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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms LIV].</TITLE>
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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 LIV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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The key of this psalm hangs at the door, for the title tells us upon
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what occasion it was penned--when the inhabitants of Ziph, men of Judah
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(types of Judas the traitor), betrayed David to Saul, by informing him
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where he was and putting him in a way how to seize him. This they did
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twice
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+23:19,26:1">1 Sam. xxiii. 19; xxvi. 1</A>),
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and it is upon record to their everlasting infamy. The psalm is sweet;
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the former part of it, perhaps, was meditated when he was in his
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distress and put into writing when the danger was over, with the
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addition of the last two verses, which express his thankfulness for the
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deliverance, which yet might be written in faith, even when he was in
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the midst of his fright. Here,
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I. He complains to God of the malice of his enemies, and prays for
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help against them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+55:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. He comforts himself with an assurance of the divine favour and
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protection, and that, in due time, his enemies should be confounded and
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be delivered,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+55:4-7">ver. 4-7</A>.
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What time we are in distress we may comfortable sing this psalm.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps54_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps54_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps54_3"> </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>Complaints.</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 on Neginoth, Maschil. <I>A psalm</I> of David,
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when <BR>the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself
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with us?</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me
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by thy strength.
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2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
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3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek
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after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We may observe here,
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1. The great distress that David was now in, which the title gives an
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account of. The Ziphim came of their own accord, and informed Saul
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where David was, with a promise to deliver him into his hand. One would
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have thought that when David had retired into the country he would not
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be pursued, into a desert country he would not be discovered, and into
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his own country he would not be betrayed; and yet it seems he was.
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Never let a good man expect to be safe an easy till he comes to heaven.
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How treacherous, how officious, were these Ziphim! It is well that God
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is faithful, for men are not to be trusted,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+7:5">Mic. vii. 5</A>.
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2. His prayer to God for succour and deliverance,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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He appeals to God's strength, by which he was able to help him, and to
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his name, by which he was engaged to help him, and begs he would save
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him from his enemies and judge him, that is, plead his cause and judge
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for him. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no
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other power to depend upon than God's strength, and those he makes his
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refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer of his
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prayers
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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which even in his flight, when he had not opportunity for solemn
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address to God, he was ever and anon lifting up to heaven: <I>Hear my
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prayer,</I> which comes from my heart, and <I>give ear to the words of
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my mouth.</I>
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3. His plea, which is taken from the character of his enemies,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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(1.) They are <I>strangers;</I> such were the Ziphites, unworthy the
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name of Israelites. "They have used me more basely and barbarously than
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the Philistines themselves would have done." The worst treatment may be
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expected from those who, having broken through the bonds of relation
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and alliance, make themselves strangers.
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(2.) They are <I>oppressors;</I> such was Saul, who, as a king, should
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have used his power for the protection of all his good subjects, but
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abused it for their destruction. Nothing is so grievous as oppression
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in <I>the seat of judgment,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+3:16">Eccl. iii. 16</A>.
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Paul's greatest perils were by his <I>own countrymen</I> and by
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<I>false brethren</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+11:26">2 Cor. xi. 26</A>),
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and so were David's.
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(3.) They were very formidable and threatening; they not only hated him
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and wished him ill, but they rose up against him in a body, joining
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their power to do him a mischief.
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(4.) They were very spiteful and malicious: <I>They seek after my
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soul;</I> they hunt for the precious life; no less will satisfy them.
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We may, in faith, pray that God would not by his providence give
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success, lest it should look like giving countenance, to such cruel
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bloody men.
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(5.) They were very profane and atheistical, and, for this reason, he
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thought God was concerned in honour to appear against them: <I>They
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have not set God before them,</I> that is, they have quite cast off the
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thoughts of God; they do not consider that his eye is upon them, that,
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in fighting against his people, they fight against him, nor have they
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any dread of the certain fatal consequences of such an unequal
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engagement. Note, From those who do not set God before them no good is
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to be expected; nay, what wickedness will not such men be guilty of?
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What bonds of nature, or friendship, or gratitude, or covenant, will
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hold those that have broken through the fear of God? <I>Selah--Mark
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this.</I> Let us all be sure to set God before us at all times; for, if
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we do not we are in danger of becoming desperate.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps54_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps54_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps54_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps54_7"> </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>Consolations.</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>4 Behold, God <I>is</I> mine helper: the Lord <I>is</I> with them that
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uphold my soul.
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5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy
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truth.
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6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>; for <I>it is</I> good.
