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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM LVII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This psalm is very much like that which goes next before it; it was
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penned upon a like occasion, when David was both in danger of trouble
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and in temptation to sin; it begins as that did, "Be merciful to me;"
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the method also is the same.
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I. He begins with prayer and complaint, yet not without some assurance
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of speeding in his request,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:1-6">ver. 1-6</A>.
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II. He concludes with joy and praise,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:7-11">ver. 7-11</A>.
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So that hence we may take direction and encouragement, both in our
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supplications and in our thanksgivings, and may offer both to God, in
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singing this psalm.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps57_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Prayer in Affliction.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam <BR>of David,
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when he fled from Saul in the cave.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be
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merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the
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shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until <I>these</I>
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calamities be overpast.
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2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth <I>all
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things</I> for me.
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3 He shall send from heaven, and save me <I>from</I> the reproach of
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him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his
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mercy and his truth.
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4 My soul <I>is</I> among lions: <I>and</I> I lie <I>even among</I> them that
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are set on fire, <I>even</I> the sons of men, whose teeth <I>are</I> spears
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and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
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5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; <I>let</I> thy glory
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<I>be</I> above all the earth.
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6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down:
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they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are
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fallen <I>themselves.</I> Selah.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The title of this psalm has one word new in it, <I>Al-taschith--Destroy
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not.</I> Some make it to be only some known tune to which this psalm
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was set; others apply it to the occasion and matter of the psalm.
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<I>Destroy not;</I> that is, David would not let Saul be destroyed,
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when now in the cave there was a fair opportunity of killing him, and
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his servants would fain have done so. No, says David, <I>destroy him
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not,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+24:4,6">1 Sam. xxiv. 4, 6</A>.
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Or, rather, God would not let David be destroyed by Saul; he suffered
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him to persecute David, but still under this limitation, <I>Destroy him
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hot;</I> as he permitted Satan to afflict Job, <I>Only save his
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life.</I> David must not be destroyed, for <I>a blessing is in him</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+65:8">Isa. lxv. 8</A>),
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even Christ, the best of blessings. When David was in the cave, in
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imminent peril, he here tells us what were the workings of his heart
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towards God; and happy are those that have such good thoughts as these
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in their minds when they are in danger!</P>
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<P>
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I. He supports himself with faith and hope in God, and prayer to him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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Seeing himself surrounded with enemies, he looks up to God with that
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suitable prayer: <I>Be merciful to me, O Lord!</I> which he again
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repeats, and it is no vain repetition: <I>Be merciful unto me.</I> It
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was the publican's prayer,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+18:13">Luke xviii. 13</A>.
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It is a pity that any should use it slightly and profanely, should cry,
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<I>God be merciful to us,</I> or, <I>Lord, have mercy upon us,</I> when
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they mean only to express their wonder, or surprise, or vexation, but
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God and his mercy are not in all their thoughts. It is with much devout
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affection that David here prays, "<I>Be merciful unto me, O Lord!</I>
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look with compassion upon me, and in thy love and pity redeem me." To
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recommend himself to God's mercy, he here professes,</P>
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<P>
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1. That all his dependence is upon God: <I>My soul trusteth in
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thee,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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He did not only profess to trust in God, but his soul did indeed rely
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on God only, with a sincere devotion and self-dedication, and an entire
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complacency and satisfaction. He goes to God, and, at the footstool of
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the throne of his grace, humbly professes his confidence in him: <I>In
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the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge,</I> as the chickens take
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shelter under the wings of the hen when the birds of prey are ready to
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strike at them, <I>until these calamities be over-past.</I>
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(1.) He was confident his troubles would end well, in due time;
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<I>these calamities will be over-past;</I> the storm will blow over.
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<I>Non si male nunc et olim sic erit--Though now distressed, I shall
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not always be so.</I> Our Lord Jesus comforted himself with this in his
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sufferings,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+22:37">Luke xxii. 37</A>.
