have wages to take in red hot coin from one who himself is more subtle than all the beasts of the field.When they wait for my soul. �othing less than his life would content them, only his

present and eternal ruin could altogether glut them. The good man is no fool, he sees that he has enemies, and that they are many and crafty; he sees also his own danger, and then he shows his wisdom by spreading the whole case before the Lord, and putting himself under divine protection.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 6. They mark my steps. Go whither I will, they are at my heels. William �icholson(-1671), in "David's Harp Strung and Tuned."

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

Ver. 6. They gather themselves together] They convene and combine to do me mischief; and should not God’s people meet often together to counterplot such malignants, and to pray them down? Cum bent, cum probi coeunt, cum pii, cum casti congregantur, non est factio dicenda, sed curia: Et e contrario, illis nomen factionis accommodandum est, qui in odium bonorum et proborum conspirant, saith Tertullian (Apol. advers. Gentes, cap. 39, num 520).

They mark my steps] They spy and pry into my practices, that they may take any advantage; this calls for careful and exact walking, 1 Peter 2:21, Hebrews 12:13.

WHEDO�, "6. They gather… together—They assemble for evil counsel. The word also signifies a temporary sojourn, or residence, as Genesis 20:1; Isaiah 16:4; and it is not improbable that the chief men in the conspiracy had taken residence at Gath, for the greater convenience of concerted action. So the Septuagint: “They will dwell near, ( παροικησουσι,”) followed by the Vulgate, inhabitabunt. The version of the Liturgy has it, “they hold all together.”

They hide themselves—They lurk in ambush, either literally, or figuratively by deeply concealing their real motives.

They mark my steps—Literally, they watch my heels. See on Psalms 49:5; Psalms 89:51, “reproached the footsteps,” (Hebrew heels,) etc.

This watching the heels, like a serpent beside the path, to seize from behind, denotes a malicious and dastardly surveillance of the private acts of one’s life.

When they wait for my soul—According as they strongly hoped for my life. The idea is, their extraordinary methods, past and present, agree well with their eager hope to destroy David. The “when” simply marks the agreement of all the several parts of their conduct with each other, and their whole scheme with their bloodthirsty desire. “Wait” literally denotes strong hope. They assuredly hoped to be avenged on David for the death of Goliath, and as the candidate for the sovereignty of Israel.

7 Because of their wickedness do not[c] let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down.

BAR�ES, "Shall they escape by iniquity? - This expression in the original is very obscure. There is in the Hebrew no mark of interrogation; and a literal rendering would be, “By iniquity (there is) escape to them;” and, according to this, the sense would be, that they contrived to escape from just punishment by their sins; by the boldness of their crimes; by their wicked arts. The Septuagint renders it, “As I have suffered this for my life, thou wilt on no account save them.” Luther, “What they have done evil, that is already forgiven.” DeWette reads it, as in our translation, as a question: “Shall their deliverance be in wickedness?” Probably this is the true idea. The psalmist asks with earnestness and amazement whether, under the divine administration, people “can” find safety in mere wickedness; whether great crimes constitute an evidence of security; whether his enemies owed their apparent safety to the fact that they were so eminently wicked. He prays, therefore, that God would interfere, and show that this was not, and could not be so.

In thine anger cast down the people, O God - That is, show by thine own interposition - by the infliction of justice - by preventing the success of their plans - by discomfiting them - that under the divine administration wickedness does not constitute security; in other words, that thou art a just God, and that wickedness is not a passport to thy favor.

CLARKE, "Shall they escape by iniquity? - Shall such conduct go unpunished? Shall their address, their dexterity in working iniquity, be the means of their escape? No. “In anger, O God, wilt thou cast down the people.”

GILL, "Shall they escape by iniquity?.... Shall such iniquity as this, or persons guilty of it, go unpunished, or escape righteous judgment, and the vengeance of God? No; and much less shall they escape by means of their iniquity; by their wicked subtlety, or by any evil arts and methods made use of, by making a covenant with death, and an

agreement with hell; or escape because of their iniquity; or be delivered because of the abominations done by them, as they flatter themselves, Jer_7:10. Some understand these words, not as referring to the escape of David's enemies, but of himself; and render them, either by way of petition, "because of iniquity", the iniquity of his enemies before described, "deliver me from them"; or "deliver them" (z), meaning his heels they marked, and his soul they waited for: or by way of assertion or interrogation, "because of iniquity" there shall be; or shall there be "a deliverance to them?" (a) his heels and his soul; or from them, his enemies. Though others choose to render the words thus; "because of their iniquity", there shall be "a casting of them away" (b) by the Lord, and from his presence, with loathing and contempt, as sons of Belial; reprobate silver, rejected of the Lord; which agrees with what follows:

in thine anger, cast down the people, O God; Saul's courtiers, or the servants of Achish king of Gath, or both, who were in high places, but slippery ones; and such are sometimes brought down to destruction in a moment, by that God from whom promotion comes; who putteth down one, and sets up another, and which he does in wrath and anger.

HE�RY, "He foresees and foretels the fall of those that fought against him, and of all others that think to establish themselves in and by any wicked practices (Psa_56:7): Shall they escape by iniquity? They hope to escape God's judgments, as they escape men's, by violence and fraud, and the arts of injustice and treachery; but shall they escape? No, certainly they shall not. The sin of sinners will never be their security, nor will either their impudence or their hypocrisy bring them off at God's bar; God will in his anger cast down and cast out such people, Rom_2:3. None are raised so high, or settled so firmly, but that the justice of God can bring them down, both from their dignities and from their confidences. Who knows the power of God's anger, how high it can reach, and how forcibly it can strike?

JAMISO�, "Shall they escape? etc. — or better, “Their escape is by iniquity.”

cast ... people — humble those who so proudly oppose Thy servant.

CALVI�, "7.After their mischief they think to escape. The beginning of this verse is read by some interrogatively, Shall they escape in their iniquity? (333) But there is no necessity for having recourse to this distant meaning. It is much better to understand the words in the sense which they naturally suggest when first read, That the wicked think to escape in their iniquity, but that God will cast them down. He alludes to the fact that the ungodly, when allowed to proceed without interruption in their evil courses, indulge the idea that they have a license to perpetrate the worst wickedness with impunity. In these our own times, we see many such profane characters, who display an unmeasured audacity under the assurance that God’s hand can never reach them. They not only look to go

unpunished, but found their hopes of success upon their evil deeds, and encourage themselves to farther wickedness, by cherishing the opinion that they will contrive a way of escape from every adversity. David has no sooner stated this vain confident persuasion of the wicked, than he refutes it by an appeal to the judgment of God, declaring his conviction that, however proudly they might exalt themselves, the hour of vengeance would come when God would cast down the peoples He makes use of the plural number, to fortify his mind against fear, when he reflected upon the array of his enemies. Let us remember, when our enemies are many, that it is one of the prerogatives of God to cast down the people, and not one nation of foes merely, but the world.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 7. Shall they escape by iniquity? Will such wickedness as this stand them in good stead? Can it be that this conduct shall enable them to avoid the sentence of earthly punishment? They slander the good man to screen themselves--will this avail them? They have cunningly managed hitherto, but will there not be an end to their games?In thine anger cast down the people, O God. Trip them up in their tricks. Hurl them from the Tarpeian rock. A persecuted man finds a friend even in an angry God, how much more in the God of love! When men seek to cast us down, it is but natural and not at all unlawful to pray that they may be disabled from the accomplishment of their infamous designs. What God often does we may safely ask him to do.

COKE, "Psalms 56:7. Shall they escape by iniquity?— As much as to say, by way of admiration: "Strange! that their iniquity should deliver them." He adds therefore, In anger bring down, O Lord, this people: "Shew [or, thou shalt shew] thy displeasure to their crimes, by inflicting the just punishment on them." Chandler. Mudge renders the first clause, Their refuge is in vanity.

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in [thine] anger cast down the people, O God.

Ver. 7. Shall they escape by iniquity?] q.d. �o, let them never think it, their sin will surely find them out, as cunning as they are; and since they are so foolhardy as to walk upon iniquity’s fireworks, let them look to be blown up; and they shall have my prayers to that purpose.

In thine anger cast down, &c.] It is prophetic as well as optative.

WHEDO�, "7. Shall they escape by iniquity—Shall they escape because of (as the reward of) iniquity? Here was the point of his concern, lest the wicked, despite their evil doing, should slide away and escape justice, and their success embolden men in sin, and the righteous lose faith in moral government. The fearful question seems negatived instantly, and he adds:

In… anger cast down the people—The “anger” of God is always to be understood of

his moral displeasure at sin, coupled with his judicial purpose to punish it. The violence with which he would have the sentence executed, (“cast down,” bring down with violence,) is for the end that men may see that their downfall was a divine judgment, and not due to mere secondary causes. “People,” here, is in the plural, (peoples,) and in this form, according to usage, applies to the Gentile nations.

BE�SO�, "Psalms 56:7. Shall they escape by iniquity — Shall they secure themselves by such injurious and malicious practices, whereby they do not only vex me, but provoke and despise thee? Shall they have success instead of the punishments which thou hast threatened, and they have deserved? But the words may be read without an interrogation, By their iniquity they hope to escape; or, they do escape, namely, at present: but, Lord, do not suffer them thus to escape. In thine anger cast down the people — That is, these people of whom I am speaking, namely, my malicious and wicked enemies, as well those followers of Saul, as these Philistines among whom I now am. This request is opposed to their present exultation and triumphs over him, and to their hopes and confidence of safety and success.

EBC, "Psalms 56:7 brings in a new element not found in the first part-namely, the prayer for the destruction of these unwearied watchers. Its first clause is obscure. If the present text is adhered to, the rendering of the clause as a question is best. A suggested textual correction has been largely adopted by recent commentators, which by a very slight alteration gives the meaning "For their iniquity requite them." The alteration, however, is not necessary, and the existing text may be retained, though the phrase is singular. The introduction of a prayer for a world wide judgment in the midst of so intensely individual a psalm is remarkable, and favours the theory that the afflicted man of the psalm is really the nation; but it may be explained on the ground that, as in Psalms 7:8, the judgment on behalf of one man is contemplated as only one smaller manifestation of the same judicial activity which brings about the universal judgment. This single reference to the theme which fills so considerable a part of the other psalms of this class is in harmony with the whole tone of this gem of quiet faith, which is too much occupied with the blessedness of its own trust to have many thoughts of the end of others. It passes, therefore, quickly, to dwell on yet another phase of that blessedness.

8 Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll[d]— are they not in your record?

BAR�ES, "Thou tellest my wanderings - Thou dost “number” or “recount”them; that is, in thy own mind. Thou dost keep an account of them; thou dost notice me as I am driven from one place to another to find safety. “My wanderings,” to Gath, 1Sa_21:10; to the cave of Adullam, 1Sa_22:1; to Mizpeh, in Moab, 1Sa_22:3; to the forest of Hareth, 1Sa_22:5; to Keilah, 1Sa_23:5; to the wilderness of Ziph, 1Sa_23:14; to the wilderness of Maon, 1Sa_23:25; to En-gedi, 1Sa_24:1-2.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle - The tears which I shed in my wanderings. Let them not fall to the ground and be forgotten. Let them be remembered by thee as if they were gathered up and placed in a bottle - “a lachrymatory” - that they may be brought to remembrance hereafter. The word here rendered “bottle” means properly a bottle made of skin, such as was used in the East; but it may be employed to denote a bottle of any kind. It is possible, and, indeed, it seems probable, that there is an allusion here to the custom of collecting tears shed in a time of calamity and sorrow, and preserving them in a small bottle or “lachrymatory,” as a memorial of the grief. The Romans had a custom, that in a time of mourning - on a funeral occasion - a friend went to one in sorrow, and wiped away the tears from the eyes with a piece of cloth, and squeezed the tears into a small bottle of glass or earth, which was carefully preserved as a memorial of friendship and sorrow.

Many of these lachrymatories have been found in the ancient Roman tombs. I myself saw a large quantity of them in the “Columbaria” at Rome, and in the Capitol, among the relics and curiosities of the place. The above engraving will illustrate the form of these lachrymatories. The annexed remarks of Dr. Thomson (“land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 147), will show that the same custom prevailed in the East, and will describe the forms of the “tear-bottles” that were used there. “These lachrymatories are still found in great numbers on opening ancient tombs. A sepulchre lately discovered in one of the gardens of our city had scores of them in it. They are made of thin glass, or more generally of simple pottery, often not even baked or glazed, with a slender body, a broad bottom, and a funnel-shaped top. They have nothing in them but “dust” at present. If the friends were expected to contribute their share of tears for these bottles, they would very much need cunning women to cause their eyelids to gush out with water. These forms of ostentatious sorrow have ever been offensive to sensible people. Thus Tacitus says, ‘At my funeral let no tokens of sorrow be seen, no pompous mockery of woe. Crown me with chaplets, strew flowers on my grave, and let my friends erect no vain memorial to tell where my remains are lodged. ‘“

Are they not in thy book? - In thy book of remembrance; are they not numbered and recorded so that they will not be forgotten? This expresses strong confidence that his tears “would” be remembered; that they would not be forgotten. All the tears that we shed “are” remembered by God. If “properly” shed - shed in sorrow, without murmuring or complaining, they will be remembered for our good; if “improperly shed” - if with the spirit of complaining, and with a want of submission to the divine will, they will be remembered against us. But it is not wrong to weep. David wept; the Saviour wept; nature prompts us to weep; and it cannot be wrong to weep if “our” eye “poureth out” its tears “unto God” Job_16:20; that is, if in our sorrow we look to God with submission and with earnest supplication.

CLARKE, "Thou tellest my wanderings - Thou seest how often I am obliged to shift the place of my retreat. I am hunted every where; but thou numberest all my hiding-places, and seest how often I am in danger of losing my life.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle - Here is an allusion to a very ancient custom, which we know long obtained among the Greeks and Romans, of putting the tears which were shed for the death of any person into small phials, called lacrymatories or urns lacrymales and offering them on the tomb of the deceased. Some of these were of glass, some of pottery, and some of agate, sardonyx, etc. A small one in my own collection is of hard baked clay.

Are they not in thy book? - Thou hast taken an exact account of all the tears I have shed in relation to this business; and thou wilt call my enemies to account for every tear.