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7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye
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hath seen <I>his desire</I> upon mine enemies.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here the lively actings of David's faith in his prayer, by
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which he was assured that the issue would be comfortable, though the
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attempt upon him was formidable.</P>
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<P>
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I. He was sure that he had God on his side, that God took his part
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>);
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he speaks it with an air of triumph and exultation, <I>Behold, God is
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my helper.</I> If we be for him, he is for us; and, if he be for us, we
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shall have such help in him that we need not fear any power engaged
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against us. Though men and devils aim to be our destroyers, they shall
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not prevail while God is our helper: <I>The Lord is with those that
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uphold my soul.</I> Compare
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+118:7">Ps. cxviii. 7</A>,
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"<I>The Lord taketh my part with those that help me.</I> There are some
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that uphold me, and God is one of them; he is the principal one; none
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of them could help me if he did not help them." Every creature is that
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to us (and no more) that God makes it to be. He means, "The Lord is he
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that upholds my soul, and keeps me from tiring in my work and sinking
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under my burdens." He that by his providence upholds all things by his
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grace upholds the souls of his people. God, who will in due time save
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his people, does, in the mean time, sustain them and bear them up, so
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that the spirit he has made shall not fail before him.</P>
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<P>
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II. God taking part with him, he doubted not but his enemies should
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both flee and fall before him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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"<I>He shall reward evil unto my enemies that observe me,</I> seeking
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an opportunity to do me a mischief. The evil they designed against me
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the righteous God will return upon their own heads." David would not
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render evil to them, but he knew God would: <I>I as a deaf man heard
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not, for thou wilt hear.</I> The enemies we forgive, if they repent
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not, God will judge; and for this reason we must not avenge ourselves,
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because God has said, <I>Vengeance is mine.</I> But he prays, <I>Cut
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them off in thy truth.</I> This is not a prayer of malice, but a prayer
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of faith; for it has an eye to the word of God, and only desires the
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performance of that. There is truth in God's threatenings as well as in
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his promises, and sinners that repent not will find it so to their
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cost.</P>
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<P>
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III. He promises to give thanks to God for all the experiences he had
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had of his goodness to him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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<I>I will sacrifice unto thee.</I> Though sacrifices were expensive,
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yet, when God required that his worshippers should in that way praise
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him, David would not only offer them, but offer them freely and without
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grudging. All our spiritual sacrifices must, in this sense, be
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free-will-offerings; for God loves a cheerful giver. Yet he will not
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only bring his sacrifice, which was but the shadow, the ceremony; he
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will mind the substance: <I>I will praise thy name.</I> A thankful
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heart, and the calves of our lips giving thanks to his name, are the
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sacrifices God will accept: "<I>I will praise thy name, for it is
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good.</I> Thy name is not only great but good, and therefore to be
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praised. To praise thy name is not only what we are bound to, but it is
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good, it is pleasant, it is profitable; it is good for us
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+92:1">Ps. xcii. 1</A>);
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therefore <I>I will praise thy name.</I>"</P>
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<P>
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IV. He speaks of his deliverance as a thing done
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+54:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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I will praise thy name, and say, "<I>He has delivered me;</I> this
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shall be my song then." That which he rejoices in is a complete
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deliverance--<I>He has delivered me from all trouble;</I> and a
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deliverance to his heart's content--<I>My eye has seen its desire upon
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my enemies,</I> not seen them cut off and ruined, but forced to
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retreat, tidings being brought to Saul that the Philistines were upon
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him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+23:27,28">1 Sam. xxiii. 27, 28</A>.
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All David desired was to be himself safe; when he saw Saul draw off his
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forces he saw his desire. <I>He has delivered me from all trouble.</I>
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Either,
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1. With this thought David comforted himself when he was in distress:
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"<I>He has delivered me from all trouble</I> hitherto, and many a time
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I have gained my point, and seen my desire on my enemies; therefore he
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will deliver me out of this trouble." We should thus, in our greatest
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straits, encourage ourselves with our past experiences. Or,
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2. With this thought he magnified his present deliverance when the
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fright was over, that it was an earnest of further deliverance. He
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speaks of the completing of his deliverance as a thing done, though he
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had as yet many troubles before him, because, having God's promise for
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it, he was as sure of it as if it had been done already. "He that has
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begun to deliver me from all troubles, and will at length give me to
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see my desire upon my enemies." This may perhaps point at Christ, of
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whom David was a type; God would deliver him out of all the troubles of
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his state of humiliation, and he was perfectly sure of it; and all
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things are said to be put under his feet; for, though we see not yet
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all things put under him, yet we are sure he shall reign till all his
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enemies be made his footstool, and he shall see his desire upon them.
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However, it is an encouragement to all believers to make that use of
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their particular deliverances which St. Paul does (like David here),
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ti+4:17,18">2 Tim. iv. 17, 18</A>,
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<I>He that delivered me from the mouth of the lion shall deliver me
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from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly
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kingdom.</I></P>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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