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<I>The things concerning me have an end.</I>
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(2.) He was very easy under the divine protection in the mean time.
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[1.] He comforted himself in the goodness of God's nature, by which he
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is inclined to succour and protect his people, as the hen is by
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instinct to shelter her young ones. God comes upon the wing to the help
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of his people, which denotes a speedy deliverance
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+18:10">Ps. xviii. 10</A>);
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and he takes them under his wing, which denotes warmth and refreshment,
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even when the calamities are upon them; see
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+23:37">Matt. xxiii. 37</A>.
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[2.] In the promise of his word and the covenant of his grace; for it
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may refer to the out-stretched <I>wings of the cherubim,</I> between
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which God is said to dwell
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+80:1">Ps. lxxx. 1</A>)
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and whence he gave his oracles. "To God, as the God of grace, will I
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fly, and his promise shall be my refuge, and a sure passport it will be
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through all these danger." God, by his promise, offers himself to us,
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to be trusted; we by our faith must accept of him, and put our trust in
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him.</P>
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<P>
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2. That all his desire is towards God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>):
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"<I>I will cry unto God most high,</I> for succour and relief; to him
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that is most high will I lift up my soul, and pray earnestly, even
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<I>unto God that performs all things for me.</I>" Note,
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(1.) In every thing that befalls us we ought to see and own the hand of
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God; whatever is done is of his performing; in it his counsel is
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accomplished and the scripture is fulfilled.
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(2.) Whatever God performs concerning his people, it will appear, in
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the issue, to have been performed for them and for their benefit.
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Though God be high, <I>most high,</I> yet he condescends so low as to
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take care that all things be made to work for good to them.
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(3.) This is a good reason why we should, in all our straits and
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difficulties, cry unto him, not only pray, but pray earnestly.</P>
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<P>
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3. That all his expectation is from God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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<I>He shall send from heaven, and save me.</I> Those that make God
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their only refuge, and fly to him by faith and prayer, may be sure of
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salvation, in his way and time. Observe here,
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(1.) Whence he expects the salvation--from heaven. Look which way he
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will, in this earth, refuge fails, no help appears; but he looks for it
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from heaven. Those that lift up their hearts to things above may thence
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expect all good.
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(2.) What the salvation is that he expects. He trusts that God will
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save him <I>from the reproach of those that would swallow him up,</I>
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that aimed to ruin him, and, in the mean time, did all they could to
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vex him. Some read it, <I>He shall send from heaven and save me, for he
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has put to shame him that would swallow me up;</I> he has disappointed
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their designs against me hitherto, and therefore he will perfect my
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deliverance.
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(3.) What he will ascribe his salvation to: <I>God shall send forth his
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mercy and truth.</I> God is good in himself and faithful to every word
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that he has spoken, and so he makes it appear when he works deliverance
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for his people. We need no more to make us happy than to have the
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benefit of the mercy and truth of God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+25:10">Ps. xxv. 10</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. He represents the power and malice of his enemies
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>My soul is among lions.</I> So fierce and furious was Saul, and
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those about him, against David, that he might have been as safe in a
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den of lions as among such men, who were continually roaring against
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him and ready to make a prey of him. They are set on fire, and breathe
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nothing but flame; they set on fire the course of nature, inflaming one
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another against David, and <I>they were themselves set on fire of
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hell,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jam+3:6">Jam. iii. 6</A>.
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They were sons of men, from whom one might have expected something of
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the reason and compassion of a man; but they were beasts of prey in the
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shape of men; their <I>teeth,</I> which they gnashed upon him, and with
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which they hoped to tear him to pieces and to eat him up, <I>were
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spears and arrows</I> fitted for mischiefs and murders; and their
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<I>tongue,</I> with which they cursed him and wounded his reputation,
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was <I>as a sharp sword</I> to cut and kill; see
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+42:10">Ps. xlii. 10</A>.