GILL, "Thou tellest my wanderings,.... Not his sins; though these are aberrations or wanderings from the ways of God's commandments; yet these are not told by the Lord: he takes no account of them; the number of them is not kept by him; they are blotted out, cast behind his back, and into the depths of the sea; though sometimes his people think they are told and numbered by him, Job_14:16; but David's moves and flights from place to place are meant, through Saul's pursuit of him, as a partridge on the mountains. Some writers reckon twelve of these moves. The Targum renders it,

"thou numberest the days of my wandering;''

that is, the days of his pilgrimage and sojourning in this world: the number of our days, and months and years, in which we wander about in this uncertain state of things, is with the Lord, Job_14:5;

put thou my tears into thy bottle; the allusion is to "lachrymatories", or tear bottles, in which surviving relatives dropped their tears for their deceased friends, and buried them with their ashes, or in their urns; some of which tear bottles are still to be seen in the cabinets of the curious. A description of which is given by Gejerus (c), from Olaus Wormius; and who also from Cotovicus relates, that the grave of M. Tullius Cicero was dug up in the island of Zacynthus, A. D. 1544, in which were found two glass urns; the larger had ashes in it, the lesser water: the one was supposed to contain his ashes, the other the tears of his friends: and as this was a custom with the Romans, something like this might obtain among the Jews; and it is a saying with them (d),

"whoever sheds tears for a good man (deceased) the holy blessed God numbers them, and puts them into his treasures, according to Psa_56:8;''

which shows, that they thought that reference is here had to funeral tears. The meaning of the text is, that God would take notice of David's afflictions and troubles, which had caused so many tears, and remember them, and deliver him out of them: these being desired to be put into a bottle was, that they might be kept and reserved; not to make atonement for sin; for as a thousand rivers of oil cannot expiate one sin, could they be

come at; so neither as many rivers of brinish tears, could they possibly be shed: nor to obtain heaven and happiness; for there is no comparison nor proportion between the sufferings of the saints and the glory that shall be revealed in them; though there is a connection of grace through the promise of God between them: but rather, that they might be brought forth another day and shown, to the aggravation of the condemnation of wicked men, who by their hard speeches, and ungodly actions, have caused them;

are they not in thy book? verily they are; that is, the tears and afflictions of his people. They are in his book of purposes; they are all appointed by him, their kind and nature, their measure and duration, their quality and quantity; what they shall be, and how long they shall last; and their end and use: and they are in his book of providence, and are all overruled and caused to work for their good; and they are in the book of his remembrance; they are taken notice of and numbered by him, and shall be finished; they shall not exceed their bounds. These tears will be turned into joy, and God will wipe them all away from the eyes of his people.

HE�RY, "Several things David here comforts himself with in the day of his distress and fear.

I. That God took particular notice of all his grievances and all his griefs, Psa_56:8. 1. Of all the inconveniences of his state: Thou tellest my wanderings, my flittings, so the old translation. David was now but a young (under thirty) and yet he had had many removes, from his father's house to the court, thence to the camp, and now driven out to sojourn where he could find a place, but not allowed to rest any where; he was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains; continual terrors and toils attended him; but this comforted him, that God kept a particular account of all his motions, and numbered all the weary steps he took, by night or by day. Note, God takes cognizance of all the afflictions of his people; and he does not cast out from his care and love those whom men have cast out from their acquaintance and converse. 2. Of all the impressions thus made upon his spirit. When he was wandering he was often weeping, and therefore prays, “Put thou my tears into thy bottle, to be preserved and looked upon; nay, I know they are in thy book, the book of thy remembrance.” God has a bottle and a book for his people's tears, both those for their sins and those for their afflictions. This intimates, (1.) That he observes them with compassion and tender concern; he is afflicted in their afflictions, and knows their souls in adversity. As the blood of his saints, and their deaths, are precious in the sight of the Lord, so are their tears, not one of them shall fall to the ground. I have seen thy tears, 2Ki_20:5. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, Jer_31:18. (2.) That he will remember them and review them, as we do the accounts we have booked. Paul was mindful of Timothy's tears (2Ti_1:4), and God will not forget the sorrows of his people. The tears of God's persecuted people are bottled up and sealed among God's treasures; and, when these books come to be opened, they will be found vials of wrath, which will be poured out upon their persecutors, whom God will surely reckon with for all the tears they have forced from his people's eyes; and they will be breasts of consolation to God's mourners, whose sackcloth will be turned into garments of praise. God will comfort his people according to the time wherein he has afflicted them, and give to those to reap in joy who sowed in tears. What was sown a tear will come up a pearl.

JAMISO�, "God is mindful of his exile and remembers his tears. The custom of

bottling the tears of mourners as a memorial, which has existed in some Eastern nations, may explain the figure.

CALVI�, "8.Thou hast taken account of my wanderings The words run in the form of an abrupt prayer. Having begun by requesting God to consider his tears, suddenly, as if he had obtained what he asked, he declares that they were written in God’s book. It is possible, indeed, to understand the interrogation as a prayer; but he would seem rather to insinuate by this form of expression, that he stood in no need of multiplying words, and that God had already anticipated his desire. It is necessary, however, to consider the words of the verse more particularly. He speaks of his wandering as having been noted by God, and this that he may call attention to one remarkable feature of his history, his having been forced to roam a solitary exile for so long a period. The reference is not to any one wandering; the singular number is used for the plural, or rather, he is to be understood as declaring emphatically that his whole life was only one continued wandering. This he urges as an argument to commiseration, spent as his years had been in the anxieties and dangers of such a perplexing pilgrimage. Accordingly, he prays that God might put his tears into his bottle (334) It was usual to preserve the wine and oil in bottles: so that the words amount to a request that God would not suffer his tears to fall to the ground, but keep them with care as a precious deposit. The prayers of David, as appears from the passage before us, proceeded upon faith in the providence of God, who watches our every step, and by whom (to use an expression of Christ)

“the very hairs of our head are numbered,” (Matthew 10:30.)

Unless persuaded in our mind that God takes special notice of each affliction which we endure, it is impossible we can ever attain such confidence as to pray that God would put our tears into his bottle, with a view to regarding them, and being induced by them to interpose in our behalf. He immediately adds, that he had obtained what he asked: for, as already observed, I prefer understanding the latter clause affirmatively. He animates his hope by the consideration that all his tears were written in the book of God, and would therefore be certainly remembered. And we may surely believe, that if God bestows such honor upon the tears of his saints, he must number every drop of their blood which is shed. Tyrants may burn their flesh and their bones, but the blood remains to cry aloud for vengeance; and intervening ages can never erase what has been written in the register of God’s remembrance.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 8. Thou tellest my wanderings. Every step which the fugitive had taken when pursued by his enemies, was not only observed but thought worthy of counting and recording. We perhaps are so confused after a long course of trouble, that we hardly know where we have or where we have not been; but the omniscient and considerate Father of our spirits remembers all in detail; for he has counted them over as men count their gold, for even the trial of our faith is precious in his sight.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle. His sorrows were so many that there would need a great wineskin to hold them all. There is no allusion to the little complimentary lachrymators for fashionable and fanciful Romans, it is a more robust metaphor by far; such floods of tears had David wept that a leathern bottle would scarce hold them. He trusts that the Lord will be so considerate of his tears as to store them up as men do the juice of the vine, and he hopes that the place of storage will be a special one--thy bottle, not a bottle.Are they not in thy book? Yes, they are recorded there, but let not only the record but the grief itself be present to thee. Look on my griefs as real things, for these move the heart more than a mere account, however exact. How condescending is the Lord! How exact his knowledge of us! How generous his estimation! How tender his regard!EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 8. Put thou my tears in thy bottle. Among other things in the collection of Mr. Abbott, of Cairo, he had a lachrymatory, or tear bottle, which had been found in a tomb at Thebes. This interested me very much. The custom in old times was, when a person was ill or in great distress, for his friends to go to see him, and take with them a tear bottle. Then, as the tears rolled down the cheeks of the sufferer, they were caught in these bottles, sealed up, and preserved as a memorial of the event. This is what David referred to in Psalms 56:8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. But it implies much more than at first suggests itself, and much more than I can attempt to write. For instance, it is as if David had said, "Visit me, and behold my tears; "("O visit me with thy salvation!") for without such visit there could be no bottling of his tears. "Thou tellest my wanderings; O visit me, and behold my anguish; put my tears into thy bottle, "for "they have been my meat day and night." Psalms 42:3. "Keep them before thee, by way of remembrance, and when thou seest the bottle, O think of him whose tears it contains. Are they not in thy book?" That is, God's book of remembrance, that was written for those "who thought upon his name" (Malachi 3:16), just as the kings of old used to keep a book of chronicles of important events. See Ezra 6:1-11. John Gadsby, 1860.(We insert this to show what has been said by others; but we do not think there is the slightest allusion to this piece of Roman etiquette in this text. C. H. S.)Ver. 8. My tear: the singular used collectively. In thy bottle: as if one should say, take care of my tears, as of a kind of wine that is very costly, and very pleasant to thee; or, that hereafter you may measure out to me just that quantity of joys: a metaphor from the keeper of a vineyard, who receives into his vessel the drops of the grapes pressed out by the winepress of affliction. The word dag (iter) (leather or skin bottle) denotes the manner in which they preserved their wine. (1 Samuel 16:20; Joshua 9:4; Joshua 9:13), and milk also (Jude 4:19). Martin Geier.Ver. 8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. What a sweet thought is suggested here of God's remembrance of his people's affliction! It is an interesting figure of speech, of bottling their tears. But the sense is, they are remembered. And woe will be to the man that offends one of God's little ones on his account. What are now bottles of tears, will be poured out in the end as so many vials of wrath. But reader! think how the tears of Jesus have been treasured up when shedding for the sins of his people. Robert Hawker, 1753-1827.Ver. 8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. It is the witty observation of one, that God

is said in Scripture to have a bag and a bottle, a bag for our sins, and a bottle for our tears; and that we should help to fill this, as we have that. There is an allusion here in the original that cannot be Anglicized. John Trapp.Ver. 8. Are they not in thy book? While we remain in this vale of misery, God keeps all our tears in a bottle; so precious is the water that is distilled from penitent eyes; and because he will be sure not to fail, he notes how many drops there be in his register. It was a precious ointment wherewith the woman in the Pharisee's house (it is thought Mary Magdalene) anointed the feet of Christ; but her tears, wherewith she washed them, were more worth than her spikenard. Abraham Wright, in "A Practical Commentary or Exposition upon the Book of Psalms, "1661.

COKE, "Psalms 56:8. Thou tellest my wanderings— David's whole life, from his victory over Goliath till the death of Saul, was almost entirely spent in wandering from place to place. He was now in exile at Gath; he comforts himself, however, that God was with him wherever he fled; and beheld, as no unconcerned spectator, the distresses of his unhappy situation. He therefore adds, put my tears into thy bottle; which seems to intimate, that the custom of putting tears into the ampullae, or urnae lachrymales, so well known among the Romans, was more anciently in use among the eastern nations, and particularly among the Hebrews. These urns were of different materials; some of glass, some of earth, as may be seen in Montfaucon's Antiq. Expliquees, tom. 5: p. 116 where also may be found the various forms or shapes of them. These urns were placed on the sepulchres of the deceased, as a memorial of the distress and affection of their surviving relations and friends. It will be difficult to account for the expression of the Psalmist, but upon the supposition, If this be allowed, when the Psalmist prays put my tears into thy bottle, the meaning will be, "Let my distress, and the tears I have shed in consequence of it, be ever before thee; excite thy kind remembrance of me, and plead with thee to grant the relief that I stand in need of." The allusion is pertinent and expressive. The next expression, are they not in thy book? denotes the confidence which the Psalmist placed in the kind regard of God towards him, as though he took an account of every tear that he shed, and would in due time remember and comfort him. See Chandler and Calmet.

ELLICOTT, "(8) Wanderings.—Rather, in the singular, wandering, which, from the parallelism with “tears,” must mean “mental restlessness,” the “tossings to and fro of the mind.” Symmachus, “my inmost things.”

Put thou my tears into thy bottle.—There is a play of words in the original of “bottle,” and “wandering.” We must not, of course, think of the lachrymatories, as they are called, of glass, which have been found in Syria (see Thomson, Land and Book, page 103). If these were really in any way connected with “tears,” they must have formed part of funeral customs. The LXX., “Thou hast put my tears before thee,” and Symmachus and Jerome, “put my tears in thy sight,” suggest a corruption of the text; but, in any case, the poet’s feeling here is that of Constance in Shakespeare’s King John—

“His grandam’s wrongs, and not his mother’s shames,

Draw these heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes,

Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee;

Ay, with those crystal beads Heaven shall be brib’d

To do him justice and revenge on you.”

Book.—As in Psalms 139:16. Some prefer “calculation.”

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book?

Ver. 8. Thou tellest my wanderings] Or, thou cipherest up my flittings, and hast them in numerato, ready told up; my vagaries while hunted up and down like a partridge, and hushed out of every bush, so that I have nowhere to settle. St Paul was at the same pass, αστατουµεν, saith he, we have no certain abode, 1 Corinthians 4:11; and so were sundry of the holy martyrs and confessors, who wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins, &c., driven from post to pillar, from one country to another, God all the while noting and numbering all their flittings, yea, all their footings, bottling up their tears, booking down their sighs, as here, and Malachi 3:16; see Matthew 10:30. The Septuagint, for my wanderings, or flittings, have my life, ζωην, to teach us, saith one, that our life is but a flitting.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle] Heb. my tear, that is, every tear of mine; let not one of them be lost, but kept safe with thee, as so much sweet water. It is a witty observation of one, that God is said in Scripture to have a bag and a bottle, a bag for our sins, a bottle for our tears; and that we should help to fill this as we have that. There is an allusion here in the original that cannot be translated into English.

Are they not in thy book?] sc. Of providence; where they cannot be blotted out by any time or tyrants.

WHEDO�, "8. Thou tellest my wanderings—The word for “tellest” means the numbering and entering upon a roll, or book. To “number” his wanderings is to preserve a record of them as to times, places, distances, circumstances, with the implied idea that they were appointed, accurately measured, and limited. Compare “numberest my steps,” Job 14:16 and Job 31:4, where the same thought occurs. David comforts himself with the assurance that in God’s book was kept a faithful record of his fugitive life, and that it would not exceed the proposed limit.

Put thou my tears into thy bottle—An allusion, probably, to the Oriental practice—once universal—of bottling the tears of mourners at funerals. Thus Van Lennep:

“As the mourners are sitting around and weeping, the master of ceremonies presents each one with a piece of cotton wool, with which he wipes off his tears; this cotton is afterwards squeezed into a bottle, and the tears are preserved as a powerful and efficacious remedy for reviving a dying man after every other means has failed. It is also employed as a charm against evil influences.” The practice is still preserved in Persia. “Tear bottles are found in almost every ancient tomb.” Thus David, for the present, sobs out his grief in the bosom of God, who counts and remembers all his tears.

