It is the conjecture of many expositors that David
penned this psalm upon occasion of Absalom's rebellion, and that
the particular enemy he here speaks of, that dealt treacherously
with him, was Ahithophel; and some will therefore make David's
troubles here typical of Christ's sufferings, and Ahithophel's
treachery a figure of Judas's, because they both hanged themselves.
But there is nothing in it particularly applied to Christ in the
New Testament. David was in great distress when he penned this
psalm. I. He prays that God would manifest his favour to him, and
pleads his own sorrow and fear,
To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
In these verses we have,
I. David praying. Prayer is a salve for
every sore and a relief to the spirit under every burden: Give
ear to my prayer, O God!
II. David weeping; for in this he was a
type of Christ that he was a man of sorrows and often in tears
(
III. David trembling, and in great
consternation. We may well suppose him to be so upon the breaking
out of Absalom's conspiracy and the general defection of the
people, even those that he had little reason to suspect. 1. See
what fear seized him. David was a man of great boldness, and in
some very eminent instances had signalized his courage, and yet,
when the danger was surprising and imminent, his heart failed him.
Let not the stout man therefore glory in his courage any more than
the strong man in his strength. Now David's heart is sorely
pained within him; the terrors of death have fallen upon him,
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. 11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. 12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. 15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
David here complains of his enemies, whose wicked plots had brought him, though not to his faith's end, yet to his wits' end, and prays against them by the spirit of prophecy. Observe here,
I. The character he gives of the enemies he
feared. They were of the worst sort of men, and his description of
them agrees very well with Absalom and his accomplices. 1. He
complains of the city of Jerusalem, which strangely fell in with
Absalom and fell off from David, so that he had none there but his
own guards and servants that he could repose any confidence in:
How has that faithful city become a harlot! David did not
take the representation of it from others; but with his own eyes,
and with a sad heart, did himself see nothing but violence and
strife in the city (
II. His prayers against them, which we are
both to stand in awe of and to comfort ourselves in, as prophecies,
but not to copy into our prayers against any particular enemies of
our own. He prays, 1. That God would disperse them, as he did the
Babel-builders (
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. 19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. 20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. 21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. 22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
In these verses,
I. David perseveres in his resolution to
call upon God, being well assured that he should not seek him in
vain (
II. He assures himself that God would in due time give an answer of peace to his prayers.
1. That he himself should be delivered and
his fears prevented; those fears with which he was much disordered
(
2. That his enemies should be reckoned
with, and brought down. They had frightened him with their menaces
(
(1.) David here gives their character as
the reason why he expected God would bring them down. [1.] They are
impious and profane, and stand in no awe of God, of his authority
or wrath (
(2.) David here foretels their ruin. [1.]
God shall afflict them, and bring them into straits and frights,
and recompense tribulation to those that have troubled his people,
and this in answer to the prayers of his people: God shall hear
and afflict them, hear the cries of the oppressed and speak
terror to their oppressors, even he that abides of old, who
is God from everlasting, and world without end, and who sits Judge
from the beginning of time, and has always presided in the affairs
of the children of men. Mortal men, though ever so high and strong,
will easily be crushed by an eternal God and are a very unequal
match for him. This the saints have comforted themselves with in
reference to the threatening power of the church's enemies
(
III. He encourages himself and all good
people to commit themselves to God, with confidence in him. He
himself resolves to do so (