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A spiteful tongue is a dangerous weapon, wherewith Satan's instruments
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fight against God's people. He describes their malicious projects
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against him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>)
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and shows the issue of them: "<I>They have prepared a net for my
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steps,</I> in which to take me, that I might not again escape out of
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their hands; <I>they have digged a pit before me,</I> that I might, ere
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I was aware, run headlong into it." See the policies of the church's
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enemies; see the pains they take to do mischief. But let us see what
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comes of it.
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1. It is indeed some disturbance to David: <I>My soul is bowed
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down.</I> It made him droop, and hang the head, to think that there
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should be those that bore him so much ill-will. But,
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2. It was destruction to themselves; they dug a pit for David, <I>into
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the midst whereof they have fallen.</I> The mischief they designed
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against David returned upon themselves, and they were embarrassed in
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their counsels; then when Saul was pursuing David the Philistines were
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invading <I>him;</I> nay, in the cave, when Saul thought David should
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fall into his hands, he fell into the hands of David, and lay at his
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mercy.</P>
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<P>
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III. He prays to God to glorify himself and his own great name
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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"Whatever becomes of me and my interest, <I>be thou exalted, O God!
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above the heavens,</I> be thou praised by the holy angels, those
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glorious inhabitants of the upper world; <I>and let thy glory be
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above</I> or over <I>all the earth;</I> let all the inhabitants of this
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earth be brought to know and praise thee." Thus God's glory should lie
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hearer our hearts, and we should be more concerned for it, than for any
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particular interests of our own. When David was in the greatest
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distress and disgrace he did not pray, <I>Lord, exalt me,</I> but,
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<I>Lord, exalt thy own name.</I> Thus the Son of David, when his soul
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was troubled, and he prayed, <I>Father, save me from this hour,</I>
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immediately withdrew that petition, and presented this in the room of
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it, <I>For this cause came I to this hour; Father, glorify thy
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name,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+12:27,28">John xii. 27, 28</A>.
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Or it may be taken as a plea to enforce his petition for deliverance:
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"Lord, <I>send from heaven to save me,</I> and thereby thou wilt
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glorify thyself as the God both of heaven and earth." Our best
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encouragement in prayer is taken from the glory of God, and to that
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therefore, more than our own comfort, we should have an eye in all our
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petitions for particular mercies; for this is made the first petition
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in the Lord's prayer, as that which regulates and directs all the rest,
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<I>Father in heaven, hallowed by thy name.</I></P>
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<A NAME="Ps57_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps57_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Prayer Turned to Praise.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and
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give praise.
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8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I <I>myself</I> will
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awake early.
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9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing
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unto thee among the nations.
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10 For thy mercy <I>is</I> great unto the heavens, and thy truth
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unto the clouds.
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11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: <I>let</I> thy glory
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<I>be</I> above all the earth.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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How strangely is the tune altered here! David's prayers and complaints,
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by the lively actings of faith, are here, all of a sudden, turned into
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praises and thanksgivings; his sackcloth is loosed, he is girded with
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gladness, and his hallelujahs are as fervent as his hosannas. This
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should make us in love with prayer, that, sooner or later, it will be
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swallowed up in praise. Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. How he prepares himself for the duty of praise
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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<I>My heart is fixed, O God! my heart is fixed.</I> My heart is
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<I>erect,</I> or <I>lifted up</I> (so some), which was bowed down,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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<I>My heart is fixed,</I>
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1. With reference to God's providences; it is prepared for every event,
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being <I>stayed upon God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+112:7,Isa+26:3">Ps. cxii. 7; Isa. xxvi. 3</A>.
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<I>My heart is fixed,</I> and then <I>none of these things move me,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+20:24">Acts xx. 24</A>
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If by the grace of God we be brought into this even composed frame of
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spirit, we have great reason to be thankful.