BE�SO�, "Psalms 56:8. Thou tellest my wanderings — “Thou art perfectly acquainted, I am sure, how often I have been forced to flee, like a vagabond, from place to place; which hath cost me many a tear. Good Lord, preserve a kind remembrance of them, and let them not perish as things thou nothing regardest.” —Bishop Patrick. “David’s whole life, from his victory over Goliath till the death of Saul, was almost entirely spent in wandering from place to place. He was now an exile at Gath; he comforts himself, however, in the consideration that God was with him, whithersoever he fled; and that he beheld, as no unconcerned spectator, the distresses of his unhappy situation. He therefore adds, Put thou my tears into thy bottle; which seems to intimate that the custom of putting tears into the ampullæ, or urnæ lacrymales, so well known among the Romans, was more anciently in use among the eastern nations, and particularly among the Hebrews. These urns were of different materials, some of glass, some of earth, and were placed on the sepulchres of the deceased, as a memorial of the distress and affection of their surviving friends and relations. It will be difficult to account for this expression of the psalmist but upon this supposition. If this be allowed when the psalmist prays, Put my tears into thy bottle, the meaning will be, ‘Let my distress, and the tears I have shed in consequence of it, be ever before thee; let them excite thy kind remembrance of me, and plead with thee to grant the relief I stand in need of.’ The allusion is pertinent and expressive:” see Chandler and Calmet. Are they not in thy book — But why do I pray God to do that which I am well assured he is of himself inclined to do, and hath already done? Thus the psalmist signifies “the confidence which he placed in the kind regard of God toward him, as though he took an account of every tear he shed, and would, in due time, remember and comfort him. The continual care and providence which God exercises over his people, is frequently represented by his keeping a book, or register, in which he records their conception, Psalms 139:15; their birth, Psalms 87:6; their actions, Malachi 3:16; and what shall happen to them, Jeremiah 22:30; Daniel 12:1.” — Dodd.

EBC, "The tender words of Psalms 56:8 need little elucidation. They have brought comfort to many, and have helped to dry many tears. How the psalmist presses close to God, and how sure he is of His gentle care and love! "Thou reckonest my wandering." The thought is remarkable, both in its realisation of God’s individualising relation to the soul that trusts Him, and as in some degree favouring the Davidic authorship. The hunted fugitive feels that every step of his weary interlacing tracks, as he stole from point to point as danger dictated, was known to God. The second clause of the verse is thought by prosaic commentators to interrupt the sequence, because it interjects a petition between two statements; but surely

nothing is more natural than such an "interruption." What a lovely figure is that of God’s treasuring up His servants’ tears in His "bottle," the skin in which liquids were kept! What does He keep them for? To show how precious they are in His sight, and perhaps to suggest that they are preserved for a future use. The tears that His children shed and give to Him to keep cannot be tears of rebellious or unmeasured weeping, and will be given back one day to those who shed them, converted into refreshment, by the same Power which of old turned water into wine.

"Think not thou canst weep a tear,

And thy Maker is not near."

�ot only in order to minister retribution to those who inflicted them, but also in order to give recompense of gladness to weepers, are these tears preserved by God; and the same idea is repeated by the other metaphor of Psalms 56:8 c. God’s book, or reckoning, contains the count of all the tears as well as wanderings of His servant. The certainty that it is so is expressed by the interrogative form of the clause.

K&D 8-11, "What the poet prays for in Psa_56:8, he now expresses as his confident

expectation with which he solaces himself. נד (Psa_56:9) is not to be rendered “flight,”

which certainly is not a thing that can be numbered (Olshausen); but “a being fugitive,” the unsettled life of a fugitive (Pro_27:8), can really be numbered both by its duration and its many temporary stays here and there. And upon the fact that God, that He whose all-seeing eye follows him into every secret hiding-place of the desert and of the rocks, counteth (telleth) it, the poet lays great stress; for he has long ago learnt to despair of

man. The accentuation gives special prominence to נדי as an emphatically placed object,

by means of Zarka; and this is then followed by הLספר with the conjunctive Galgal and

the pausal הL8 with Olewejored (the _ of which is placed over the final letter of the

preceding word, as is always the case when the word marked with this double accent is monosyllabic, or dissyllabic and accented on the first syllable). He who counts (Job_31:4) all the steps of men, knows how long David has already been driven hither and thither without any settled home, although free from guilt. He comforts himself with this fact, but not without tears, which this wretched condition forces from him, and which he prays God to collect and preserve. Thus it is according to the accentuation, which takes

שים,שימה� ,שים as imperative, as e.g., in 1Sa_8:5; but since שימה , is also the form of the

passive participle (1Sa_9:24, and frequently, 2Sa_13:32), it is more natural, in accordance with the surrounding thoughts, to render it so even in this instance (posita est lacrima mea), and consequently to pronounce it as Milra (Ewald, Hupfeld, Böttcher,

and Hitzig). דמעתי (Ecc_4:1) corresponds chiastically (crosswise) to נדי, with which בנאדך�

forms a play in sound; and the closing clause הלא��ספרתך� unites with הLספר in the first

member of the verse. Both Psa_56:9 and Psa_56:9 are wanting in any particle of comparison. The fact thus figuratively set forth, viz., that God collects the tears of His saints as it were in a bottle, and notes them together with the things which call them forth as in a memorial (Mal_3:16), the writer assumes; and only appropriatingly applies

it to himself. The 8ז which follows may be taken either as a logical “in consequence of so

and so” (as e.g., Psa_19:14; Psa_40:8), or as a “then” fixing a turning-point in the present tearful wandering life (viz., when there have been enough of the “wandering”

and of the “tears”), or “at a future time” (more abruptly, like שם in Psa_14:5; 36:13, vid.,

on Psa_2:5). �יום�אקרא is not an expansion of this 8ז, which would trail awkwardly after it.

The poet says that one day his enemies will be obliged to retreat, inasmuch as a day will come when his prayer, which is even now heard, will be also outwardly fulfilled, and the

full realization of the succour will coincide with the cry for help. By יLזה־ידע in Psa_56:10

he justifies this hope from his believing consciousness. It is not to be rendered, after Job_19:19 : “I who know,” which is a trailing apposition without any proper connection with what precedes; but, after 1Ki_17:24 : this I know (of this I am certain), that Elohim

is for me. זה as a neuter, just as in connection with ידע in Pro_24:12, and also frequently

elsewhere (Gen_6:15; Exo_13:8; Exo_30:13; Lev_11:4; Isa_29:11, cf. Job_15:17); and לי

as e.g., in Gen_31:42. Through Elohim, Psa_56:11 continues, will I praise �בר: thus

absolutely is the word named; it is therefore the divine word, just like �ר in Psa_2:12, the

Son absolutely, therefore the divine Son. Because the thought is repeated, Elohim stands in the first case and then Jahve, in accordance with the Elohimic Psalm style, as in Psa_58:7. The refrain in Psa_56:12 (cf. Psa_56:5) indicates the conclusion of the strophe.

The fact that we read 8דם instead of �שר in this instance, just as in Psa_56:11 instead �בר

of �ברו (Psa_56:5), is in accordance with the custom in the Psalms of not allowing the

refrain to recur in exactly the same form.

SBC, "I. The human side of life. It is described under two forms: wandering and tears; and the division, though brief, is very comprehensive. Life has its active part in wanderings, its passive in tears. This description of life is true (1) in its changefulness; (2) in its imperfection; (3) in its growing fatigue.

II. We come to the Divine side of life. This belongs only to the man who can feel, know, and be regulated by it, as the polestar shines for those who take it for their guide. What then does this view of God secure for the man who looks to Him,? (1) It secures for his life a Divine measure. "Thou tellest my wanderings." That is not merely, Thou speakest of them, but Thou takest the tale and number of them. We ask Him to teach us to count our days, and He replies by counting them for us. They look often as restless as a bird’s flutterings, as unregarded as the fallen leaves, but they are reckoned up by God, and there shall not be too many for the wanderer’s strength or too few so as to fall short of the promised rest. (2) This view of God secures a Divine sympathy in life. "Put Thou my tears into Thy bottle." This teaches (a) that God is close beside a sufferer in the time of sore trial, so near that He can mark and catch the tears; (b) that the tears are preserved—they enter into God’s memory, and become prayers; (c) that the tears shall be brought forth again. It is for this they are marked and preserved. (3) This view of God secures a Divine meaning in life. "Are they not all in Thy book?" It is possible then, if a man puts all his wanderings and tears into the hand of God, that they may be seen at last to end in a plan, man freely contributing his part and God suggesting and guiding. We cannot but think that this shall be one of the occupations of eternity: to read the meaning of the past in the possessions of the future, and this not for each one interested in himself alone, but for each interested in all.

J. Ker, Sermons, 2nd series, p. 290.

Our Lord’s life was throughout characterised by sorrow, yet He is only recorded to have been moved to tears three times.

I. In the Epistle to the Hebrews we are told that He offered up tears "to Him that was able to save Him from death." This alludes evidently to the agony in the garden. Of these tears we know only that they must have been tears for sin and for the wrath of God due to and consequent upon sin; they must have been tears for the sin of the world.

II. In unison with the sorrowing sisters over the grave of their brother, we read that "Jesus wept," teaching us that the emotions and sentiments to which the varied fortunes of life give rise are not to be suppressed and stifled as tokens of a natural and unregenerate mind, but to be sanctified by seeking in them the presence, the support, and the sympathy of our incarnate God.

III. The tears of our Lord over Jerusalem sanctify entirely the sentiment of patriotism, as His tears over the grave of Lazarus sanctified the domestic affections. As a natural instinct patriotism may be felt by the natural man, but in the Christian the natural instincts are taken up into the current of the spiritual life, and all of them coloured by religious principle. Observe how the natural feeling of patriotism should be sanctified. Prayer for Jerusalem was in Christ’s heart. Let us then pray earnestly for our beloved country, that she may not come under the indictment brought against Jerusalem of throwing away opportunities and disregarding the day of grace.

E. M. Goulburn, Christian World Pulpit, vol. ii., p. 104.

Tears are here employed as exponents of sorrows and troubles. They have a sort of sacramental meaning, being outward and visible signs of an inward and invisible grief, and sometimes, too, though more rarely, of an inward and visible joy. But it is not all tears that are treasured up by God. There are some of which He takes due note, which are recorded in His book and kept in His bottle, and which form some of the most precious and efficacious agencies for good which are known in our world. These tears we may range in three classes.

I. They are tears of repentance. By repentance I mean that godly sorrow for sin out of which the new life in the case of many must have its birth. When a sinner is converted, there is a meeting of the waves of sin and the waves of Divine grace, and there must be tumult and unrest for a season. We have illustrations of this in the New Testament, in the case of (1) the woman that was a sinner; (2) the Philippian gaoler; (3) Peter. Theirs were tears of repentance unto salvation, that needeth not to be repented of.

II. Another class of tears which are treasured up by God are those which are wept in the spiritual conflicts of life. There are the earlier and the latter rains in the life of God in the soul of man. The chief sorrows of a Christian life are those which arise from a sense of sin, and defect, and unbelief, and ingratitude. It is but a poor life which has not its hours of secret self-examination, and its hours therefore of secret grief. The tears we shed then are seen by Him who ever seeth in secret, and they are put into His bottle and recorded in His book.

III. Another sort of tears which are equally dear to God are the tears wept over the wickedness of men and the apparent slowness with which the kingdom of God makes its way. Blessed are they that thus mourn, for they shall be comforted.

E. Mellor, In the Footsteps of Heroes, p. 67.

The tears of which David speaks in this Psalm were such as any one may shed in ordinary disappointment or distresses of life. The Psalmist knew that such tears would be dear to God. He uses three metaphors: the arithmetical table; the process of preserving precious wine; the memorandum book. "Thou tellest my flittings, my changes, my flutterings, my agitations." Thou tellest my flittings; put Thou my tears into Thy bottle; are they not (written) in Thy book?

I. Things so treated by God cannot be wrong. It would be a very severe creed, and little suited to man and his world, which should exclude tears from the Christian’s vocabulary of language.

II. Sorrow is not our normal condition. That graceful verse seems written as for this very end, to show that sorrow is the parenthesis: "Weeping may endure for a night." Still sorrow is a very real thing. No one can despise it. And when it comes, God sends it so that it shall be felt.

III. Every sorrow comes with many missions. (1) Sorrows tell of sin—sin that would else be latent and unknown. (2) Sorrows break up the ground; the ploughshare passes through the clods to break them. (3) Sorrows draw out graces which were sleeping. (4) Sorrows throw us into the arms of Jesus.

IV. We must deal with our sorrows measuredly. If we are not to despise them, we are not to faint under them. There are tears which, if they do not actually rebel, are nevertheless murmuring tears. They complain of God. There are selfish tears and too protracted tears. The highest exercise of sorrow is to return to duty bravely, throwing into duty more of Christ and more of heaven.

J. Vaughan, Sermons, 9th series, p. 69.

BI, "Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle; are they not in Thy book?

Life on the human side and the Divine

There is a description of life given in the Bible which has been objected to as depressing and unreal. Life is represented, it is said, as a scene of unending struggle and sorrow; and men are made to walk under a constant shadow. There is some apparent truth in this. But the question to be first asked is, Has the Bible view of life truth in it? If so, is it not better to take it fairly into account? And it may be a further question, Has the Bible no compensation for the saddening view of life which it sometimes presents?

I. The human side of life. It is described under the form of wandering and tears: its activities as “wanderings,” its passive side as “tears.” Still it may be said, What reason can there be in taking David’s life, and making it a copy of all human lives? Has not God given us in the world sunshine as well as cloud, has He not scattered manifold pleasures through it, and should we not thankfully acknowledge this? It is very true, and we must

beware of taking any part of the Bible, and pressing it so far as to make it contradict both itself and our experience. Now, there are two things which God in His kindness has sent to the relief of men in the journey of life. There are the natural blessings that are, in a measure, close to all, visiting them often whether they will or not; and there are the helps and hopes which come from a felt relation to Himself. The first may be called the blessings of His hand, the second of His heart. The cloud would be too dark for poor humanity unless God had given it a silver lining, and it is neither good for us, nor grateful to Him, to overlook this. We may begin with the strange, mysterious pleasure God has put into life itself—to live, to breathe, to look on things and have an interest in them, to move, to walk among them—these are roots that go down into the world and hold men on to it by an indescribable attachment. It is one of the kind things in the world that God has given man a liking to life itself. How much there is that is pleasant. Nature, in her varied beauty; the benediction of work, of honest, earnest work, whether it be of hand or head; the kindly affections of the human heart, the love of home and kindred, the solace of friendship, the happiness of doing any good. We seem far enough away now from wandering and tears, and yet they return upon us. It was a saying of the ancients that “for every joy granted to man, there are two sorrows, one before and one behind.” Have you not felt this description of life true in its changefulness? How few of us are in the homes of our youth! Or, if near them, how far have we wandered in associations! Changes have taken place around and within which make us almost forget what we were. “Our fathers, where are they?” Or think of life in its constant struggle, perfection never gained, rest never reached. But come—

II. To the divine side of life. What does the view of God secure for the man who looks to Him? Well—

1. A Divine measure. “Thou tellest my wanderings.” This means not merely that God speaks of them, but takes the tale and number of them. Plato has said that in making the world “God mathematizes.” All is fixed and sure as is the science of numbers. It does not seem so, but it is.

2. This view of God secures a Divine sympathy in life: “Put thou my tears into Thy bottle.” However skilful the guide might be, he would not meet our ease unless he had a heart. There are rough defiles and thorny brakes through which the road leads—there is no help for it: these things make it the road; but what concerns us most is the manner of the Guide—that He should take our frailty into account and provide resting-places and refreshment for us as they are needed.

3. This view of God secures a Divine meaning in life—“Are they not in Thy book?” It is natural to understand this of both the wandering and the tears. They are written down, and therefore have an intelligent and consistent meaning. And by and by we shall see this. (J. Ker, D. D.)

Tears of Jesus

In the cabinets of antiquaries is often to be seen a small bottle found in ancient tombs. It is called a lachrymatory, or tear-bottle, and is supposed to have contained the tears of some bereaved relative of the departed one who was laid in the tomb. The heathen believed that the gods loved to see a good man struggling with adversity, for then the greatness of the human soul comes out. And our God loves to see the faith and patience of His sorrowing servants. But we desire to speak of Jesus, whose language the psalmist, by prophetic anticipation, speaks. The tears of Jesus, then, are our subject. His life was

characterized by sorrow. But He did not weep at His crucifixion—there was never moral weakness in His tears. Ha was full of sympathy, and He was full of tenderness, but He was never moved to tears by the cruelty of men. But He wept in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us of “His strong crying and tears.” There are tears which we cannot fully understand; but they were tears for the sins of the world, the weight of which in that most mysterious agony He was then bearing. Shall we, then, continue in sin? And He wept at the grave of Lazarus (Joh_11:1-57.). Then it is not inconsistent with spiritual-mindedness—as some say it is—to feel very keenly the sorrows and distress of life. “Jesus wept.” And thus He assures us of His sympathy. And He wept on His way to Jerusalem, when He beheld the city and wept ever it. It was the day of His triumphal entry, and yet He wept. But it was not for Himself, but for others—for the people of Jerusalem. They were tears of patriotism. He wept for His country’s sorrows. But observe it was not so much the national disasters as the national sins, that He wept. It is the reverse with the tears of ordinary patriotism. And patriotic pride and boasting, how often it is because of prosperity rather than of righteousness. But let our patriotism be sanctified by prayer. Prayer was in the heart of Jesus for His country. Let it be so for ours. (Dean Goulburn.)

Man’s tears in God’s bottle

Tears are here employed as exponents of sorrows and troubles. But it is not all tears that are treasured up by God.

I. Tears of repentance. When the early years have been marked by transgression, the coming of the days of grace can never be without tears. Take as illustrations the woman who was a sinner; the Philippian jailor; Peter when he went out and wept bitterly on that day which we may regard as the day of his abiding conversion to God.

II. Tears which are wept in the spiritual conflicts of life.

III. Tears wept over the wickedness of men and the apparent slowness with which the kingdom of God makes its way. The greatest and the best men the world has ever known have been the men who have experienced the deepest sorrow. The man who can smile from the cradle to the grave knows neither himself, nor the world, nor God. Ezekiel tells of those on whom the Lord bid him put a mark for that they “sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the city.” Their tears were put into God’s bottle. Never was the truth contained in our text more wonderfully illustrated than in the history of our Blessed Lord and Saviour. Not a tear He shed was lost. “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.” “He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hands.” (Enoch Mellor, D. D.)

Treasured tears

The so-called lachrymatories, or tear-bottles, found in museums of art, were applied to no such use as their name implies. They probably contained unguents that were used in preparing the dead for burial; which accounts for their presence in tombs. The psalmist rather had in mind the skin bottle of his day, in which, by a bold figure of speech, he conceives of God as treasuring our tears with that same Divine carefulness which numbers the hairs of our heads or notes the falling sparrow. But why should God treasure our tears in His bottle?

1. As a token of prayers to be answered. Tears and prayers are closely connected. “Strong crying and tears” accompanied the “prayers and supplications” of Christ in the days of His flesh. The woman that was a sinner said nothing as she bathed the travel-stained feet of her Lord with her tears. Such tears are the guarantee of sincerity, the evidence of moral earnestness, and the token of prevailing prayer. The tears in God’s bottle represent petitions filed away for answer in His own good time.

2. In token of wrongs to be avenged. The tears of martyrs thus treasured up plead like the blood of Abel. It is a perilous thing to make a little child to weep by our cruelty or by injustice to smite the fountain of tears in the widow’s heart. Every such tear of the poor and needy is gathered into God’s bottle, and will be a swift witness against us, till the wrong is atoned for or avenged. (J. F. Elder, D. D.)

The tenderness of God towards His afflicted people

I. An assurance. “Thou tellest my wanderings.” They Were numerous and various. But what do these wanderings take in?

1. Moral infirmities, or deviations from duty, What is the whole course of a state of nature but a series of wanderings? It is well if God sees that you feel them to be your afflictions and that you repent of them.

2. These wanderings take in local changes. See Abraham, Israel, David—what wanderings were theirs? Some of the most eminent servants of God were wanderers (Heb_11:1-40.). “They wandered about,” etc. And it is so still. For conscience’ sake many have had to wander about seeking how to live. But they are not purposeless; God has taken count of them all. “Thou tellest my wanderings.” Therefore we are not to think that God disregards all individualities.

II. The prayer. “Put Thou my tears into Thy bottle.” There are some persons who despise tears as weak and womanly. Do they remember who He was who wept at the grave of Lazarus? Do they remember who He was, who, “when He came nigh unto Jerusalem, wept over it,” etc.? “True greatness,” says Lavater, “is always simple”; and true courage, I am persuaded, is always combined with tenderness. Homer—that matchless painter of men and manners—makes no scruple to represent his bravest of men, Ajax, and his wisest of men, Ulysses, as weeping; and the latter as weeping no less than three times in the course of a few lines. The Easterns wept more readily, and were less ashamed of indulging their tears, than we. David was a man of tears. Of these tears, let us now, if we can, trace out the sources. One source of these tears was affliction. He had many trials and troubles, which his greatness could not prevent, or even alleviate; yea, which his greatness rather increased. Another source of his tears was sin; and a much more plentiful one than his sufferings. “My sin,” says he, “is ever before me.” Not only his great sin in his fall, but his daily and hourly failures. “Who,” says he, “can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.” And David wept for the sins of others, as well as his own. “I beheld the transgressors,” says he, “and was grieved, Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because men keep not Thy law.”

III. The question. “Are they not in Thy book?”—that is, Are they nob written and recorded there? What book? The book of His providence? Yes, they are all there; their number is there; their quality is there; their degree is there; their duration is there and all their sad memorial is there. The book of His remembrance (Mal_3:16). Now, let us conclude—

1. By admiring the condescension of God.

2. Let us, as Young says, “not stop at wonder,” but “imitate and live.”

3. Ye wanderers, ye weepers, repair here. God is able to comfort in all our tribulation. (W. Jay.)

Tear-bottles

There are some very good people who always have their tear-bottle by them, and who always treasure up every little grief and every little disappointment. Whenever you meet them, the first thing you see is the tear-bottle; and you soon see there is more in it than there was last time. Now, of course I am not speaking of those who have indeed great trials, but of those who make a great deal of little ones. I do not want you to get into that gloomy way of living. (D. Davies.)

NISBET, "‘HE CARETH FOR YOU’

‘Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?’

Psalms 56:8

I. The human side of life.—It is described under two forms: wandering and tears; and the division, though brief, is very comprehensive. Life has its active part in wanderings, its passive in tears. This description of life is true (1) in its changefulness; (2) in its imperfection; (3) in its growing fatigue.

II. We come to the Divine side of life.—This belongs only to the man who can feel, know, and be regulated by it, as the polestar shines for those who take it for their guide. What, then, does this view of God secure for the man who looks to Him? (1) It secures for His life a Divine measure. ‘Thou tellest my wanderings.’ That is not merely, Thou speakest of them, but Thou takest the tale and number of them. We ask Him to teach us to count our days, and He replies by counting them for us. They look often as restless as a bird’s flutterings, as unregarded as the fallen leaves, but they are reckoned up by God, and there shall not be too many for the wanderer’s strength or too few so as to fall short of the promised rest. (2) This view of God secures a Divine sympathy in life. ‘Put Thou my tears into Thy bottle.’ This teaches (a) that God is close beside a sufferer in the time of sore trial, so near that He can mark and catch the tears; (b) that the tears are preserved—they enter into God’s memory, and become prayers; (c) that the tears shall be brought forth again. It is for this they are marked and preserved. (3) This view of God secures a Divine meaning in life. ‘Are they not all in Thy book?’ It is possible then, if a man puts all his wanderings and tears into the hand of God, that they may be seen at last to end in a plan, man freely contributing his part and God suggesting and guiding. We cannot but think that this shall be one of the occupations of eternity: to read the meaning of the past in the possessions of the future, and this not for each one interested in himself alone, but for each interested in all.

Illustration

‘The believer knows that God not only sees him and his distresses, but likewise cares for the minutiæ of his life and welfare, that He thus counts his steps and days, collects his tears, writes down his actions and his omissions. He knows likewise that this Divine sympathy is not merely beholding or pitying, but shows itself and attests itself by actual assistance, so that it may be seen that God is with him. And thus knowledge is not merely recognition, but a conviction full of life. It expresses itself as such in the day of trouble, as prayer for God’s grace, as confession of God and His word, as vows of thanksgiving for the help pre-supposed as certain, and is strengthened and enlivened by every Divine exhibition of grace to the hope of a walk in the light of life.’

PETT, "Verses 8-11

An Expression Of His Trust In God In The Face Of His Enemies (Psalms 56:8-11).

His confidence lies in the fact that he knows that he is the chosen of YHWH, that God is keeping count of his wanderings, and has stored up his tears. Thus he knows that God is ‘for him’, and that those who are opposing him are thus acting against God. He is sure that when he calls on God, God will turn back his enemies. He will thus trust in God and His promises and not be afraid.

Psalms 56:8-9

‘You number my wanderings,

Put you my tears into your bottle, are they not in your book?’

Then will my enemies turn back in the day that I call.

This I know, that God is for me,’

.

He is certain that God is keeping count of his wanderings, and will bottle up his tears, because He is keeping a record of them. (The ‘bottle’ would be a skin container such as was used for storing wine). He is sure that God is interested in, and has kept on record, every aspect of his life. (For God’s records compare Psalms 69:28; Psalms 139:16; Malachi 3:16). Thus his enemies need to be careful, for he is certain that when he calls on God his enemies will have to turn back because God is for him. Whatever happens, his enemies will not prevail.

9 Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.

BAR�ES, "When I cry unto thee - This expresses strong confidence in prayer. The psalmist felt that he had only to cry unto God, to secure the overthrow of his enemies. God had all power, and his power would be put forth in answer to prayer.

Then shall mine enemies turn back - Then shall they cease to pursue and persecute me. He did not doubt that this would be the ultimate result - that this blessing would be conferred, though it might be delayed, and though his faith and patience might be greatly tried.

For God is for me - He is on my side; and he is with me in my wanderings. Compare the notes at Rom_8:31.

CLARKE, "When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back - As soon as they know that I call upon thee, then, knowing that thou wilt hear and save, my enemies will immediately take flight. The cry of faith and prayer to God is more dreadful to our spiritual foes than the war-whoop of the Indian is to his surprised brother savages.

This I know - I have often had experience of the Divine interposition; and I know it will be so now, for God is with me. He who has God With him need not fear the face of any adversary.

GILL, "When I cry unto thee,.... In prayer;

then shall mine enemies turn back; great is the strength of prayer; the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much against their enemies: when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed: the cases of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, prove it; this David was assured of, and knew it to be true by experience, his prayer being often the prayer of faith in this respect;

this I know: for God is for me; he knew that when he prayed his enemies would flee; because God was on his side, who is greater than they; or by this he knew that God was for him, and was his God, by hearing his prayers, and causing his enemies to turn back: or, however, let things go how they will, this he was assured of, that he had a covenant interest in God, and who would be his God and guide even unto death.

HE�RY, " That his prayers would be powerful for the defeat and discomfiture of his enemies, as well as for his own support and encouragement (Psa_56:9): “When I cry unto thee, then shall my enemies turn back; I need no other weapons than prayers and tears; this I know, for God is for me, to plead my cause, to protect and deliver me; and, if God be for me, who can be against me so as to prevail?” The saints have God for them; they may know it; and to him they must cry when they are surrounded with enemies; and, if they do this in faith, they shall find a divine power exerted and engaged for them; their enemies shall be made to turn back, their spiritual enemies, against whom we fight best upon our knees, Eph_6:18.

JAMISO�, "God is for me — or, “on my side” (Psa_118:6; Psa_124:1, Psa_124:2); hence he is sure of the repulse of his foes.