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2. With reference to the worship of God: <I>My heart is fixed</I> to
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<I>sing and give praise.</I> It is implied that the heart is the main
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thing required in all acts of devotion; nothing is done to purpose, in
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religion, further than it is done with the heart. The heart must be
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fixed, fixed for the duty, fitted and put in frame for it, fixed in the
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duty by a close application, <I>attending on the Lord without
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distraction.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. How he excites himself to the duty of praise
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>):
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<I>Awake up my glory,</I> that is, my tongue (our tongue is our glory,
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and never more so than when it is employed in praising God), or my
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soul, that must be first awakened; dull and sleepy devotions will never
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be acceptable to God. We must stir up ourselves, and all that is within
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us, to praise God; with a holy fire must that sacrifice be kindled, and
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ascend in a holy flame. David's tongue will lead, and his psaltery and
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harp will follow, in these hymns of praise. <I>I myself will awake,</I>
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not only, "I will not be dead, and drowsy, and careless, in this work,"
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but, "I will be in the most lively frame, as one newly awakened out of
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a refreshing sleep." He will awake <I>early</I> to this work, early in
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the morning, to begin the day with God, early in the beginnings of a
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mercy. When God is coming towards us with his favours we must go forth
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to meet him with our praises.</P>
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<P>
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III. How he pleases himself, and (as I may say) even prides himself, in
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the work of praise; so far is he from being ashamed to own his
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obligations to God, and dependence upon him, that he resolves to
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<I>praise him among the people</I> and to <I>sing unto him among the
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nations,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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This intimates,
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1. That his own heart was much affected and enlarged in praising God;
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he would even make the earth ring with his sacred songs, that all might
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take notice how much he thought himself indebted to the goodness of
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God.
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2. That he desired to bring others in to join with him in praising God.
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He will publish God's praises <I>among the people,</I> that the
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knowledge, and fear, and love of God might be propagated, and the ends
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of the earth might see his salvation. When David was driven out into
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heathen lands he would not only not worship their gods, but he would
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openly avow his veneration for the God of Israel, would take his
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religion along with him wherever he went, would endeavour to bring
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others in love with it, and leave the sweet savour of it behind him.
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David, in his psalms, which fill the universal church, and will to the
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end of time, may be said to be still <I>praising God among the
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people</I> and <I>singing to him among the nations;</I> for all good
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people make use of his words in praising God. Thus St. John, in his
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writings, is said to <I>prophesy again before many peoples and
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nations,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+10:11">Rev. x. 11</A>.</P>
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<P>
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IV. How he furnishes himself with matter for praise,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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That which was the matter of his hope and comfort (<I>God shall send
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forth his mercy and his truth,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>)
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is here the matter of his thanksgiving: <I>Thy mercy is great unto the
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heavens,</I> great beyond conception and expression; and <I>thy truth
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|
unto the clouds,</I> great beyond discovery, for what eye can reach
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|
that which is wrapped up in the clouds? God's mercy and truth reach to
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|
the heavens, for they will bring all such to heaven as lay up their
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|
treasure in them and build their hopes upon them. God's mercy and truth
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|
are praised even to the heavens, that is, by all the bright and blessed
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inhabitants of the upper world, who are continually exalting God's
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praises to the highest, while David, on earth, is endeavouring to
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spread his praises to the furthest,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.</P>
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<P>
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V. How he leaves it at last to God to glorify his own name
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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<I>Be thou exalted, O God!</I> The same words which he had used
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+57:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>)
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to sum up his prayers in he here uses again (and no vain repetition) to
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sum up his praises in: "Lord, I desire to exalt thy name, and that all
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|
the creatures may exalt it; but what can the best of us do towards it?
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|
Lord, take the work into thy own hands; do it thyself: <I>Be thou
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|
exalted, O God!</I> In the praises of the church triumphant thou art
|
|
exalted to the heavens, and in the praises of the church militant thy
|
|
glory is throughout all the earth; but thou art above all the blessing
|
|
and praise of both
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+9:5">Neh. ix. 5</A>),
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and therefore, Lord, exalt thyself <I>above the heavens</I> and
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|
<I>above all the earth. Father, glorify thy own name. Thou hast
|
|
glorified it, glorify it yet again.</I>"</P>
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