CALVI�, "9.When I cry, then shall mine enemies turn back. Here he boasts of victory with even more confidence than formerly, specifying, as it were, the very moment of time when his enemies were to be turned back. He had no sensible evidence of their approaching destruction but from the firm reliance which he exercised upon the promise, he was able to anticipate the coming period, and resolved to wait for it with patience. Though God might make no haste to interpose, and might not scatter his enemies at the very instant when he prayed, he was confident that his prayers would not be disappointed: and his ground for believing this was just a conviction of the truth, that God never frustrates the prayers of his own children. With this conviction thoroughly fixed in his mind, he could moderate his anxieties, and calmly await the issue. It is instructive to notice, that David, when he would secure the obtainment of his request, does not pray in a hesitating or uncertain spirit, but with a confident assurance of his being heard. Having once reached this faith, he sets at defiance the devil and all the host of the ungodly.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back. So soon as I pray they shall fly. So surely as I cry they shall be put to the rout."So swift is prayer to reach the sky,So kind is God to me."The machinery of prayer is not always visible, but it is most efficient. God inclines us to pray, we cry in anguish of heart, he hears, he acts, the enemy is turned back. What irresistible artillery is this which wins the battle as soon as its report is heard! What a God is this who harkens to the cry of his children, and in a moment delivers them from the mightiest adversaries!This I know. This is one of the believer's certainties, his axioms, his infallible, indisputable verities.For God is for me. This, we know, and we know, therefore, that none can be against us who are worth a moment's fear. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Who will restrain prayer when it is so potent? Who will seek any other ally than God, who is instantly present so soon as we give the ordained signal, by which we testify

both our need and our confidence?EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 9. When I cry. The cry of faith and prayer to God is more dreadful to our spiritual foes than the war whoop of the Indian is to his surprised brother savages. Adam Clarke.Ver. 9. (first clause). It was somewhat that when David prayed he was saved from his enemies. "I will call on the Lord: so shall I be saved from mine enemies" (2 Samuel 22:4); there is the defensive power of prayer; but it is more that it puts enemies to the foil. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back and be put to flight; there is the offensive power of prayer. In David's tower there was an armoury, thalpijoth, a place to hang swords with two edges, swords with two mouths (Song of Solomon 4:4); a defensive and an offensive edge. Both edges must be used by such as seek safety. Prayer is a sword with two edges. "Put up thy sword into his place, "says Christ to Peter: "for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Mt 22:52. But he that takes not this sword may happen to perish by the sword; and the drawing of this sword may save a man from perishing by the sword. Mark that last reason that our Saviour adds why Peter should put up his sword: "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mt 22:53). As if he had said, If it were my mind to confound these mine enemies that now set upon me, I should not need thy sword to do it. I could pray to my Father, and could presently by prayer bring such forces into the field as should rout and scatter all mine enemies; hereby implying, that if he would, he could do his enemies more damage and mischief by his prayers against them than by the sword and all instruments of war. Prayer is twelve legions strong, yea, twelve legions of angels strong against enemies. Jeremiah Dyke (1620), in the Righteous Man's Tower.Ver. 9. This I know. Faith goeth upon solid grounds, and is not a fallible conjecture, but a sure knowledge. David Dickson.

WHEDO�, "9. Here is the transition point of the psalm from sorrow and complaint to assured faith and praise.

When I cry—He dates the flight, the “turning backward” of his enemies, at the day of his earnest outcry to God.

This I know—He knew it by faith. God’s word had assured him by the mouth of Samuel, and his triumph is already a reality.

EBC, "The "then" of Psalms 56:9 may be either temporal or logical. It may mean "things being so," or "in consequence of this," or it may mean "at the time when," and may refer to the further specification of period in the next clause. That same day which has already been designated as that of the enemies’ panting after the psalmist’s life, and wresting of his words, and, on the other hand, as that of his fear, is now the time of his prayer, and consequently of their defeat and flight. The confidence which struggled with fear in the closing words of the first part, is now consolidated into certain knowledge that God is on the singer’s side, and in a very

deep sense belongs to him. This is the foundation of his hope of deliverance; and in this clear knowledge he chants once more his refrain. As is often the case, slight differences, mainly due to artistic love of variety in uniformity, occur in the repeated refrain. "Word" stands instead of "His word"; "man," instead of "flesh"; and a line is intercalated, in which Jehovah is substituted for God. The addition may be a later interpolation, but is probably part of the original text, and due to the same intelligible motives which prompted the occasional use of the great Covenant �ame in the Elohistic psalms of this second book.

The psalmist’s exuberant confidence overflows the limits of his song, in a closing couple of verses which are outside its scheme. So sure is he of deliverance, that, as often in similar psalms, his thoughts are busied in preparing his sacrifice of thanks before the actual advent of the mercy for which it is to be offered. Such swift-footed Gratitude is the daughter of very vivid Faith. The ground of the thank offering is deliverance of "the soul," for which foes have "waited." "Thou hast delivered" is a perfect tense expressing confidence in the certainty of the as yet unrealised exercise of God’s power. The question of Psalms 56:13 b, like that of Psalms 56:8 c (and perhaps that of Psalms 56:7 a), is an emphatic affirmation, and the verb to be supplied is not "Wilt thou?" as the A.V. has it, but, as is plain from the context, and from the quotation of this verse in Psalms 116:8, "Hast thou?" The Divine deliverance is complete, -not only doing the greater, but also the less; and not barely saving life, but sustaining the steps. God does not rescue by halves, either in the natural or spiritual realm; but in the former He first rescues and next preserves, and in the latter He delivers from the true death of the spirit, and then inspires to glad obedience. The psalm crowns its celebration of God’s miracles of deliverance by declaring the aim of them all to be that their recipient may walk before God-i.e., in continual consciousness of His cognisance of his deeds, and "in the light of the living" or "of life." The expression seems here to mean simply the present life, as contrasted with the darkness and inactivity of Sheol; but we can scarcely help remembering the deeper meaning given to it by Him who said that to follow Him was to have the light of life. Whether any dim foreboding of a better light than streams from even an Eastern sun, and of a truer life than the vain shadow which men call by that august name, floated before the singer or not, we can thankfully interpret his words, so as to make them the utterance of the Christian consciousness that the ultimate design of all God’s deliverances of souls from death and of feet from falling is that, not only in ways of holiness here, but in the more perfect consciousness of His greater nearness hereafter, and in correspondingly increased perfectness of active service, we should walk before God in the light of the living.

BI 9-11, "When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back.

Prayer vanquishing enemies

I. This prayer implies the existence of conflict. David was pursued from place to place by: his adversaries. The Christian, too, has many enemies. Within him and around him.

II. This prayer supposes helplessness. The enemies which the Christian has to fight are numerous, potent and subtle; and he is perfect weakness.

III. A conviction that there is all needful help in God.

IV. Application to God for help. “I cry unto Thee.” Make me a conqueror, etc. This cry we must consider as secret, earnest and constant, and connected with confidence.

V. This prayer was successful. “Then shall mine enemies turn back.” This is expected from immutable promises (Isa_54:17; 2Pe_3:9). God will cause our pursuing enemies to turn back, for can they fight with omnipotence? Or He will give unto us grace, Divine armour, to enable us to stand and conquer in the evil day. Application.

1. How great the privilege of having an interest in the Divine favour.

2. How exposed and wretched is the sinner. (Helps for the Pulpit.)

10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—

BAR�ES, "In God will I praise his word - Luther renders this, “I will praise the word of God.” The phrase “in God” means probably “in respect to God;” or, “in what pertains to God.” That which he would “particularly” praise or celebrate in respect to God - that which called for the most decided expressions of praise and gratitude, was his “word,” his promise, his revealed truth. So in Psa_138:2, “Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name;” that is, above all the other manifestations of thyself. The allusion in the passage here is to what God had “spoken” to David, or the “promise” which he had made - the declaration of his gracious purposes in regard to him. Amidst all the perfections of Deity, and all which God had done for him, this now seemed to him to have special pre-eminence in his praises. The “word” of God was to him that which impressed his mind most deeply - that which most tenderly affected his heart. There are times when we feel this, and properly feel it; times when, in the contemplation of the divine perfections and dealings, our minds so rest on his word, on his truth, on what he has revealed, on his gracious promises, on the disclosures of a plan of redemption, on the assurance of a heaven hereafter, on the instructions which he has given us about himself and his plans - about ourselves, our duty, and our prospects, that this absorbs all our thoughts, and we feel that this is “the” great blessing for which we are to be thankful; this, “the” great mercy for which we are to praise him. What would the life of man be without the Bible! What a dark, gloomy, sad course would ours be on earth if we had nothing to guide us to a better world!

In the Lord will I praise his word - In “Yahweh.” That is, whether I contemplate

God in the usual name by which he is known - Elohiym' אלהים - or by that more sacred

name which he has assumed - Yahweh יהוה - that which seems now to me to lay the

foundation of loftiest praise and most hearty thanksgiving, is that he has spoken to people, and made known his will in his revealed truth.

GILL, "In God will I praise his word,.... These words are repeated from Psa_56:4; and for the greater certainty of the thing, and to show his fixed resolution to do it, and his strong affection for the Lord and his word, they are doubled;

in the Lord will I praise his word: in the former clause the word "Elohim" is made use of, which, the Jews say, denotes the property of justice, and in the latter Jehovah, which with them is the property of mercy; and accordingly the Targum paraphrases the words,

"in the attribute of the justice of God will I praise his word; in the attribute of the mercies of Jehovah will I praise his word;''

and to the same sense Jarchi: that is, whether I am in adversity or prosperity, receive evil or good things from the hand of the Lord; yet will I praise him: I will sing of mercy and of judgment, Psa_101:1; or rather the one may denote the grace and goodness of a covenant God in making promises, and the other his truth and faithfulness in keeping them; on account of both which he is worthy of praise. The word "his" is not in either clause in the original text, and they may be rendered, "in God will I praise the word; in the Lord will I praise the word": in and by the help, assistance, and grace of Jehovah the Father, will I praise the eternal and essential Word, his Son. The Targum renders it his "Memra"; a word often used in it for a divine Person, the eternal Logos; the loveliness of his person, the love of his heart to his people, the fulness of grace that is in him, the offices he sustains on their account, and the virtue of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, render him praiseworthy in their esteem.

HE�RY, " That his faith in God would set him above the fear of man, Psa_56:10, Psa_56:11. Here he repeats, with a strong pathos, what he had said (Psa_56:4), “In God will I praise his word; that is, I will firmly depend upon the promise for the sake of him that made it, who is true and faithful, and has wisdom, power, and goodness enough to make it good.” When we give credit to a man's bill we honour him that drew it; so when we do, and suffer, for God, in a dependence upon his promise, not staggering at it, we give glory to God, we praise his word, and so give praise to him. Having thus put his trust in God, he looks with a holy contempt upon the threatening power of man: “In God have I put my trust, and in him only, and therefore I will not be afraid what man can do unto me (Psa_56:11), though I know very well what he would do if he could,” Psa_56:1, Psa_56:2. This triumphant word, so expressive of a holy magnanimity, the apostle puts into the mouth of every true believer, whom he makes a Christian hero, Heb_13:6. We may each of us boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and then I will not fear what man shall do unto me; for he has no power but what he has given him from above.

CALVI�, "10In God will I praise his word In the original the pronoun is not

expressed, but we are left to infer, from the parallel verse which went before, that it is understood. The repetition adds an emphasis to the sentiment, intimating, that though God delayed the sensible manifestation of his favor, and might seem to deal hardly in abandoning him to the word — giving him nothing more, he was resolved to glory in it with undiminished confidence. When in a spirit such as this we honor the word of God, though deprived of any present experience of his goodness or his power, we “set to our seal that God is true,” (John 3:33.) The repetition amounts to an expression of his determination that, notwithstanding all circumstances which might appear to contravene the promise, he would trust in it, and persist in praising it both now, henceforth, and for ever. How desirable is it that the Lord’s people generally would accustom themselves to think in the same manner, and find, in the word of God, matter of never-failing praise amidst their worst trials! They may meet with many mercies calling for the exercise of thanksgiving, but can scarcely have proceeded one step in life before they will feel the necessity of reliance upon the naked promise. A similar reason may be given for his repetition of the sentiment in the 11th verse — In God have I hoped, etc. We shall find men universally agreed in the opinion that God is an all-sufficient protector; but observation proves how ready we are to distrust him under the slightest temptation. When exposed to the opposition of assailants formidable for strength, or policy, or any worldly advantages, let us learn with David to set God in opposition to them, and we shall speedily be able to view the mightiest of them without dismay.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 10. In God will I praise his word. �ow comes the thanksgiving. He is a wretch who, having obtained help, forgets to return a grateful acknowledgment. The least we can do is to praise him from whom we receive such distinguished favours. Does David here mean "by God's grace I will praise him"? If so, he shows us that all our emotions towards God must be in God, produced by him and presented as such. Or does he mean, "that which in God is most the object of my praise is his word, and the faithfulness with which he keeps it"? If so, we see how attached our hearts should be to the sure word of promise, and especially to him who is the WORD incarnate. The Lord is to be praised under every aspect, and in all his attributes and acts, but certain mercies peculiarly draw out our admiration towards special portions of the great whole. That praise which is never special in its direction cannot be very thoughtful, and it is to be feared cannot be very acceptable.In the Lord will I praise his word. He delights to dwell on his praise, he therefore repeats his song. The change by which he brings in the glorious name of Jehovah is doubtless meant to indicate that under every aspect he delights in his God and in his word.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 10. In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. The first word, Elohim, is a name belonging to God as a judge, the second word, Jehovah, is a name of mercy. I will praise God whether he deal with me in a way of justice or in a way of mercy, when he hath thunder in his voice, as well as when he hath honey under his tongue. Oh, how should we praise God, and pleasure ourselves by such a frame! Stephen Charnock.Ver. 10. (first clause). By the assistance of God I shall be enabled to praise him for the performance of his promises. Symon Patrick, 1626-1707.

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:10 In God will I praise [his] word: in the LORD will I praise [his] word.

Ver. 10. In God will I praise his word] The Jewish doctors observe that Elohim, God, is a name importing justice; and that Jehovah, Lord, holdeth out mercy, according to that, Exodus 34:6, Jehovah, Jehovah merciful, gracious, &c. But if God should seem neither to show his mercy upon us nor his justice upon our enemies, we must nevertheless adhere to his word or promise, and patiently wait his performance; which will be as sure as he is God and Lord.

PETT, "Psalms 56:10-11

‘In God, I will praise (his) word,In YHWH, I will praise (his) word,In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid,What can man (adam) do to me?His confidence lies in God, Who has given him a word, which he can praise; in YHWH, Who has given him a word, which he can praise. He is aware that he is one of God’s chosen. The word which he praises may be the word that he received from Samuel (his anointing by Samuel must have been accompanied by an explanation (1 Samuel 16:13), and he had then spent time with Samuel in �aioth after he had initially fled from Saul (1 Samuel 19:18-24)). Or it may be the Torah (the Law of Moses), an indication of his own commitment to YHWH’s covenant. Or indeed it could include both.

So his assurance and certainty lie in God, in Whom he has put his trust (compare Psalms 56:3-4), and thus he will not be afraid, for what can mere created beings (adam) do to him? His confidence in God is total.

The Psalm provides assurance to all true believers that they are in the hands of God, a God who keeps account of their wanderings and a record of their tears. They too, therefore, can enjoy the same assurance and certainty.

11 in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

BAR�ES, "In God have I put my trust - The sentiment in this verse is the same as in Psa_56:6, except that the word “man” is used here instead of “flesh.” The meaning, however, is the same. The idea is, that he would not be afraid of what “any man” - any human being - could do to him, if God was his friend.

GILL, "In God have I put my trust,.... See Gill on Psa_56:4;

I will not be afraid what man can do unto me; the same with flesh in Psa_56:4, and is opposed to God, in whom he trusted; and it suggests that he was not, and would not, be afraid of the greatest of men, as well as of the meanest; See Gill on Psa_56:4; Arama distinguishes between "flesh" and "man"; the former, he says, means the Philistines, and the latter Saul and his army.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 11. In God have I put my trust. This and the former verse are evidently the chorus of the Psalm. We cannot be too careful of our faith, or see too sedulously that it is grounded on the Lord alone.I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Faith has banished fear. He views his foes in their most forcible character, calling them not flesh, but indicating them as man, yet he dreads them not; though the whole race were his enemies he would not be afraid now that his trust is stayed on God. He is not afraid of what they threaten to do, for much of that they cannot do; and even what is in their power, what they can do, he defies with holy daring. He speaks for the future, "I will not, "for he is sure that the security of the present will suffice for days to come.

12 I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you.

BAR�ES, "Thy vows are upon me, O God - The word “vow” means something promised; some obligation under which we have voluntarily brought ourselves. It differs from duty, or obligation in general, since that is the result of the divine command, while this is an obligation arising from the fact that we have “voluntarily” taken it upon ourselves. The extent of this obligation, therefore, is measured by the nature of the promise or vow which we have made; and God will hold us responsible for carrying out

our vows. Such voluntary obligations or vows were allowable, as an expression of thanksgiving, or as a means of exciting to a more strict religious service, under the Mosaic dispensation Gen_28:20; Num_6:2; Num_30:2-3; Deu_23:21; 1Sa_1:11; and they cannot be wrong under any dispensation. They are not of the nature of “merit,” or works of supererogation, but they are

(a) a “means” of bringing the obligations of religion to bear upon us more decidedly, and

(b) a proper expression of gratitude.

Such vows are those which all persons take upon themselves when they make a profession of religion; and when such a profession of religion is made, it should be a constant reflection on our part, that “the vows of God are upon us,” or that we have voluntarily consecrated all that we have to God. David had made such a vow

(a) in his general purpose to lead a religious life;

(b) very probably in some specific act or promise that he would devote himself to God if he would deliver him, or as an expression of his gratitude for deliverance. Compare the notes at Act_18:18; notes at Act_21:23-24.

I will render praises unto thee - literally, “I will recompense praises unto thee;” that is, I will “pay” what I have vowed, or I will faithfully perform my vows.

CLARKE, "Thy vows are upon me - I have promised in the most solemn manner to be thy servant; to give my whole life to thee; and to offer for my preservation sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.

Reader, what hast thou vowed to God? To renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful desires of the flesh; to keep God’s holy word and commandment, and to walk before him all the days of thy life. These things hast thou vowed; and these vows are upon thee. Wilt thou pay them?

GILL, "Thy vows are upon me, O God,.... Which he had made to him in the time of his distress and trouble, and which he looked upon himself under obligation to perform; they were debts upon him he ought to pay off; they were with him; they were fresh in his mind and memory; he had not forgot them, which is often the case when trouble is over; and he found his heart inclined to make them good;

I will render praises unto thee; which explains what he meant by his vows; namely, sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: when he was in distress, he had vowed and promised, that, if the Lord would deliver him, he would praise his name, and give him all the glory; and now he resolves to fulfil what he had promised.

HE�RY, " That he was in bonds to God (Psa_56:12): “Thy vows are upon me, O God! - not upon me as a burden which I am loaded with, but as a badge which I glory in, as that by which I am known to be thy menial servant - not upon me as fetters that hamper me (such are superstitious vows), but upon me as a bridle that restrains me from what would be hurtful to me, and directs me in the way of my duty. Thy vows are

upon me, the vows I have made to thee, to which thou art not only a witness, but a party, and which thou hast commanded and encouraged me to make.” It is probably that he means especially those vows which he had made to God in the day of his trouble and distress, which he would retain the remembrance of, and acknowledge the obligations of, when his fright was over. Note, It ought to be the matter of our consideration and joy that the vows of God are upon us - our baptismal vows renewed at the Lord's table, our occasional vows under convictions, under corrections, by these we are bound to live to God.

JAMISO�, "I will render praises — will pay what I have vowed.

K&D 12-13, "In prospect of his deliverance the poet promises beforehand to fulfil the

duty of thankfulness. עלי, incumbent upon me, as in Pro_7:14; 2Sa_18:11. נדריך�, with an

objective subject, are the vows made to God; and ודותL are distinguished from them, as

e.g., in 2Ch_29:31. He will suffer neither the pledged שלמי�נדר nor the ודהLשלמי� to be

wanting; for - so will he be then able to sing and to declare - Thou hast rescued, etc. The

perfect after יU denotes that which is then past, as in Psa_59:17, cf. the dependent

passage Psa_116:8. There the expression is יםVרצות�הח� instead of יםVאור�הח (here and in

Elihu's speech, Job_33:30). Light of life (Joh_8:12) or of the living (lxx τWν�ζώντων) is

not exclusively the sun-light of this present life. Life is the opposite of death in the deepest and most comprehensive sense; light of life is therefore the opposite of the night of Hades, of this seclusion from God and from His revelation in human history.

SBC 12-13, "I. The motive. "Thou hast delivered my soul from death."

II. The obligation. "Thy vows are upon me, O Lord." The Christian who would be a Christian indeed must not be ashamed of the yoke of Christ.

III. The cheerfulness of this spirit of self-sacrifice finds its legitimate expression in praise, and its ardour in a prevailing desire to "walk before God."

W. M. Punshon, Sermons, 2nd series, p. 300.

CALVI�, "12.Thy vows are upon me, O God! I hinted, from the outset, that it is probable this psalm was written by David after he had escaped the dangers which he describes; and this may account for the thanksgiving here appended to it. At the same time, we have evidence that he was ever ready to engage in this exercise even when presently suffering under his afflictions. He declares that the vows of God were upon him; by which he means, that he was bound to pay them, as, among the Romans, a person who had obtained what he sought, under engagement of a vow, was said to be voti damnatus —condemned of his vow If we have promised thanks, and our prayers have been heard, an obligation is contracted. He calls them the vows of God — thy vows; for the money in my hand may be said to be my creditor’s, being, as I am, in his debt. He views his deliverance as having come from God; and

the condition having been performed, he acknowledges himself to be burdened with the vows which he had contracted. We learn from the second part of the verse what was the nature of the vows to which he adverts, and, by attending to this, may preserve ourselves from the mistake of imagining that he sanctions any such vows as those which are practiced among Papists. He says that he would render praises, or sacrifices of praise; for the word is applied to sacrifices, which were the outward symbols of thanksgiving. David knew well that God attached no value to sacrifices considered in themselves, or irrespectively of the design and spirit of the person offering them; but we may believe that he would not neglect the sacred ceremonies of the Law which was imposed upon the Church at that time; and that he speaks of some solemn expression of gratitude, such as was customary among the Jews upon the reception of a signal Divine favor.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God. Vows made in his trouble he does not lightly forget, nor should we. We voluntarily made them, let us cheerfully keep them. All professed Christians are men under vows, but especially those who in hours of dire distress have rededicated themselves unto the Lord.I will render praises unto thee. With heart, and voice, and gift, we should cheerfully extol the God of our salvation. The practice of making solemn vows in times of trouble is to be commended, when it is followed by the far less common custom of fulfilling them when the trouble is over.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God. Whoever is conversant with the Psalms of David, will find him frequently making vows, and careful in paying them. When these words dropped from him he was just delivered out of a pressing danger among the Philistines, with whom he took shelter from the rage of King Saul, who unweariedly pursued him; but he soon found that the remembrance of his past achievements to their damage was still so fresh amongst them, and they so exasperated thereupon, that his life was in constant danger. In his distress he flies to God, his wonted refuge, and sends up earnest addresses to him, vowing if he would open a way for his deliverance out of these new straits, he would show his grateful sense of so signal a mercy, by the exactness and accuracy of his future obedience. God hears and succours him; and he thereupon grateful looks back, endeavours to renew the sense of his former obligation to his great Deliverer, and to stir up himself by suitable returns, and so cries out, Thy vows are upon me, O God; as if he should say, I resolve, O Lord, not to forget what was transacted while I was under my fears. Thou hast heard my cries, and I own myself firmly bound by my vows. I was serious and in earnest when I made them, and I will endeavour to show that I was so by my care to perform them. Thy vows, O God, made indeed on my part, but justly to be exacted on thine, are upon me, they do in reality hold me fast, and I desire not to be released. I am sensible I deserve to be stigmatised for a perfidious wretch if I ever forget them. This temper of holy David with reference to the vows he made on this occasion, should be ours with reference to all the sacred vows we any way come under. All Christians, as such, are necessarily under vows to the blessed God: and particular circumstances may make it expedient for us to come under special engagements to him. But wherever they are such as that they may justly be denominated vows of God, i.e., are such as his word will warrant; we should make

holy David, as speaking in this text, our pattern, and set ourselves to imitate him, in seriously owning their binding force, and endeavouring to answer and pay them. Edmund Calamy, in "A Practical Discourse Concerning Vows, "1704.Ver. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God. A well composed vow will make thee more circumspect and wary in the general course of thy life. Such an influence it hath, as doth more directly work on one particular part, yet is not terminated to that particular only. Thus it was with David. These vows were made when he was in danger of his life, as it seemeth from Psalms 56:13; for when God heard him, he delivered his soul from death: for this he vowed praises in particular, and he will render them. But, withal he takes himself to be hereby engaged to a more exact and circumspect walk before God in all duties: so he expresses himself in the latter part of Psalms 56:13. Henry Hurst (1629-1696), in "The Morning Exercise at Cripplegate, "1661.Ver. 12-13. Thy vows are upon me, O God. Passively, vows made to God, not by God; or the obligations of those vows and prayers which I have made and upon which I have received answers. Sacrifices of thanksgiving were called vows, as having been vowed to God upon the want, and to be paid upon the receipt, of mercy. Leviticus 1:1, "If the sacrifice that is offered be a vow." Thy vows are upon me; the fruit of my vows, so that I stand indebted to God for the return of praise. Thou hast delivered. He understands some great danger wherein he had sunk had not God stood by him, and from a greater mercy, the deliverance of his soul from death, argues for a less, the keeping his feet from falling. That I may walk before God in the light of the living. By light of the living is meant life, which is called being enlightened with the "light of the living." Job 33:30. Sometimes eternal life in heaven. John 8:12, "He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "To walk before God." To walk obediently in the sight of God; with a respect to his presence; a walking unto all well pleasing. This is the last argument in the Psalm whereon he builds his strongest plea, as if he knew not what to urge if this should fail him; as if he should have said, Lord, I have had experience of thy wisdom in contriving, thy power in effecting, thy mercy in bestowing deliverance upon me, thy goodness in answering my vows and prayers. "Thou hast delivered from death, "a danger as great and unavoidable as death itself. O Lord, art not thou the same as thou wert? Art not thou still as wise to design, and as gracious to confer further mercy? Wilt thou not as certainly also deliver my feet from falling? The one contains his experience, the other the inference or conclusion he draws from it. Mercies received are in a special manner to be remembered. Mercies received are encouragements to ask, and strong grounds to hope for the mercies we want. Stephen Charnock.

WHEDO�, "12. Thy vows are upon me—He reaffirms all his previous vows. They are as sacredly binding here in Gath as in his own land—in exile as in the congregation of the saints. This reminding God that he still held to his vows, leaves the fulfilment of the promises wholly depending upon the divine veracity.

I will render praises—The form of speech—offer thanksgiving—is sacrificial, meaning praise or thanksgiving as a sacrifice, or, as in Hosea 14:2, “the calves of our lips.” See Hebrews 13:15. As the promise of “thank offering” immediately follows

the mention of his vows, it is probably the votive offering which he promises, which was due after the condition of the vow had been met, and the blessing prayed for granted. This David waits for in faith.

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:12 Thy vows [are] upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

Ver. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God] Sunt tua post, quam vovi (Arab.). I am a votary ever since I was at Gath, there and then I vowed, that if the Lord would vouchsafe to bring me out of that brake I would do as became a thankful man every way. And now I am Damnatus votorum, as the Latin expression is; vow I must, and pay to the Lord my God; Ecce ego Domine, Lord, I am ready, do thou but set me up an altar, and I will offer a sacrifice; restore me to thy sanctuary, and I will do it exactly, in the ceremonies and formalities thereof; meanwhile, mine heart and lips shall not be wanting to give thee praise in spirit and truth, I will render praises unto thee.

BE�SO�, "Verse 12-13Psalms 56:12-13. Thy vows are upon me — As I have prayed to thee, and am assured that thou wilt deliver me, so, in confidence thereof, I have made vows to express my gratitude to thee, and I acknowledge myself obliged thereby, and do resolve to perform them. For thou hast delivered my soul from death — Which my enemies designed to bring upon me, and of which I was in extreme danger. Wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling? — I am confident that thou wilt, because of thy promises, and my former experience; that I may walk before God — That I may please, serve, and glorify thee, which is the great end for which I desire life; in the light of the living — In this life here, which is opposed to the death last mentioned; and in heaven hereafter.

COFFMA�, "Verse 12CO�CLUSIO�

"Thy vows are upon me, O God:

I will render thanksgivings unto thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death:

Hast thou not delivered my feet from falling

That I may walk before God

In the light of the living?"

David here speaks of his deliverance as if it has already been accomplished; but it is not clear whether or not he merely considers it certain to be accomplished, or if it

has really taken place. Some suppose that he had indeed already been delivered; but McCaw thought that he "foresaw it as a certainty."[15] Yates took the position that it might have been either. "Since victory has already come or is envisioned as assured, the psalmist recalls his obligation of praise and thanksgiving."[16]

BI 12-13, "Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto Thee.

The Christian’s vows and praises

I. A solemn obligation acknowledged. “Thy vows are upon me, O God.”

1. Vows made in public.

(1) Entered into in baptism.

(2) Ratified in confirmation.

(3) Renewed in the Lord’s Supper.

2. Vows made in private.

II. A holy determination made. “I will render praises unto Thee.”

1. In the public acknowledgment of mercy (Heb_13:15; 1Pe_2:5; Hos_14:2).

2. In the eloquent language of the life (Rom_12:1; Heb_11:5). In conclusion, let each ask—

1. How have I hitherto fulfilled my vows?

2. How may I henceforth do so? (J. D. Lane, M. A,)

Christian vows

A vow may be defined as a promise made more solemn by a special appeal to God. It is as respects purpose, what an oath is as regards fact. And the appeal may be of different kinds. It may be expressed in the form of a prayer to God to punish or be propitious ha the maker of the promise, according as he breaks or keeps his word. It may be again in the form of a prayer for some present blessing, for which some specified return of gratitude is promised. Or lastly, it may be merely an appeal implied in the solemnity of the occasion, or of the expression of the promise, by which it is understood that the maker of it sets himself consciously in the Divine presence, and calls upon God to witness that promise. We have instances of all these three kinds in the Old Testament. The expression “So do God to me and more also,” so often accompanying an intimation of purpose, constitutes a vow of the first kind. Jacob’s vow in Bethel is an example of the second kind. And of the third, we have a noble instance at the end of the Book of Joshua, where at a solemn concourse of the tribes at Shechem, the people expressly took Jehovah for their God, and devoted themselves to Him. It is manifest, however, that this is a matter in which Old Testament practice is no rule for Christians. God’s people of old were kept shut up under a system of special ordinances, whose obligation has now ceased, Now, of the three kinds of vows which have been mentioned, the two former must by their very terms be generally excluded from a Christian man’s practice. We have left, then, for our consideration our third class, consisting of promises made with more than ordinary solemnity, accompanied by an expressed or implied appeal to God. Of these vows, as a class, we cannot but admit the legitimacy. They are by implication

recognized in the New Testament, in those passages where St. Paul reminds Timothy of the good confession which he had made before many witnesses; as also in the very fact of baptism following upon a profession of faith, in which we have the virtual promise necessarily involved, and the solemnity clearly combined with it. But here everything depends upon the nature of the promise made. And it is this part of our inquiry which carries with it for us the things which are lawful. But such are not vows of celibacy, nor of total abstinence from alcoholic drinks, nor the vows of the monastic orders. Our ordination vows are net such, because they bind us not so much to the office as in the office. We are not by them tied down to any rule of life other than the requirements of our duty as Christian ministers primarily necessitate. And thus it seems to me that, while speaking on a particular case, we have in reality met with that description of a lawful Christian vow, of which we were in search. And the description will be this: Such vow must not bind a man to a course of conduct first marked out by its terms, and devised for it, but must constitute an additional obligation to a course of conduct already, for other reasons, incumbent upon him. The vow must be made for the duty, not the duty for the vow. We have, I think, now prepared the way to speak of the great lifelong promise and vow which the Church requires of her members. The points contained in it are every one of them plain Christian duties for every man. They remain the same, be the vow taken or not. They are no artificial narrowing of the limits of blameless and godly life—to which we have no right to bind any man; but describe it in its fullest extension. Beyond their limits, there is no allowable latitude; short of their prescription, no safe walking before God. The whole operation, then, of our vow is on the subject, not on the object of it. The object, a godly life, remaining one and the same for all, we strive to ensure the accomplishment of this object by intensifying the apprehension of it in the minds of the subjects on whom we have to work. “Thy vows are upon me, O God.” How blessed a thing, could we be anchored safe by this assurance, while so many are making shipwreck of their faith! “I am not my own, but devoted to Thee and Thy work; all I am and have, to be used not for myself, but for Thee.” How would such a persuasion simplify for us the difficulties of life; cut off the occasion of half our falls into worldliness and sin; brighten the light of our examples, and win souls for Christ! (Dean Alford.)

PETT, "Verse 12-13

An Expression Of His Gratitude To God For His Deliverance (Psalms 56:12-13).

Having prayed through to total confidence in God David now gives thanks for the certainty of his deliverance. God has delivered him in the past and he is confident that God will go on delivering him.

Psalms 56:12-13

Your vows are on me, O God,

I will render thank-offerings to you,

For you have delivered my life from death.

(Have you) not (delivered) my feet from falling?

That I may walk before God in the light of life (or ‘of the living’).’

With these words David expresses his gratitude to God. He acknowledges the vows that he has made to God (your vows = vows made to you), and assures Him that he will render the appropriate thank-offerings. And this in the light of the fact that God has delivered him from death, and has prevented his feet from falling, with the consequence that he can still walk before God enjoying the light of life.

The words could have been written while he was still waiting to see whether he was to be called to account before the Philistines, the deliverance he refers to being deliverance from Saul. Or they could have been written after his final deliverance from Achish. Either way he rejoices in his deliverance which means that he can still walk before God ‘in the light of life’. ‘Life’ was often seem in terms of a lamp that was still burning, and David was aware that his lamp was still burning brightly.

13 For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling,that I may walk before God in the light of life.

BAR�ES, "For thou hast delivered my soul from death - That is, my “life.” Thou hast kept “me” from death. He was surrounded by enemies. He was pursued by them from place to place. He had been, however, graciously delivered from these dangers, and had been kept alive. Now he gratefully remembers this mercy, and confidently appeals to God to interpose still further, and keep him from stumbling.

Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling - This might be rendered, “Hast thou not delivered;” thus carrying forward the thought just before expressed. So the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and Luther and DeWette render it. The Hebrew, however, will admit of the translation in our common version, and such a petition would be an appropriate close of the psalm. Thus understood, it would be the recognition of dependence on God; the expression of gratitude for his former mercies; the utterance of a desire to honor him always; the acknowledgment of the fact that God only could keep him; and the manifestation of a wish that he might be enabled to live and act as in His presence. The word here rendered “falling” means usually a “thrusting” or “casting

down,” as by violence. The prayer is, that he might be kept amid the dangers of his way; or that God would uphold him so that he might still honor Him.

That I may walk before God - As in his presence; enjoying his friendship and favor.

In the light of the living - See the notes at Job_33:30. The grave is represented everywhere in the Scriptures as a region of darkness (see the notes at Job_10:21-22; compare Psa_6:5; Psa_30:9; Isa_38:11, Isa_38:18-19), and this world as light. The prayer, therefore, is, that he might continue to live, and that he might enjoy the favor of God: a prayer always proper for man, whatever his rank or condition.

CLARKE, "Thou hast delivered my soul from death - My life from the grave, and my soul from endless perdition.

My feet from falling - Thou hast preserved me from taking any false way, and keepest me steady in my godly course; and so supportest me that I may continue to walk before thee in the light of the living, ever avoiding that which is evil, and moving towards that which is good; letting my light shine before men, that they may see my good works, and glorify my Father which is in heaven. To walk before God is to please him; the light of the living signifies the whole course of human life, with all its comforts and advantages.

GILL, "For thou hast delivered my soul from death,.... From imminent danger of death, when in the hands of the Philistines; not that the soul can die; that is immortal; but he means his person, on which account he determines to render praise to God: moreover, this may include the deliverance of his soul from a moral or spiritual death, in which he was by nature, being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity; from which he was delivered by regenerating grace, when he was quickened, who before was dead in trespasses and sins; and so delivered, as that this death should no more come upon him; the grace of God in him being a well of living water, springing up unto eternal life: and it may also be understood of deliverance from eternal death, by Christ, who has redeemed his people from the curse of the law, and delivered them from wrath to come; so that they shall never be hurt of the second death; that shall have no power over them; but they shall have eternal life; all which is matter of praise and thanksgiving;

wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling? that is, "thou wilt deliver" them; for this way of speaking strongly affirms; or "hast thou not delivered them?" (e) thou hast; and wilt still deliver, or keep from falling. The people of God are subject to falling; God is the only keeper of them; and they have reason to believe that he will keep them from a final and total filling away; because of the great love which he has for them, the gracious promises of preservation he has made unto them, and his power, which is engaged in keeping of them; and because they are put into the hands of Christ, who is able to keep them, and who has an interest in them, and an affection for them; and because of the glory of all, the three divine Persons concerned in the saints' preservation; and this is another reason for rendering praises unto the Lord; the end of which follows;

that I may walk before God in the light of the living; to "walk before God" is to

walk as in his sight, who sees and knows all hearts, thoughts, words, and actions; with great circumspection, and caution, and watchfulness; to walk according to the word and will of God, in all his ways, commands, and ordinances; and so the Arabic version, "that I may do the will of the Lord"; and so as to please him, as Enoch did, who walked with him, and whose walking with him is interpreted by pleasing him, Heb_11:5; agreeably to which the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, render the words, "that I may please before the Lord"; or do what is acceptable in his sight. Moreover, to walk before the Lord is to walk in the light of his countenance, to have his presence, enjoy his favour, and be blessed with communion with him. "In the light of the living?" that is, to walk as an enlightened and quickened person, as the children of the light; and to walk in the light of the Gospel, and as becomes that; and to walk in Christ the light, and by faith on him; and such shall have "the light of life", Joh_8:12; a phrase the same with this here; and designs the light of the heavenly glory, and of the New Jerusalem church state, in which the nations of them that are saved shall walk, Rev_21:23. Some Jewish (f) writers interpret this of paradise.

HE�RY, "That he should still have more and more occasion to praise him: I will render praises unto thee. This is part of the performance of his vows; for vows of thankfulness properly accompany prayers for mercy, and when the mercy is received must be made good. When we study what we shall render this is the least we can resolve upon, to render praises to God - poor returns for rich receivings! Two things he will praise God for: - 1. For what he had done for him (Psa_56:13): “Thou has delivered my soul, my life, from death, which was just ready to seize me.” If God have delivered us from sin, either from the commission of it by preventing grace or from the punishment of it by pardoning mercy, we have reason to own that he has thereby delivered our souls from death, which is the wages of sin. If we, who were by nature dead in sin, are quickened together with Christ, and are made spiritually alive, we have reason to own that God has delivered our souls from death. 2. For what he would do for him: “Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and so hast given me a new life, and thereby hast given me an earnest of further mercy, that thou wilt deliver my feet from falling; thou hast done the greater, and therefore thou wilt do the less; thou hast begun a good work, and therefore thou wilt carry it on and perfect it.” This may be taken either as the matter of his prayer, pleading his experience, or as the matter of his praise, raising his expectations; and those that know how to praise in faith will give God thanks for mercies in promise and prospect, as well as in possession. See here, (1.) What David hopes for, that God would deliver his feet from falling either into sin, which would wound his conscience, or into the appearance of sin, from which his enemies would take occasion to wound his good name. Those that think the stand must take heed lest they fall, because the best stand no longer than God is pleased to uphold them. We are weak, our way is slippery, many stumbling-blocks are in it, our spiritual enemies are industrious to thrust us down, and therefore we are concerned by faith and prayer to commit ourselves to his care who keeps the feet of his saints. (2.) What he builds this hope upon: “Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and therein hast magnified thy power and goodness, and put me into a capacity of receiving further mercy from thee; and now wilt thou not secure and crown thy own work?” God never brought his people out of Egypt to slay them in the wilderness. He that in conversion delivers the soul from so great a death as sin is will not fail to preserve it to his heavenly kingdom. (3.) What he designs in these hopes: That I may walk before God in the light of the living, that is, [1.] “That I may get to heaven, the only land of light and life; for in this world darkness and death reign.” [2.] “That I may

do my duty while this life lasts.” Note, This we should aim at, in all our desires and expectations of deliverance both from sin and trouble, that we may do God so much the better service - that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we may serve him without fear.

JAMISO�, "The question implies an affirmative answer, drawn from past experience.

falling — as from a precipice.

before God — in His favor during life.

CALVI�, "13.For thou hast delivered my soul from death This confirms the truth of the remark which I have already made, that he considered his life as received from the hands of God, his destruction having been inevitable but for the miraculous preservation which he had experienced. To remove all doubt upon that subject, he speaks of having been preserved, not simply from the treachery, the malice, or the violence of his enemies, but from death itself. And the other form of expression which he employs conveys the same meaning, when he adds, that God had kept him back with his hand when he was on the eve of rushing headlong into destruction. Some translate מדחי, middechi, from falling; but the word denotes here a violent impulse. Contemplating the greatness of his danger, he considers his escape as nothing less than miraculous. It is our duty, when rescued from any peril, to retain in our recollection the circumstances of it, and all which rendered it peculiarly formidable. During the time that we are exposed to it, we are apt to err through an excessive apprehension; but when it is over, we too readily forget both our fears and the Divine goodness manifested in our deliverance. To walk in the light of the living means nothing else than to enjoy the vital light of the sun. The words, before God, which are interjected in the verse, point to the difference between the righteous, who make God the great aim of their life, and the wicked, who wander from the right path and turn their back upon God.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death. His enemies were defeated in their attempts upon his life, and therefore he vowed to devote his life to God.Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling? One mercy is a plea for another, for indeed it may happen that the second is the necessary complement of the first. It little boots that we live, if we are made to fall in character by the thrusts of our enemies. As lief not be, as live to be bereft of honour, and fallen prostrate before my enemies.That I may walk before God in the light of the living, enjoying the favour and presence of God, and finding the joy and brightness of life therein. Walking at liberty, in holy service, in sacred communion, in constant progress in holiness, enjoying the smile of heaven--this I seek after. Here is the loftiest reach of a good man's ambition, to dwell with God, to walk in righteousness before him, to rejoice in his presence, and in the light and glory which it yields. Thus in this short Psalm, we have climbed from the ravenous jaws of the enemy into the light of Jehovah's

presence, a path which only faith can tread.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 12-13. Thy vows are upon me, O God. See Psalms on "Psalms 56:12" for further information.Ver. 13. From falling, or, as more literally translated, from a thrust, or a push, by which one is caused to fall. O. Prescott Hiller.Ver. 13 (last clause). To walk in the presence of God is partly under his eyes, his guidance and care, partly in particular, where God is wont to be present, where he is worshipped by his people and scatters his blessings, opposed to his present state by which he was removed from the place of his worship and presence. Conf. 1 Samuel 26:19, etc. Lastly, to walk in the light of the living denotes in general to live amongst those who live in the light, or who enjoy the light, as it is said elsewhere, in the land of the living --Psalms 27:13 Isa 38:11 53:8; Ezekiel 32:32; Psalms 142:6 --opposed to the dead or the region of the dead, who dwell in darkness. But in particular it signifies to live in a safe and prosperous state, whose well known emblem is light. Hermann Venema.Ver. 13 (last clause). We cannot restrict this phrase to the light of mortal life; David's vows bound him to walk in the light of spiritual life, and also in the light of eternal life, of which by faith he was a partaker. And most commentators have applied this verse to the light of glory in the world to come, as the real and final object of the believer's conversation here on earth. W. Wilson, D.D.

TRAPP, "Psalms 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: [wilt] not [thou deliver] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Ver. 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death] Which was the very thing I begged of thee when I was at worst, viz. that thou wouldest save my life, which then lay at stake; I also then solemnly took upon me such and such engagements, which lie upon me as so many debts, and I am in pain till I have paid them. This if I shall do effectually,

Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling] Yea, I know thou wilt, Lord, for every former favour of thine is a pledge of a future.

That I may walk before God in the light of the living?] Called elsewhere the land of the living; that is, in this present life, spending the span of it in thy fear, and labouring to be every whit as good as I vowed to be at the time when I was in great distress and danger. Pliny, in an Epistle of his to one that desired rules from him how to order his life aright, I will, saith he, give you one rule that shall be instead of a thousand, Ut tales esse perseveremus sani, quales nos futures esse profitemur infirmi, i.e. That you hold out to be such when well as you promised to be the time when weak and sick, &c.

WHEDO�, "13. Thou hast delivered—The perfect tense of the verb refers to events past, as in Psalms 116:8. Upon deliverances already experienced he strengthens

himself in God for the future.

Light of the living—Opposed to the darkness of sheol, or region of the dead. But with prolonged natural life the divine favour, or spiritual life, must be connected, according to the common form of Old Testament speech, in making the temporal and visible the sign and pledge of the spiritual and eternal.

COKE, "Psalms 56:13. That I may walk before God in the light of the living— i.e. "Serve God, whilst I enjoy the common light of mankind; or during the whole of my future life."

REFLECTIO�S.—1st, The arms of Divine mercy are ever open to the miserable; thither therefore David flees.

1. He complains of his enemies. They designed nothing less than his utter ruin. Their attacks were restless and incessant; too numerous, as well as mighty, for him to contend with. �ote; (1.) A child of God must ever expect to meet the enmity of a world which lieth in wickedness. (2.) Every eye is upon the steps of the godly, with eagerness waiting for their halting, every ear ready to catch their words, and artful to misrepresent them to their prejudice: let them take the greater heed to their ways. (3.) The tempter and accuser of the brethren is ceaseless in his snares; and the more abundantly need we watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation. (4.) However divided wicked men are among themselves, they can ever cordially unite to oppose and oppress the faithful followers of Jesus.

2. In his trouble, David directs his prayer to God. Be merciful unto me; could he obtain that petition, the malice of his foes should not be able to prevail. �ote; We have no demand on God for aught; our only plea is for mercy through the Redeemer, and that includes all that we can wish or need.

3. He encourages his heart in God. Fearful he sometimes was; but he has a never-failing resource, even the Most High. His word would comfort, his power protect him: on this rock therefore his confidence fixes, and thence defies the impotent enmity of man. �ote; (1.) Faith is then most needful, when the storm of temptation is highest. (2.) Trials drive the faithful bearer to God, as the tree shaken by the wind takes firmer and deeper root.

4. He expresses his confidence of the approaching ruin of the wicked. Shall they escape by iniquity? no: though they promise themselves impunity, and think they are so great and above controul, yet God will not suffer them to go unpunished. �ote; �one are too great for God to humble; none so secure or daring, but he will make them feel his arm.

2nd, Though the world frowns, if God smiles, we may well be comforted. Thus was the Psalmist in the midst of his trials.

1. He had confidence of God's notice and kind compassions towards him in his distress: not a weary step he took, but the Lord watched over it; not a tear he dropped, but, as precious, it was preserved in God's bottle. �ote; (1.) The tears of God's people here below have often cause to flow; shortly they shall be for ever wiped away from their eyes. (2.) �ot a tear drops from the eye of his afflicted ones, but the Father of mercies regards and remembers it. (3.) They who have caused the griefs of God's suffering saints will shortly find every tear that they have drawn productive of a deluge of wrath upon their own heads.

2. He was assured that God would hear his cry, and help him. However mighty or numerous his foes, God was for him, and therefore the victory secure. �ote; Whatever enemies without beset, or within war against us, the prayer of faith is all-prevailing, and every believer knows it by experience.

3. He repeats with exultation the profession that he had before made. �o fear shall distress him; faith shall strengthen him, not only to pray, but praise. �ote; They who have God for them, may well contemn the impotent threats of man, who is a worm.

4. He had vowed, and would pay the bounden sacrifices of praise. Past mercies demanded that grateful tribute, and future ones, which he expected, would still increase his obligation. In deaths oft, he had been hitherto preserved; and shall not the same power and grace protect him still? �ote; (1.) Every christian has vows upon him; baptismal, sacramental; let them be often and solemnly remembered, to quicken us to our bounden duty of praise and holiness. (2.) Our souls by sin are now spiritually dead, and liable to eternal death; it is a deliverance, indeed, deserving of our everlasting acknowledgement, if by his Son God hath redeemed and by his Spirit hath quickened us; then we may well rejoice in hope of partaking his eternal glory among the saints in light. (3.) We walk in a slippery path, our tottering footsteps weak, and often thrust at that we should fall; if amid such danger we are preserved, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise.

MACLARE�, "A SO�G OF DELIVERA�CEPsalms 56:13.According to the ancient Jewish tradition preserved in the superscription of this psalm, it was written at the lowest ebb of David’s fortunes, ‘when the Philistines took him in Gath,’ and as you may remember, he saved himself by adding the fox’s hide to the lion’s skin, and by pretending to be an idiot, degraded as well as delivered himself. Yet immediately after, if we accept the date given by the superscription, the triumphant confidence and devout hope of this psalm animated his mind. How unlike the true man was to what he appeared to be to Achish and his Philistines! It is strange that the inside and the outside should correspond so badly; but yet, thank God! it is possible. We note,

I. The deliverance realised by faith before it is accomplished in fact.You will observe that I have made a slight alteration in the translation of the words.

In our Authorised Version they stand thus: ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt Thou not deliver my feet from falling?’ as if some prior deliverance was the basis upon which the Psalmist rested his expectation of that which was still to come. But there is no authority in the original for that variation of tenses, and both clauses obviously refer to the same period and the same deliverance. Therefore we must read: ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death: hast Thou not delivered,’ etc.; the question being equivalent to a strong affirmation, ‘Yea, Thou hast delivered my feet from falling.’ This reference of both clauses to the same period and the same delivering act, is confirmed by the quotation of these words in a very much later psalm, the Psalms 116:8, where we read, with an addition, ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.’So, then, the Psalmist is so sure of the deliverance that is coming that he sings of it as past. He is still in the very thick of the trouble and the fight, and yet he says, ‘It is as good as over. Thou hast delivered.’How does he come to that confidence? Simply because his future is God; and whoever has God for his future can turn else uncertain hopes into certain confidences, and make sure of this, that however Achish and his giant Philistines of Gath, wielding Goliath’s arms, spears like a weaver’s beam, and brazen armour, may compass him about, in the name of the Lord he will destroy them. They are all as good as dead, though they are alive and hostile at this moment. In the midst of trouble we can fling ourselves into the future, or rather draw the future into the present, and say, ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death.’ It is safe to reckon on to-morrow when we reckon on God. We to-day have the same reasons for the same confidence; and if we will go the right way about it, we, too, may bring June’s sun into �ovember’s fogs, and bask in the warmth of certain deliverance even when the chill mists of trouble enfold us.But then note, too, here, the substance of this future intervention which, to the Psalmist’s quiet faith, is present:-’My soul from death,’ and after that he says, ‘My feet from falling,’ which looks very like an anticlimax and bathos. But yet, just because to deliver the feet from falling is so much smaller a thing than delivering a life from death, it comes here to be a climax and something greater. The storm passes over the man. What then? After the storm has passed, he is not only alive, but he is standing upright. It has not killed him. �o, it has not even shaken him. His feet are as firm as ever they were, and just because that is a smaller thing, it is a greater thing for the deliverance to have accomplished than the other. God does not deliver by halves; He does not leave the delivered man maimed, or thrown down, though living.Remember, too, the expansion of the text in the psalm to which I have already referred, one of a much later date, which by quoting these words really comments upon them. The later Psalmist adds a clause. ‘Mine eyes from tears,’ and we may follow on in the same direction, and note the three spheres in which the later poet hymns the delivering hand of God as spiritualising for us all our deeper Christian experience. ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death,’ in that great redemption by which the Son has died that we may never know either the intensest bitterness of physical death, or the true death of which it is the shadow and the emblem. ‘Thou hast delivered mine eyes from tears’; God wipes away tears here, even before we come to the time when He wipes away all tears from off all faces, and no eyes are

delivered from tears, except eyes that have looked through tears to God. ‘And my feet from falling’-redeeming grace which saves the soul; comforting grace which lightens sorrow; upholding grace which keeps us from sins-these are the elements of what God has done for us all, if our poor feeble trust has rested on Him.How did David get to this confidence? Why, he prayed himself into it. If you will read the psalm, you will see very clearly the process by which a man comes to that serene, triumphant trust that the battle is won even whilst it is raging around him. The previous portion of the psalm falls into two parts, on which I need only make this one remark, that in both we have first of all an obvious disquieting fact, and then a flash of victorious confidence. Let me just read a word or two to you. The Psalmist begins in a very minor key. ‘Be merciful unto me, O God! for man would swallow me up’-that is Achish and his Philistines. ‘He fighting daily oppresseth me; mine enemies daily would swallow me up.’ He reiterates the same thought with the dreary monotony of sorrow, ‘for there be many that fight against me, O Thou most High!’ But swiftly his note changes into ‘What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee. In God I will praise His word’; that is to say, His promise of deliverance, ‘in God I have put my trust.’ He has climbed to the height, but only for a moment, for down he drops again, and begins anew the old miserable complaint. The sorrow is too clinging to be cast off at one struggle. It has been dammed out for the moment, but the flood rushes too heavily, and away goes the dam, and back pours the black water. ‘Every day they wrest my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.’ And he goes on longer on his depressing key this second time than he did the first, but he rises above it once more in the same fashion, and the refrain with which he had closed the first part of the psalm closes the second. ‘In God will I praise His word; in the Lord will I praise His word.’ �ow he has won the height and keeps it, and breaks into a paean of victory in words of the text.That is to say, pray yourselves into confidence, and if it does not come at first, pray again. If the consolation seems to glide away, even whilst you are laying hold of it, grasp it once more, and close your fingers more tightly on it. Do not be afraid of going down into the depths a second time, but be sure that you try to rise out of them at the same point as before, by grasping the assurance that in God, in His strength, and by His grace, you will be able to set your seal to the truth of His great promise. Thus will you rise to this confidence which calleth things that are not as though they were, and brings the to-morrow that is sure to dawn with all its brightness and serenity into the turbulent, tempestuous, and clouded atmosphere of to-day. We shall one day escape from all that burdens, and tries, and tasks us; and until then this blessed assurance, the fruit of prayer, is like the food that the ravens brought to the prophet in the ravine, or the bread and water that the angel awoke him to partake of when he was faint in the wilderness. The true answer to David’s prayer was the immediate access of confidence unshaken, though the outward answer was a long time in coming, and years lay between him and the cessation of his persecutions and troubles. So we may have brooks by the way, in quiet confidence of deliverance ere yet the deliverance comes. Then note,II. The impulse to service which deliverance brings.‘That I may walk before God in the light of the living’; that is God’s purpose in all His deliverances, that we may thereby be impelled to trustful and grateful service. And David makes that purpose into a vow, for the words might almost as well be

translated, ‘I will walk before Him.’ Let us see to it that God’s purpose is our resolve, and that we do not lose the good of any of the troubles or discipline through which He passes us; for the worst of all sorrows is a wasted sorrow.‘Thou hast delivered my feet that I may walk.’ What are feet for? Walking. Further, notice the precise force of that phrase, ‘that I may walk before God.’ It is not altogether the same as the cognate one which is used about Enoch, that ‘he walked with God.’ That expresses communion as with a friend; this, the ordering of one’s life before His eye, and in the consciousness of His presence as Judge and as Taskmaster. So you find the expression used in almost the only other occasion where it occurs in the Old Testament, where God says to Abraham, ‘Walk before Me, and’-because thou dost order thy life in the consciousness that I am looking at thee-’be thou perfect.’ So, to walk before God is to live even in all the distracting activities of daily life, with the clear realisation, and the continued thought burning in our minds that we are doing them all in His presence. Think of what a regiment of soldiers on parade does as each file passes in front of the saluting point where the commanding officer is standing. How each man dresses up, and they pull themselves together, keeping step, sloping their rifles rightly. We are not on parade, but about business a great deal more serious than that. We are doing our fighting with the Captain looking at us, and that should be a stimulus, a joy and not a terror. Realise God’s eye watching you, and sin, and meanness, and negligence, and selfishness, and sensuality, and lust, and passion, and all the other devils that are in you will vanish like ghosts at cockcrow. ‘Walk before Me,’ and if you feel that I am beside you, you cannot sin. ‘Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.’ �otice,III. The region in which that observance of the divine eye is to be carried on.‘In the light of the living,’ says the Psalmist. That seems to correspond to the first clause of his hope; just as the previous word that I have been commenting upon, ‘walking before Him,’ corresponds to the second, where he speaks about his feet. ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death. . . . I will walk before Thee in the light of the living’-where Thou dost still permit my delivered soul to be. And the phrase seems to mean the sunshine of human life contrasted with the darkness of Sheol.The expression is varied in the 116th Psalm, which reads ‘the land of the living.’ The really living are they who live in Jesus, and the real light of the living is the sunshine that streams on those who thus live, because they live in Him who not only pours His light upon their hearts, but, by pouring it, turns themselves into ‘light in the Lord.’ We, too, may have the brightness of His face irradiating our faces and illuminating our paths, as with the beneficence of a better sunshine. The Psalmist points us the way thus to walk in light. He vows that, because his heart is full of the great mercies of his delivering God, he will order all his active life as under the consciousness of God’s eye upon him, and then it will all be lightened as by a burst of sunshine. Our brightest light is the radiance from the face of God whom we try to love and serve, and the Psalmist’s confidence is that a life of observance of His commandments in which gratitude for deliverance is the impelling motive to continual realisation of His presence, and an accordant life, will be a bright and sunny career. You will live in the sunshine if you live before His face, and however wintry the world may be, it will be like a clear frosty day. There is no frost in the sky, it does not go above the atmosphere, and high above, in serene and wondrous blue, is the blaze of the sunshine. Such a life will be a guided life. There will still remain many occasions for

doubt in the region of belief, and for perplexity as to duty. There will often be need for patient and earnest thought as to both, and there will be no lack of calls for strenuous effort of our best faculties in order to apprehend what our Guide means us to do, and where He would have us go, but through it all there will be the guiding hand. As the Master, with perhaps a glance backwards to these words, said, ‘He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ If He is in the light let us walk in the light, and to us it will be purity and knowledge and joy.